Comments on: Rheumatoid Arthritis Sleep Issues

By: tharr

tharr — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:21:51 +0000

Hey Kelly, just catching up here after a rough 4 days of work. I have no problem going to sleep, but I wake up several times a night and often will take up to an hour to get back to sleep. I work 12 hour days so by the time I drive home, eat, shower and unwind for 30 minutes to an hour, I typically have 8 – 8 1/2 hours to sleep. Sounds good but most nights I am actually sleeping 6 1/2 of those before going back to another 12 hour shift. By the time my 4th workday is over, I’m completely worn down and hurting. I have tried many different things without any positive results. Tylenol PM does help me sleep better, but I feel like I’m hungover for half of the next day at work. Not good for working around the machinery that I do.

By: Marina

Marina — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:10:25 +0000

I am wondering if the higher incidences of heart disease may be tangentially related to lack of exercise. We can’t exercise like normal people do. I have been in a flare since Thanksgiving and I am no longer able to exercise regularly. Even a simple walk has been difficult. I try to exercise during mild flares because I feel and sleep better. On days I don’t exercise both my pain and sleep problems are much worse.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:57:22 +0000

Hi Kelly & Nikki, I have added an additional pillow to help raise my head. I’ve been feeling a little better as far as the depression goes because of the medication. I told my rheumy I would give the medication some time to work but I really don’t think it will make a difference. Normally he is pretty good about not minimizing the way I’m feeling but he did this time and and really irritated me. I figure if it is still happening when I go back for my Orencia this month that I will have him do xrays. I have a friend that has degenerative bone disease in her neck and had to have a plate and cadaver bone to fuse her cervical vertebra. I had to see the complications she suffered thru & it really scares me to think about having to maybe have surgery on my neck. Thanks for the positive thoughts, it helps alot!!

By: Taffy

Taffy — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:25:45 +0000

Hi Kelly,
That is exactly what it is, degenerating discs along with some arthritis in spine. I just thought it was weird that they say it is not related and I think it is. You are right, half the time it is Charlie Brown’s parents they hear, (that gave me such a much needed laugh, thank you). The docs sometimes just brush so much off like it’s nothing and that bugs me. Hope you are feeling better.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:59:37 +0000

Hi Becky,
I have shoulder and neck problems and I agree with Kelly about the pillow. I have about 10 different ones for different nights, but the one that helps me the most is Buckwheat pillows. I bought 3 and made 6 out of them. Some are small and light all the way to one that is heavy and bigger. I tend to use a different one every night. I sometimes can not lift the big one because of my hands but I will get my husband to place it for me. These have made a HUGE difference for me. I had trouble finding them in stores anymore, but I did find them on line. They come really stuffed so I just bought pillow liners and made extra pillows. I also have some from Pacific Down and they also have helped on some of the nights. I also have wool pillows and they are used as well. Again you can change the density of these to your comfort level. These are also really nice for the nights when you have the low grade fevers. Hope this helps.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:16:57 +0000

Jo, I’ve seen some Kiwi’s on the Facebook page. & another I see often on Twitter. I’ll mention you if I see them there.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:14:24 +0000

Dear Becky,
I was pretty aggravated when I read this. If you are depressed for real, I’m sorry & I hope it passes soon. But if you have RA in your cervical spine & it causes migraines, then that’s another thing. If it continues, I hope you will mention it again to your doctors. Waking up with the pain makes it sound like it could have to do with the neck. Have you tried a different pillow since this started?

It just frustrates me how often docs blame RA pain on “depression.” It happened to a friend of mine recently & she is not at all depressed…

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:07:35 +0000

Hi Taffy,
Of course there’s no way I can know since I’m not a doc & can’t see your mri. I can tell you that degenerated discs & OA in spine are both more common w/RA. Also, RA can attack there on it’s own. A good doc can tell the difference by mri IF it is showing up already. However, it can be just like our hands or elbows and show up on the scans long after the pain begins. I think if you were very specific in describing the symptoms, maybe a doc could distinguish between, but they hear so many complaints of pain, I think it just comes out like we are talking like Charlie Brown’s parents: “Brah fwa bwa gaa ba…”

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:55:21 +0000

No eye rolls here, Robin. You are right.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:54:32 +0000

Yes, and we think that rest / or nap will take our time away, but not so if it makes our time more productive since we can function a bit better. I need to take this advice more…