Post op rheumatoid flare relief

hoppingmad

Help me please! I am 12 days post op of a c1/c2 neck fusion. The neck is healing fine and causing me no problems. But my arthritis flares are reducing me to tears. I've been told to stay off all my drugs, including anti imflamatories and steroids. He said if absolutely necessary I can have one antiimflammatory, but it's really not going to do much one on it's own. I'm putting cinnamon on everything and drinking turmeric tea. But can I really not just do a short 5 day course of steroids for some relief? Any advise greatly welcomed. Thank you xx

Mush

That's not good, when I have a flair up(twice) they put me on Prednisolone 5mg, 3 tabs a day for 7 days, then 2 for 7 days, then 1 for 7 days, after the first day of 3 the pain is pretty much gone, hope this helps.

Naomi33

Morning @hoppingmad

Sorry to hear your concerns about time I would ask for a second opinion and as @Mush said when I to have flare ups they always give me Prednisolone to.

Best wishes @Naomi33

helpline_team

Hi @hoppingmad, thanks for your post. Glad to hear the op went well but really sorry to hear that you are in so much pain with your arthritis flare. We recommend that you follow the medical advice given but understand how tough this can be. I have provided details here on things that can help, including the different methods people have used to help them manage their pain, relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and self-help measures such as using heat and ice packs. We'd also recommend checking with your doctor when you can start to take pain relief again. Hope it helps.

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

Thanks, Natalie, Helpline Advisor.

stephen

I have gone to this part of the forum because I am having one great big flare. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis years ago. During Covid I left off my retuximab infusions and was fine. Two years ago I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and operated on. The RA has returned with a vengeance. The rheumatologist is dithering about reintroducing retuximab and methotrexate given the cancer. The oncologist is saying go ahead. My questions are, is there a relationship between cancer and RA; and is the oncologist correct?

helpline_team

Hi @stephen

Thanks for posting your question on the Helpline Online Community. Sorry to hear you're experiencing a bad flare up of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

You ask if there is a relationship between cancer and RA. I'm sharing some information with you from NRAS in which it suggests the rates of some types of cancers could be higher in people with RA than in the general population. Although it also states that patients with RA have a reduced risk of bowel cancer. However, it is still not clear if the increased risk of some cancers is due to the RA, its treatment or both.

Both Rituximab and Methotrexate are sometimes used to treat cancer, although there are dosage differences to those used to treat RA. Our information suggests that your clinical team may recommend Rituximab rather than other biologics, because there is some evidence it may be a safer option for people who have previously had cancer.

For your joined up care, your Rheumatology and Oncology healthcare teams should communicate to arrive at a consensus as to the best way forwards to treat you, weighing up the associated benefits and risks. I suggest getting in touch with both teams to check this is happening.

I hope you find the following information on our website helpful.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/rituximab/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/methotrexate/

You may also find the following general information from another organisation useful. We have no control over the contents of these resources and are unable to guarantee their suitability for you, but we hope they’re helpful:

https://nras.org.uk/resource/how-is-lifespan-affected-by-ra/

Best wishes,
Helen, Helpline Advisor

stephen

Many thanks. I did have to look carefully for your reply. Am I missing a route to getting a flag that there is a reply awaiting me in your system?

MaryL44

Hi @stephen

At the top right of the screen there is an envelope icon. If you have a message a small red circle will appear on that envelope. Click on it and you should see your messages (or messages in which your name is mentioned)

Hope this helps.

Mary