RA and menstrual cycles

Hi nan, I also have extra pain and swelling when either I am due or actually have as you say (Aunt Flo to visit) or as I say the painter and decorator` are in ha ha ha.  I have been irregular now for about 2 years, but last weekend my hands and knees started to swell and hurt so much that at the moment it is very difficult for me to walk properly.  Also my ankles swelled up and I was very irritable (yes more than usual), and guess wot????? Thursday just gone I started my period and by the weekend it had gone again gggrrrr!! but the pain and swelling is still there, I go to the hospital on Wed so hopefully they will tell me whats going on and help me (I hope)

so yeah hormones do make a difference I`d say to RA and I understand what you mean.......

Kind regards

Angie

My problem isn't during my period, but the week to week and a half before. It's like the bottom falls out of my pain threshhold and medications don't work. I've been treated for depression longer than for RA and those meds don't work that week either. All I can do is warn my family to stay back and remind myself that it will go away.

Oh, absolutely. Increased pain and RA activity has always been a big part of my PMS.

RA is very influenced by hormones - the majority of people who have the disease are women and RA often goes into remission during pregnancy, so there's definitely a big connection between various hormones and RA.  The good thing about it is that you know when things get worse, so you can accommodate it by increasing your pain meds during those days. You may also want to talk to you rheumatologist about whether there are treatment options that will help you control these symptoms better.