Posts Tagged ‘pain’

Bad Week, Hard Lessons

January 29th, 2012

This week I am still recovering from a pretty bad flare, one I feel was my own fault, but really Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease (Rheumatoid Arthritis) is at fault. I did not do it on purpose, just a temporary forgetfulness of what I can handle, it happens too often. My boyfriend’s son came over to help setup my bed and move around boxes. He also helped out with putting the top of my new desk on and tightening the screws.

The desk was my first error, but I really did not know it would be at the time. Lloyd pulled the box over to the area where I needed to setup my desk. I was excited to get to put something together; strange but I like it. It all went well and I had no pain until I started to have to look up and raise my hands just above my head to screw in a few of the screws.  My shoulders started felling a little sore but not bad enough to stop.  After the desk was ready, Lloyd headed out the door with his son. I headed into the bedroom to look for things I needed to get my desk organized a little. The boxes were stacked up on top of the dresser and I grabbed a couple down to look in them, yes my second mistake. They were pretty heavy but I felt no pain, at the time.

Then next day Lloyd headed to Las Vegas for a conference. I am not sure when but at some point I noticed I was starting to have to urinate every 10 minutes, this seems to happen before severe amounts of pain and has became a sign. I decided to get the meats I purchased grilled so I just grilled everything up for the week. I was afraid if I did not grill it all, I would not feel well enough to do it later, which I was right. My shoulders started getting tender and my neck and back started getting stiffer. » Read more: Bad Week, Hard Lessons

RAD Pain Scale – Take One

January 9th, 2012

Today I finished a Pain Scale, a request from RA Warrior “What would be your model pain scale? “. It is an attempt to customize a pain scale for Rheumatoid Arthritis. I had to think about different types of pain. What are the types of pain? What can cause a person physical pain? Some of my thoughts were about bee stings, sunburns, sprained bones, strained muscles, broken bones, torn muscles, headaches, migraines, cuts, surgery, childbirth, being ran over by a truck and even torture. What type of pain would a bee sting cause? I would think it would be acute pain, it can be intense but is usually short lived. Does that even matter?

Most people with RAD (Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease aka Rheumatoid Arthritis) live with chronic pain daily.  I have read that pain receptors are sensitive to temperature (hot or cold), vibration as well inflamation. Inflammation happens when you are cut, you sprain something or when you are hit by a truck (tissue damage, broken bones, etc). When that happens if you move the damaged area the pain usually gets worse or sharper. With RAD you never see the truck coming, but it hits you. If you were to get hit by a truck and survive, you would probably have months of pain, recovery and rehabilitation. With Rheumatoid Arthritis this becomes our lifestyle.

I attempted to create a chart that describes some of the types of pain that someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis would recognize easily. But since I am just one patient, it would need more input on how they might describe the pain. I also made section for recommendations which I think individual patients would have to fill in. I put an example of something they may write to allow family members to see what help they may need during those levels of pain. They may not be able to communicate or think clearly enough ask.

Then a ‘May Compare To’ section to come up with a way to describe to others (family, friends, medical communities) and for Awareness of Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease. Again just a section that should have more input from many RAD Patients.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Scale

My first try at a pain scale for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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Please help support Rheumatoid Patient Foundation by making a donation today. Pain is just one symptom of RAD learn more about Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease (also called Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA).

—Update 1/9/2012 @ 12:49 PM—–

This article was a part of Pain Scale Blog Carnival at RAWarrior.com which has 14 other Patient opinions on pain scales.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare

December 11th, 2010

Sorry I have not been posting but I have been dealing with a flare. I usually deal with more pain and stiffness in the winter months. Right now I am in California and the pain and stiffness has went down. The stiffness has been in my shoulders. My back was swollen when I got here. The swelling was visible in the muscles in my back. I would say I was at a 7 or 8 on the pain scale when I left Indiana, it dropped to a 4 after about 24 hours here and now I’m down to a 1 or 2.

Heading back to Indiana on Monday, will see how long it lasts.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Health Log

November 11th, 2010

It has been awhile since I did an update. I have been feeling good, not much pain or stiffness in joints but I have still been dealing with my back. I did finally get off the Flexeril in the last week. :)

I have added a this stuff called take charge that I can add to my yogurt and it gives it some crunchiness, it is a multi vitamin. I did notice there was not any Vitamin D in it so I picked up some Calcium Plus Magnesium and Vitamin D-3 from GNC. While I was there I grabbed MSM, Omega Complex and Glucosamine the non shellfish kind. A few days after starting them I noticed my back pain went down some but not all the way. I tried no Flexeril and the pain was down enough that I did not need the Flexeril, but I did need to do more stretching. I found doing enough stretches at night before going to sleep and I wake up without any pain. If I do not do enough then I wake up with stiffness so I do more stretches. It has worked so far!

Rheumatoid Arthritis Health Log

October 19th, 2010

I am in Los Angeles visiting my boyfriend. We went to Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon. and Yosemite National Park to take some pictures. So I did get more exercise this last week. We are back at his house and last night I went for a walk with him and Buddy.

My feet did swell up after a walk down and then back up a hill in Sequoia and the pain was around a 3. The next morning they were fine.  When we went to Yosemite they got a little swollen by the end of the day but just a 1 on the pain scale. I am still dealing with back pain if I do not take the three  Flexeril.

I have noticed more sweet cravings since I started on the Flexeril.