Am I supposed to hurt and be stiff all day every day?

Hi, . First off, I am so sorry you are hurting. I wish no one had to live with chronic pain. I think your Rheumatologist is being honest with you, but I understand how disheartening his/her words must have been.

That said, I don't think you have to plan with high levels of pain each and every day. Some of our members *do* experience daily pain and stiffness, but many of them find the levels of discomfort to be quite manageable. But, some folks do deal with a lot more pain. Your pain and stiffness *can* potentially be relatively controlled by the right medications, so if you feel like Humira isn't working for you, you may be able to try another medication. Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor, but I have heard people mention that spinal stenosis can cause pain as it progresses, so, you may talk to your rheumatologist about seeing a pain specialist, orthpedist, or neurolgist about the back issues you experience (if you are not already doing so).

Have you tried noninvasive options, like parrafin wax for sore hands, warm showers, massage, etc? I realize that if you have heat sensitvities, some of these options may be a no go.

If you have noticed a significant decrease in your overall quality of life, I would speak up and keep letting your doctor know that! It's hard to function well when you hurting and feeling discouraged. So, please, don't hesitate to be the 'squeaky wheel'. You deserve to feel better!

Best, Erin, RheumatoidArthritis.net Team Member.

Thank you for your kind reply, Erin. The rheumatologist thinks the humira is working, because he doesn’t see swelling when he checks my hands every 3 months, during a visit. If my ankles are swollen, it’s probably due to cardio problems. So I’m not really sure the humira is working or not. He says it’s the fibromyalgia that’s causing my pain. I’m not one to complain, but my legs, arms, and back hurt terribly every day, except at night after dinner, the pain seems more tolerable. I attribute that to my body’s absorption of all the pain meds I’ve taken during the day. Yes; I do hot showers, and heating pad frequently. I’ve had the shots in my back before; they help for awhile, but the last time I had them, they caused be nauseous agony. I wobble like a wheeble now when I walk. It is getting harder to move around. I just wondered if it was normal to be in so much pain from the RA, all the time. Thank you.

Richard: Thank you for your kind words. No; I don’t have bloodwork done regularly. Anymore. My primary care doctor had me get it months ago, and there was some inflammation with the numbers. When I reported it to my rheumatologist and his nurse/assistant, they both said it wasn’t that bad enough to warrant attention. I’ve wondered for a very long time why he hasn’t been on top of my bloodwork currently. I have been more preoccupied with my cardio issues and finding the right amount of levothyroxine because I had a thyroidectomy a year and a half ago. My rheumatologist is the head physician at the medical center, and is highly regarded as a most competent doctor. He has also cut down on his hours, because he’s getting older and is probably going towards retirement soon. In any case, my reading your response triggered/confirmed bad gut feelings that I’ve been feeling for awhile. He maybe thinks he’s done all he can for me. I will have to annoy him/his office and try to get in before my regular visit. It’s an awful feeling to know something isn’t right with someone who is so highly respected. Believe me, I’ve discussed it with my primary care doctor, hence the reason she had my inflammation levels tested awhile ago. Thank you for your help. 😎

Thank you again.😎