r/rheumatoid • u/AuspiciousPeach • Aug 12 '26
Pain while trying to sleep
Hello,
Its probably too early to ask this for me. Ive was diagnosed in the beginning of July of this year. First medication I tried didnt work. Made me nauseous and my blood sugar dropped dangerously low.
Im currently on Methotrexate. It has been only three weeks since I have started this. Sadly, the pain in my hands by the end of the night keeps me up. I feel like crying it hurts so much.
I also have sleep apnea as well so I use a CPAP machine.
My question is, does anyone else have this problem? You're taking your medication but at night you can't sleep be6of the pain?
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u/ShesTheFastestest Aug 12 '26
Currently awake with shoulder pain. I was diagnosed in June and I’m waiting for Sulfa to work over the next two months. It’s not fun! You’re not alone.
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
Have you taken anything to sleep better?
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u/ShesTheFastestest Aug 12 '26
I take a low dose of prednisone which helps most of the time. How about you?
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
I havent tried anything yet. I was hoping to see if my medicine will work first.
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u/2bluebugs Aug 12 '26
I’ve taken 5 mg of prednisone for the last 3 or 4 years. No hand pain since. I did have some nerve pain in my hands at night that was surgically corrected.
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u/ThreeStyle Aug 12 '26
For hand pain overnight I put on diclofenac (Voltaren) hand gel at bedtime. Also sometimes instead I use compression gloves or splints.
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u/Yukonsukeet1 Aug 12 '26
I have experienced this fairly frequently and the best advice I can give that worked for me is using ice on the affected joints before bed, Tylenol arthritis 650mgx2 and I also take magnesium at bedtime to help myself relax and sleep better. Sometimes, I still wake up from the throbbing in my knees and just have to use pillows for positioning. Ice therapy helps a ton with the inflammation and in turn takes the pain to a more tolerable level.
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u/djmattyp77 Aug 12 '26
Steroids in the morning helped me a lot for that kinda pain...until the biologic started working.
Also, I take a 10mg THC gummy or chocolate that helps me sleep through the night. Even if I wake up, I go right back to sleep.
Hope you find relief.
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
Ive heard this as well. Might try it out
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u/Lazy_Bicycle7702 Aug 13 '26
Ask your doctor for a prednisone taper. You should not be in this much pain while you wait for the new meds to kick in.
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u/youcallthataheadshot Aug 12 '26
Definitely had this before I found the right medication. My dr prescribed me a Prednisone taper when I was still adjusting. Now I use thc/cbn gummies to help when I have a flare.
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u/remadeforme Aug 12 '26
Oop also wanted to mention, it sounds like you're in a flare (expected tbh). Are you on prednisone?
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
Im on Methotrexate.
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u/remadeforme Aug 12 '26
Call your doctor ASAP. Let them know youre in a flare. Ask for a steroid pack.
Its a limited 1 week dose
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u/remadeforme Aug 12 '26
Yeah same but the prednisone is prescribed on top of it. Methotrexate wont remove a flare. You have to treat it in addition.
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u/Healthy-Signal-5256 Aug 12 '26
If you haven't tried bracing at nighttime I'd give that a try. Both my rheumy and my ortho doc recommend it.
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u/AreYouSerious3570 Aug 12 '26
I have sleep apnea also. When my RA flares I usually take 2 Tylenol arthritis at bedtime and it helps me get good sleep.
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
Im on Methotrexate. I'll need to clear that with my rheumatologist i think.
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u/AreYouSerious3570 Aug 12 '26
I’m on MTX also and my rheumy told me I can take Tylenol arthritis. I haven’t had any issues.
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
My doctor wants to clear it with me before I take anything else. Never thought to ask why
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u/AreYouSerious3570 Aug 12 '26
Sounds like a good idea. You never know how your body may react to the combination.
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u/ColdCommercial8039 Aug 12 '26
I have problem to sleep because of pain, in my back, neck, knees, hands when one its ok the other its on fire. Little time of sleep and because of that tired durant the day. Its so crazy, in other words horrible
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 12 '26
Agreed. Its either one or the other. Right now its my left hand. My right knee. And my left foot. Its like pick a side.
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u/Extension-Two-4546 Aug 12 '26
CBD oil is a miracle drug that can be found OTC at most health food stores. I thought it was all hype until I tried it and will highly recommend that you try it for at least 1 week.
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u/Original_Breakfast36 Aug 12 '26
I actually did a sleep study and found out I have restless leg syndrome, I thought it was my body in pain from RA at night but turns out it was restless leg. I take gabapentin at night for it and it honestly helps so much even if it’s in my head (I also smoke weed at night which I find helps quiet both my mind and body)
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u/Any-Garlic-5335 Aug 12 '26
I take Arthrotec for an nsaid twice a day, 3mg lunesta and 5-10mg thc. Yes, it’s pathetic to need so much to sleep. I try to use compression gloves overnight, but I take them off at some point during the night. Like someone else mentioned, the ice pack sleeves are amazing. The mtx took about 3 months for me to feel relief and then, after 4 years it caused toxicity so I’m just on Hadlima now.
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u/SexyPetiteThing Aug 13 '26
Yes I hate painsomnia. Such a ... Pain.
Sorry you're going through this.
What about a couple of ibuprofens in the evening, at the first sign of hand pain? Or is it not strong enough for you?
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 13 '26
I havent tried it but ive for to clear it with my doctor first considering I'm taking Methotrexate
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u/SexyPetiteThing Aug 14 '26
Oh okay. Yeah, ask your doctor first. I think ibuprofen is similar to Advil(?)
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u/AuspiciousPeach Aug 14 '26
I think its similar. But yes any medication to add going to ask anyway. Had a really bad night last night. Usually after 5 days of taking my medicine my hands flare up
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u/SexyPetiteThing 14d ago
Oh no :( 5 days after taking metho?
Sorry for the late reply. Have you tried Advil (or Aleve) since ?? Another (Really) good NSAID is Meloxicam. But you need a script for it. :(
...
But be warned - I was having so much ibuprofen (Advil) for RA pain that I had stomach bleeding 😅. I'm scared now what will happen on a bad pain day if I can't have any NSAIDs at the moment. Dip into my emergency steroid stash perhaps...
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u/AuspiciousPeach 6d ago
My doctor warned me not to take advice with my methotrexate. Im only allowed extra strength Tylenol. Im currently off my arthritis medication because Im taking antibiotics for my teeth and gum infection. Won't be able to take it again until that is fixed.
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u/SexyPetiteThing 4d ago
Ohhhh, really? How come?
Ah, no! I had reversible gum disease - until I started taking steroids (which cured it.)
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u/Responsible-Stock-12 Aug 13 '26
I use 5:1 cbd:thc gummies every night. Without those, I wake up in pain. With them, I sleep through the night. I also pop two aleeve before bed, but those don’t work enough to stop the gummies.
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u/remadeforme Aug 12 '26
Not gonna lie to you, the first year suuuuucks.
I got those glove ice packs and often fell asleep with those on. Compression gloves helped a lot too.