have had multiple back, neck, knee, ankle injuries over the years. all work related. Hands and feet have been growing extra bumps for about 2 years now so i am being tested for RA. through all of the MRI's i am having now for another neck, back injury i am finding out that i have arthritis everywhere. hands, feet, knees,whole spine from top on down to my butt. can't take any anti-inflammatories due to GERD. i only have about 3 days in me to take advil before my stomach acts up. i feel like i am at a real loss. between the deterioration in every joint and the injuries everywhere i have no idea what to do to be comfortable. i am seeing a rheumatologist but he feels it's too soon to make a diagnosis. still testing. Fibro,lupus, RA. thanks for letting me vent. it's so upsetting.

Hi ICC,

There are medications now that are injectable. I have a remicade infusion every six weeks and I have found that I dont suffer any nausea with it or intestinal problems. You have to wait for your diagnosis first though of course but in the meantime have warm baths or even see if you can get your hands on dissolving paracetamol if the pain is bad. That didnt seem to affect my stomach as much as the tablets did.

Good luck
Olivia :)

thanks ladyolivia---------i have gotten a few shots in the knuckles of my rt hand that have truly helped. but it only lasts for a couple of months. right now with the neck,cack, knee, shoulder, foot and ankle going on i don't know which pain is which. hot baths do help. it seems to be the only thing that does. the only problem is my ankle is still swollen from the injury and the wamr baths make it swell more. i had to stop aquatic therapy because of it even though it helped everything else.

I'm sorry you are feeling so bad....

I don't understand why you can't take anti-inflammatories? There are easy persrcibed medications that takes care of Gerd. I recently have had a lot of medications added due to my knee pain & I suddenly developed gerd also. She put me on Placid...works like a dream. Also Lidoderm patches will help with pain. In the mean time while waiting for your tests, ask your Rheumie what you could possibly take for your pain. It appears you may need to take something different from advil, ever tried Tylenol (no asperin in it)? May I ask how old you are? (I'm 45)

Sure hope you can get this under control
Best wishes

roses4evver-----------i am 52. had stomach problems since i was 10. have been taking prevacid for about 5 years. sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. for some reason it seems everytime i take any kind of anti-inflammatory i end up doubling my meds and am in gasto distress for a month.i just had a barium swallow done and you would think i have the stomach and esophagus of a baby. no reflux, no hiatal hernia(which has showed up many times) the perfect esophagus. i'm starting to think that when all of the pain is acting up it stresses me out because either i am working in pain or out of work. when i'm anxious i tend to smoke more and drink alot of tea. DUH!!! talk about making things worse. maybe it's the smoking and tea + the medication. :jester:

Hello All,

I have RA and gastritis and other stomach illnessess. I cannot take anything for pain, over the counter, except tylenol and only a few per day. One of my drs. will sometimes give me a little hydrocodone (addictive), which works well, but has tylenol in it.

I take Nexium and sometimes Pepcid Complete for my stomach and esophagus. That usually takes care of that problem.

For my RA, I take Skelaxine, Tramadol/Ultram and now, new for me, Methotrexate. It takes a while for the latter to work - months. I also take relafen.

Take care and good luck. Ask lots of questions of your rheumatologist and look up every thing on the net.

Bye for now.

Wannabe

thanks i have a whole list that i am bringing to every dr. see my pcp today, ENT next week, and rheumi the following week. all of my ailments have to belong to ove of these dr.s. don't see the endo until sept now. One of them is going to help me or i'll scream.