Night time shoulder pain

silverduchess

Was diagnosed with RA in my hands a few weeks ago. Started taking hydroxychoroquine 4 weeks ago, so not sure if it will work just yet. BUT have now started with pain in both shoulders. Not too bad during the day with painkillers, but how does everyone else manage to get any sleep ? Waking up multiple times in pain, HELP, any suggestions.

CarylW

Hello @silverduchess

I am glad you have found our online community and I hope you get some helpful advice from people in your situation. We are a friendly and supportive group of people with lots of experience between us!

I understand that you have been diagnosed with RA in your hands and have been prescribed hydroxychloroquine. You now have pain in both shoulders and are finding it difficult to sleep.

I hope the information links below may provide a starting point for you:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

Please do keep posting and let us know how you are. We will help all we can.

Best wishes

Caryl

Trish9556

Hi @silverduchess

I had subacromial decompressions on both shoulders a few years back and sleeping was impossible until my daughter in law bought me a v shaped pillow.

Used in conjunction with my normal pillows I found being almost sat up in bed enabled the return of long lost sleep. I also applied some gel the Dr prescribed just before bed which was brilliant. Started with an f but for the life of me I can't remember what it was called.

A handy tip for applying cream to shoulders is to buy one if those washing up brushes with a sponge instead of bristles, cut off the scourer bit and use the remaining sponge to get the cream or gel in that awkward place you can't reach

I hope you etc some respite soon. .

Love n hugs

Trish xx

silverduchess

Thank you so much for your very helpful advice. I was thinking about a v pillow or a wedge pillow.

I've been trying to use ordinary pillows as a wedge but it just doesn't work !

Have just ordered a v from Amazon 😁

Can't wait until it arrives tomorrow

Barbara x

Trish9556

Hi Barbara

You'll probably have to jiggle pillows around fir a few nights to get them in the right place.initislly aim for your head/ neck on the top of the V and see how you get on. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me - I'm a natural side sleeper and was really struggling. I'm currently working on a fix for sleeping with bad hips and that's more of a struggle, even with a shaped or normal pillow.

Love n hugs

trish xx

Sandgrownen

Hi Silver Duchess

I had the same problem, ok during the day but a real pain at night. Eventually I started to take a Paracetamol about an hour before bed and it seemed to do the trick. Occasionally I would wake in the small hours so I took another Paracetamol which got me to sleep.

Strangely I don't need it now.

Hope this works for you. Good luck.

Steve

silverduchess

Thank you for replying. I do take paracetamol before bed but they don't work that well for me.

I'm waiting for the hydroxychoroquine to kick in which the rheumatologist prescribed for me.

I've been taking it 5 weeks but apparently it can take 12 weeks to work.

So roll on the next 7 weeks !!