Advice about rheumatoid arthritis?

My 58-year-old mother was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. She's having a very tough time and is just miserable. It particularly bad in the mornings (from what I've read, this is common). She often ends up crying from pain and frustration. It is leaving her crippled.

Her rheumatologist and doctors have prescribed a cocktail of medications, pain relievers, and steroids, but little seems to really help. I'm trying to persuade her to try acupuncture.

If anyone has any ideas, advice, personal experiences, or insight, it would be much appreciated.

I've had active RA for the past two years, and like your mother, I am not doing well. I understand how she feels, and my heart goes out to her.

I'm biding my time, waiting for the methotrexate to take effect. Eventually it will and I know I'll feel better. I don't know what your mother's taking, but she might want to consider talking to her rheumatologist about having her meds increased or altered.

One thing I have found that does wonders for the morning stiffness is the time at which I take my prednisone. I'm assuming it's what your mother takes.

The instructions, and my doctor, say to take corticosteroids before 9am. When I do that, I end up waiting hours for the stiffness to wear off. I've started taking my prednisone at bedtime, and I have found that I am loosened up considerably within an hour after waking. This is much easier on me than being stiff all day.

Of course, there's a downside to this. I'm in serious pain by 9 each evening, and I go to bed shortly after 11 to escape it. For me, this works. I'd much rather sleep through the misery than awaken to it each day. Right now, this is all that's helping me keep my sanity.

I hope your mother soon feels better.

Thank you. Best wishes to you and your mother.

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If the meds are not working the FIRST thing she needs to do is call her Rheumatologist and let them know that the meds are not working. The doc has no clue that the meds are not working if she doesn't tell them. Accupunture is something to try but there is no guarantee it will help. That would be entirely up to your mother if she wants to try that or not. For now have her call the docs today to report that the meds are not working well enough.

I know that RA is horribly horribly painful.... My grandmother was diagnosised with it when she was 35.... As a nurse for the last 10 years ... finished premed/BS biology/chemistry minor... I have never seen anyone in as much pain as occurs with RA...she had spontaneous stress fractures in her back.. 3 hip replacements.. the bones in her hands and feet broken and reset.....All I can say is pain is what she says it is... get her the best Rhematologist you can find for her... what shes taking... pain meds ... steroids...etc... are the most common and most frequently perscribed medications for this disease... eventually my grandmother died...she suffered another fall... and when she went into the hospt... the nurse said she also had never seen someone in so much pain... they gave her morophine... and well as a result and of the long term steriod use... she had congestive heart failure... Im sorry I wish.. i had some good advice.. believe her when she says she hurts.... and help her with her mobility problems as much as you can .. good luck....to both of you ... you'll need it...
Additonal-----------------------------... took longterm : Methotrexate.... among other things... I'm not sure about accupuncture.. I havent had any experience with it.... I know though although she didnt get much relieve from the pain meds and steroids... that it was better for the pain than not taking them at all.....although they do have sever side effects... again good luck to both of you!

There is a company named Centocor, it has a medication that can really help with RA it is called Remicade. It has been a miracle drug for some.

enbrel is an excellent medication for slowing the progress of RA and helping with pain 1-888-4enbrel it took the place of steroids for me. I don't know why they just don't start with a newer better med, instead they make you try everything else first. it depends on severity and duration also. good luck http://www.enbrel.com

Joint pain due to arthritis and other reasons can be reduced and cured by making small changes in the diet and lifestyle of the affected person. Many of the remedies are inexpensive and do not have side effects like allopathic medicines. Check this out for natural,home remedies for arthritis http://aches.in/naturalcuresarthritis.ht...