Guest guest Posted November 3, 2008 Report Share Posted November 3, 2008 Hi, I am Ginger a 42 yo who was diagnosed this year with RA. It only has been about 7 weeks since my diagnosis and I have already felt like I have experienced a whole realm of emotions. I have been researching RA on the web and seems my symptoms are very mild in comparison to others who are afflicted. I feel very fortunate but at the same time I am very terrified that the stories I have read will be my destiny as there is no cure for RA. I have the best husband a girl can ask for, he is my support right now and have been blessed to have him in my life. My daughter is moving back home so she will be there to help me in times of the RA worsens. My support system at the moment is outstanding but do crave the support of people who have the same experiences as I have encountered. I am scheduled to see the RA doc in December and scared to death of the horrific medications she may offer to slow the RA. I have heard to do research before taking anything but how is that possible. The doctor is suppose to know what is best but the information I have read, it sounds as if the patient tells the doctor what drugs will work etc. Outside the fact RA will at some point cripple a person, the medicine factor is most terrifying. I would love to hear from any one about their experiences with RA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 6, 2008 Report Share Posted November 6, 2008 This is good advice. I would also recommend the Arthritis Society web site. Lots of good information. Including current drugs, alternative therapies, assistive devices and much, much more Here is the link www.arthritis.org Hope this helps BettyAOL Search: Your one stop for directions, recipes and all other Holiday needs. Search Now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Dear Ginger- Having RA means you have a destructive Biological Parasite in your blood. Your white blood cells are reprogrammed to attack your joints. You have to use a strong Biologic (remicade,humira, enbrel, rituxan) that will interrupt the signals that those cells send one another. The standard medication is low dose prednisone, plaquenil and Ibuprofen. One biolgic and Methotrexate once a week. I have been on it for many many years now since 2000. Work with your doctor. Advocate for yourself. Visit www.arthritisfoundation.org for more information. You are very lucky. The sooner your are diagnosed the sooner a biologic will curb your disease. It is progressive and damages severely. It does the most damage in the first few years without treatment. If you symptoms are mild you might try the less invasive treatments like just MTX. It is a chemotherapy drug and stops the white blood cells from dividing. You might also try as I did taking Cyclosporine. It is simply a soil fungus and its to prevent transplant rejection. I had great results for five years before I took Remicade. Fear of the unknown is the reason so many people dont take medication and then wonder why their joints become twisted or they become disabled early. You do have a choice. You can either choose quality of life and be as aggressive in treating your disease and it is in attacking you or you can choose quantity of life which means no medication, disability and a short life span. Everyone has this choice. Treatment is difficult and inconvenient but it is the responsible approach and I for one am not going down without a fight. Yours, Deborah RA since 1994. On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 9:32 PM, hicks <snshnsmls@...> wrote: Hi, I am Ginger a 42 yo who was diagnosed this year with RA. It only has been about 7 weeks since my diagnosis and I have already felt like I have experienced a whole realm of emotions. I have been researching RA on the web and seems my symptoms are very mild in comparison to others who are afflicted. I feel very fortunate but at the same time I am very terrified that the stories I have read will be my destiny as there is no cure for RA. I have the best husband a girl can ask for, he is my support right now and have been blessed to have him in my life. My daughter is moving back home so she will be there to help me in times of the RA worsens. My support system at the moment is outstanding but do crave the support of people who have the same experiences as I have encountered. I am scheduled to see the RA doc in December and scared to death of the horrific medications she may offer to slow the RA. I have heard to do research before taking anything but how is that possible. The doctor is suppose to know what is best but the information I have read, it sounds as if the patient tells the doctor what drugs will work etc. Outside the fact RA will at some point cripple a person, the medicine factor is most terrifying. I would love to hear from any one about their experiences with RA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 Hello Hicks you are truly blessed I was first diagnosed when I was a teenager I wasnt suffering at that time but I,m 46 now it is taking a toll on me. I only take aleve right now. Also vitamins are good Turmeric,Feverfew,Devils claw and a creme Apivenz it has beeVenom in it and it really works.I get my vitamins from Puritans pride dot.com.I hope it will assistant you it is not the end its just another way of living. From: hicks <snshnsmls@...>Subject: new to the groupRheumatoid Arthritis Date: Sunday, November 2, 2008, 8:32 PM Hi, I am Ginger a 42 yo who was diagnosed this year with RA. It only has been about 7 weeks since my diagnosis and I have already felt like I have experienced a whole realm of emotions. I have been researching RA on the web and seems my symptoms are very mild in comparison to others who are afflicted. I feel very fortunate but at the same time I am very terrified that the stories I have read will be my destiny as there is no cure for RA. I have the best husband a girl can ask for, he is my support right now and have been blessed to have him in my life. My daughter is moving back home so she will be there to help me in times of the RA worsens. My support system at the moment is outstanding but do crave the support of people who have the same experiences as I have encountered. I am scheduled to see the RA doc in December and scared to death of the horrific medications she may offer to slow the RA. I have heard to do research before taking anything but how is that possible. The doctor is suppose to know what is best but the information I have read, it sounds as if the patient tells the doctor what drugs will work etc. Outside the fact RA will at some point cripple a person, the medicine factor is most terrifying. I would love to hear from any one about their experiences with RA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 I always thought that trigger finger was because there was a little nodule on the tendon so that it would not move smoothly and would " stick " . In my mind it is associated with inflammation and with RA. As in nodules that you sometimes get in RA only much smaller. When I had one the Dr gave me a cortisone injection right at that spot and it cleared it up very nicely. You don't get inflammation with fibro as far as I know Anet On 1/11/09, rhenry <rhenry41@...> wrote: Hi everyone, my name is Robyn and I am new here and have questions. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but I seem to have all the symptoms of rheumatoid. Did anyone have the same problem with their diagnosous? I am having problems with bursitis (my spelling is not very good) I am on my second bout with my one knee. Has anyone every heard the word trigger finger to discribe stiffness and my thumb gets stuck in a bending position? I had a blood test and the doctor ruled out rheumatoid and said it was fibromyalgia, could I be right in my own diagnosous.Thanks Robyn -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 Welcome to the board, and I have no idea where your post has been for so long. After having none from this board for some time I got 23 all at once. No blood test by itself can either confirm RA or rule RA out. There are 7 criteria for diagnosing RA from the American College of Rheumatology and RA is so variable that any four of these criteria qualify for a diagnosis. Only one of the criteria is for a blood test. Any four of the remaining six would qualify for a positive diagnosis. You need a second opinion, preferably from a board-certified rheumatologist. I hope you get effective treatment and a diagnosis. God bless. From: Rheumatoid Arthritis [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of rhenry Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 8:32 AM Rheumatoid Arthritis Subject: New to the group Hi everyone, my name is Robyn and I am new here and have questions. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but I seem to have all the symptoms of rheumatoid. Did anyone have the same problem with their diagnosous? I am having problems with bursitis (my spelling is not very good) I am on my second bout with my one knee. Has anyone every heard the word trigger finger to discribe stiffness and my thumb gets stuck in a bending position? I had a blood test and the doctor ruled out rheumatoid and said it was fibromyalgia, could I be right in my own diagnosous. Thanks Robyn No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.287 / Virus Database: 270.11.58/2061 - Release Date: 04/16/09 08:12:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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