Reumatoid Arthritis help please - new diagnosis

ginger5693

Hi,
Just after some advice please. My mother in law was diagnosed with ra yesterday (finally) and given a steroid injection in her bottom at around 11 am. Today she has woken and as well as the original pain and lack of movement she now cannot move her shoulder or arm. Is there anyone who has experienced this? I've seen some articles saying that the injection can make things worse before they get better? We did consider taking her to a&e but we don't think there will be anything they can do. She has been told to go to her gp in a couple of days to get individual injections if she feels the one in her bottom isn't working.
It is so awful to see a normally fit and active person reduced to what she has been. She is barely eating, her mood is low and she is limping and dragging herself around. Tramadol and Diclofenic aren't touching the pain.
I know I can't find a miracle cure for her but any advice would be appreciated.

stickywicket

Hello there. How kind of you to be so concerned about your mother-in-law. I've had RA for 53 years and I know how tough things can be with it but I don't think there's cause for panic here.

Firstly, steroid injections whether general ones into the bum or ones injected directly into a specific joint seem to work really well for some and not at all for others. It's just the luck of the draw, I'm afraid.

As for waking up to find her shoulder and arm have joined in – I'm afraid that, too, is quite normal (ie for other joints to suddenly join in) and it would be very unusual for it to be anything to do with the jab except insofar as, if it has helped a bit, she may have slept more soundly and not woken up when she needed to change position thus putting some pressure on the side being slept on.

Who diagnosed you mother-in-law? I ask because only a rheumatologist can prescribe the medication needed for RA. Diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory, and tramadol just pain relief. They should help to some extent but she really needs a Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug (DMARD) which a GP can't prescribe. It might or might not help the pain but will keep the disease in check. If she's not seen a rheumatologist her GP should be referring her to one.

With a new diagnosis of RA she's probably in shock to some extent which would account for her low mood and lack of appetite, though both diclofenac and tramadol can upset the stomach. Take them with food and also ask the GP for a stomach-protecting medication for when she takes the diclos.

It's difficult. I'd certainly go for the joint injections if there's no improvement but, other than that, it can be a matter of soldiering on and trying to keep all the affected limbs moving gently. Please ask away if you have more questions and we'll try to help.

P.S. You'll probably get more replies if you post on the Living With Arthritis forum. This is Chit Chat where we normally talk about on-arthritis stuff

ginger5693

Thank you for your reply. The shoulder pain is definitely not due to sleeping soundly as she didn't sleep at all last night!
She saw the specialist at the hospital yesterday where she got her diagnosis. They are going to start her on methatrexate (sp?) but need to wait for blood results and chest xray results first.
I think she is going to see how tonight goes and pop to a&e tomorrow if her shoulder doesn't improve :-(

stickywicket

Good that she's been diagnosed by a rheumatologist and, yes, that's the usual procedure before starting on methlotrexate. I hope it works as well for her as it does for me.

barbara12

Hello and sorry I have only just seen this, like SW says you could put this in LWA ..itis good of you to ask on your MIL behalf..sorry I wont be much help I have OA..but hopefully others will be along soon..

ginger5693

Thank you for your responses. She has woken today after a better nights sleep and whilst still in pain, it is not as bad as yesterday. Hopefully that is the steroid taking effect at last!! Fingers crossed for the same tomorrow as she has a follow up appointment with her gp and they may decide to inject the joints if still no better. The reassurance has been very helpful xx

stickywicket

I hope the improvement has continued by please tell her not to be misled by the steroids. They don't cure, they only mask. She still needs the DMARDS

bubbadog

Hi Ginger, You obviously have a good relationship with your Mother-In-Law which I did with mine. As the others have said you should really have posted this on 'Living with Arthritis' forum you would have had more posts. But at least you know for other times. Going to A & E with your MIL would mean long waiting time and more than likely an injection of pethidine and told to ring G.P in the morning for appointment and then sent home. I know this from the quiet a few times I've gone there in the past. It does take a couple of days for the steroid injection to get into your blood stream and for it to give some relief. Hope she's feeling a lot better than she did and that the G.P appointment was a good one.

ginger5693

Hi, thank you all.
I got the reassurance I needed and was going to move my post to the other thread but she has improved. Today was another bad day but in the grand scheme of things she is suffering less pain now the steroid is finally doing something.
The GP has increased her Tramadol for night time as that is the biggest struggle. They said they wouldn't inject her joints until next week anyway as the steroid still needs time to work.
Thanks for all your help
C xx

stickywicket

May I suggest she takes her tramadol with food - a plain biscuit will suffice - as otherwise it could be stomach problems next :roll: I'm pleased the steroid is helping.