Nodules and tendonitis do they go hand in hand with RA?

I think it is common with RA. I was diagnosed about 4 years ago and have a large nodule on my elbow, and also have experieenced tendonitis. Unfortunately, my rheumi can not seem to get me in remission and says there really isn't much you can do for the nodules themselves. Good luck, though! :)

I was told that I had tendonitis and I would get a large lump on the base of my thumb when it hurt really bad.  After I was diagnosed and my rheumy saw the lump he said that I have arthritis in the tendon there and the inflammation causes the lump and a shot of cortisone is the only thing that would help it.  My father suffers from pmr ( poly malagia rheumatica) or rheumatoid arthritis of the tendons and muscles.  I must assume that this is the problem.  Are you sure that you deffinately have tendonitis, I saw a very reputable orthopod who treats SU football athletes for the tendonits. 

Dear Janet:

 

A few months ago I am having problems with my left thumb.  The main tendon which runs up the side of it has a nodule which is painful and the thumb goes crick crack when I move it up and down.  I do get lots of aches and pains through my body for some 26 yrs now, (I am now 66).  When I visited my doctoc he told me that I have tendonitis and will have to see a hand surgery for further diagnosis.  It could be the same trigger finger that I have?

Janet

Janet,

I have nodules on one elbow and all across the bottoms of my feet at the base of the toes. My rheumy told me that although a cortisone shot will help, they won't go away for good, and I just have to learn to live with them. Since they can be quite painful, I avoid standing or walkling for long periods of time, and I mostly wear Berkinstocks for shoes because they put the weight on my heels instead of the balls of my feet. The good news is that the changes I've made have improved my nodules and dispositiion at the same time. Now I have to figure out how to get my aerobic exercise without making things worse again. Hope this helps.

I also had surgery on 10/07/08 for bilateral trigger thumbs and did a carpel tunnel release on one hand.  I have been DX w/ RA,hypothyroid, fibromyalgia for 4 years.  3days post surgery I suffered a grade 2-3 high ankle sprain desending stairs in my home and am still in a walking air splint for the ankle.  Lots of nodules showing up all over various tendons and joints in the last few years.  I saw my rheumy doc a few days back and he ordered more bloodwork and an MRI of my hand and understated, " maybe we're missing something here".  Last winter I had nodules on my vocal cords and lost my voice for 7 weeks following some bronchitis.  I get bronchitis 2-4 times/year for over 30 years.  I do enbrel inbetween surgeries and bronchitis.  I think your answer is a solid YES regarding nodules, tendonitis and RA.   sorry, but I think true for those with aggressive systemic disease.  Oh yeah, I had nodules in my lungs upon diagnosis.  I get high resolution CT lung scan yearly to monitor them for any changes.  Stable so far.  The trigger releases are an easy outpatient surgical fix.  My mom had RA and I remember when her thumbs started locking up 30 years ago.  hang in there, it sucks, but it could always be worse.

Thanks for all your help and support! I just had another surgery for my right wrist. The ortho doc said that the tendon was so bad that it was all bunched up, and said that he had to open the sheath even more than my previous left wrist surgery. Now I am having problems with tendonitis in both my elbows, (will it ever end???). I have had 2 cortisone injections for the left elbow and they didn't help the pain. Now I am just waiting for my wrist to heal before I begin concentrating on my elbows. I also had shoulder surgery in April for a torn rotator cuff, bone spur and he also filed down the bone to give the tendon more room to move (this was the second surgery on this shoulder in two years). From reading all your posts I guess the tendonitis goes with RA. So far I'm lucky it hasn't attacked my knee or ankle tendons. One comment made about taking antibiotics when you are on Remicade, which I am, can make the tendonitis worse. I didn't know that. I was on antibiotics in Dec. when I was sick on a cruise to the Galapagos. I wonder if this was a cause of the problems I am now having. Sorry for going on and on but it is nice to talk to people who understand what I am going through. Janet

Hi Janet:  I was diagnosed about 3 years ago with RA.  Although I believe I have had it much longer and no one ever picked it up even though I had complained many times about the pain.  I also have RA Nodules on my right thumb and right index finger.  I just found one the other day on my acheles tendon.  Yes, tendonitis does go along with RA.  I had it terrible in my neck and shoulders and knees.  Also, in my elbows along with nodules.  I get treatments every month for the RA and tendonitis.  It is called Prolotherapy which is a series of shots.  It is not cortizone shots.  It has helped me tremendously. If anyone is interested, I can explain it futher. I am not on any RA Medications presently.  I am trying to stay away from them becuase of the side effects. I do take something that my wholelistic dr. prescribed called LDN.  It also has helped a lot. 

Janet, I also have a trigger thumb.  My RA Dr. said to wait until it is a problem before I have surgery.  He said that the joint would be frozen in place during the surgery.  I will wait.  I also have tight tendons in the back of my legs just above the ancles.  The right tendon is the worse.  It will be hard when it hurts very bad.  I gently message it.  I also take a pain killer twice a day and sometimes during the night if I wake up with pain.  Good luck.    Ann

I am having the same problem with my big toe and the doctors are perplexed too.

I am having the same problem with my big toe and the doctors are perplexed too.