I’m new & in so much pain

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Lisa1968
Lisa1968 Member Posts: 3
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:08 in Living with arthritis

Hi everyone, sorry but Im In so much pain. I’ve been crying all week.

so I have degenerative disc disease with rheumatoid arthritis. Over a week ago my right shoulder & arm has been in so much. I went to a&e they didn’t examine me but said it was my condition, my dr put my gabapentin up so I now take 1600 in morning with 500 naproxen then 800 gabapentin at lunch time with 509 naproxen then another 1600 gabapentin at bed time. It’s nit made much difference at all

I’m still in so much pain I’m crying & my arm feels heavy & I have not much use In It.

I’m at my wits end

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  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 1,628
    edited 19. Apr 2022, 06:13
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    Hi @Lisa1968

    Welcome to the online Community I am so glad you have found us. Please do not apologise for being in pain everyone here understands how you are feeling and will want to try to help and support you.

    I see from your post that you have Degenerative Disc Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Your medication, in spite of an increase in gabapentin, isn't helping. I hope your GP has examined your shoulder.

    While you are waiting for our members to come along I am going to attach a couple of links which might help you a bit:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/june/five-ways-to-help-shoulder-pain/
    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

    This link takes you to our helpline number in case you'd like to speak to someone:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/get-help/

    Very best wishes Lisa

    Ellen.

  • Lisa1968
    Lisa1968 Member Posts: 3
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    Thank you so much. No no dr has examined my shoulder. In fact my dr is doing telephone calls. The dr at A & E didn’t either. I find this very strange it’s down my right arm & I have limited use of it. It’s really making me feel so depressed. Thank you for your reply x

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,712
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    Lisa, you mention lots of pain meds but no disease modifying ones. Are you sure it's rheumatoid arthritis that you have not osteo? I ask because, if you have rheumatoid, the first port of call would be your rheumatologist to see if your recent blood tests indicate that the meds aren't working as well as they might.

    Shoulders can be horribly painful. When my boys were young I used to make myself a sling out of a scarf and fling it round my neck. It prevented movement, to some extent, and then I was a bit more able to prepare their meals when they got home. I think a combination of rest and gentle exercise works best. And distracting ourselves from the pain by reading, watching a favourite TV programme, doing puzzles - anything to take our mind off it. It has really been proven that the more we concentrate on pain the more we feel it and vice versa. Why not join in with some of the threads on here to take your mind off it? We can't take it away but we can share and empathise.

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,417
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    Morning @Lisa1968

    Welcome from me too.

    Shoulders can be agony. What I don't understand is why you can't see your Dr in person. I think you need to ask for an appointment for a face to face. You will have to be quite firm and polite though. It could be something unrelated to your Arthritis either way there are treatments you could be given when they know the exact cause.

    For comfort now have you tried a microwavable wheatbag? You can get them from most pharmacies I think them very very comforting if you can get into a position with the aid of pillows.

    @stickywicket is right distraction can really help a lot more than you'd think, but first of all I'd want to know exactly what is wrong especially if the pain is a new one and not where you normally get your arthritis pain.

    Take care

    Toni x

  • Nervouskuz
    Nervouskuz Member Posts: 3
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    Hi,

    I am so sorry you’re in so much pain.

    I just wondered if it could be possible you could have a trapped nerve? I had one last year in my shoulder, and also had limited movement and excruciating pain- it isn’t as common as people say it is, and extremely painful. I also had numbness and pins and needles from across my shoulder and down my arm.

    Sorry if I’ve misread and offered useless advice, but I truly hope you get some relief soon. Stay strong xx

  • alexander1
    alexander1 Member Posts: 70
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    Hi if you have degenerative disc disease then you can also have osteophytes and facet joint/foramen arthritis. I have about 9 bulging discs BUT the most painful is the C6/7 as this has early nerve impingement and I get shoulder pain and numbness a lot.

    The other issue could be arthritis of the shoulder which can cause tearing of the muscles and tendons.

    The only way to be sure is get X-rays first and then get reffered to a specialist to get an MRI

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