Night pain

[Lizz]

I sleep sitting up not because I have GERD but because I've noticed if I don't I'll wake up in the middle of he night aching, shoulders down to my elbows. It goes away after about 3 hours when I get up. I think this is a detoxing thing at night, the liver struggling to dump. Does anyone have this experience or any ideas? Thanks to you all!

[stwig]

Hi Lizz,
I often wake up in the night with shoulders, hips, and knees having a deep ache. For me if I sit by the side of the bed and move the joints around slowly for about 5 minutes then the ache will subside for a few hours again, so I can get a few more hours of sleep.
Since I can make it go away in that fashion I believe this ache is a herx. It's as if my muscles are aching due to some sort of toxic sludge.

Hang in there.
Starla

[linda]

Our adrenal glands produce cortisol while we sleep, which boosts our immune system, and therefore our inflammation during the night. It's one of the reasons our symptoms are so much worse in the morning. I never knew this until I started researching melatonin to help with sleep. It is contraindicated for people with inflammatory diseases because it somehow interacts with the cortisol, I can't remember how, tho. I have FMS and PsA. The FMS is worsened by lack of sleep, but the PsA is worse if I DO sleep. I guess it's the same principle as when I sit too long in one position, the joints get stiff. I don't move or turn much in my sleep, so that doesn't help. Anyway, I lose either way, sleep or no sleep.

If it is your liver detoxing, you could try taking a lemon/olive oil drink in the morning and maybe the detox will happen during the day. If it works, you'll know it was your liver. 3 hours is a long time for pain and stiffness to go away. It sounds positional to me since it's just your shoulders to elbows, I would thing that if it was detox you would have a pain in more places. I definitely not an expert or doctor, just some thoughts I had that might help.

[Lizz]

Thanks Starla and Linda for the info –  I thought I might be herxing because I have been on monthly clindy IV's since last November and had never had this symptom before, but then again, I've been in sort of a downslide since September, really trying to figure it out. I used to detox with epsom salts and hydrogen peroxide but can't do it anymore because I can't get out of the tub. I just bought a walk-in tub ( to be installed) but was ambivalent about it because I see it as sort of a concession to this disease, like I'm not going to get any better. The one choice I'm not ambivalent about is I'm going to get the  infrared sauna, I think everybody in the family will use it! Linda, I'll try the lemon drink during the day and see if it helps. And I'm just starting NAC for my liver. Thanks for you thoughtfulness!

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