Sleep

I hate to hear of your struggles with getting a good nights rest. The sleep issues that come with RA are uninviting to say the least and cause for so much late night turmoil. May I ask what you may be currently doing to aid yourself to sleep. Do you take any medications or have a bedtime routine to help you get some rest? If not, I want to share with you an article that you may find helpful as it talks about good sleep hygiene and provides tips on how to improve ones sleep- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living-with-ra/ra-and-sleep. As far as your bladder, RA doesn't typically affect the bladder. However, in some cases it has been know to create bladder control issues. In addition, some medications may have side-effects, such as increased risk of bladder infection. It will be best to consult with your doctor regarding this concern for a proper diagnosis. But on a lighter note, your dog absolutely adorable and looks like the perfect night cuddlier! I truly hope rest and good sleep finds you soon! Hang in there, Latoya (Team Member)

Hi , I'm so sorry to hear of your nighttime frustrations with the bathroom! I don't have anything additional to add that Latoya hasn't already pointed out, but I would really encourage you to reach out to your doctor if you haven't already. Anytime we have new and/or worsening symptoms it's always good to check in with the doctor as they are the experts and able to run any tests, if necessary. I do hope that you can get some answers, and some relief! Thanks for sharing a photo of your sweet dog with us too. What a sweet companion! -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)

Many of us have struggled with sleep! I too was getting up to the bathroom multiple times in the night for small voidings. I read somewhere, sorry I don’t remember where, that it can be more of a symptom of multiple arousals from a sleep disorder rather than a bladder issue. I have found that once I improved my sleep that my bathroom trips significantly decreased. For me, that looked like better sleep hygiene, CPAP and a magnesium supplement. The magnesium was my most recent change and it in particular seems to have helped me increase my sleep from just 3 to over 6 hours a night. I am not in a position to make any treatment recommendations to you, but this might be something to discuss with your doctor. I had a consult with an Integrative Medicine doctor who helped me with advice on supplements. Hoping for uninterrupted sleep for you, Jo