Re: Update: Getting Nowhere Fast/Thanks, all

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Deb, I feel I would like to try Orencia or Rituxan since it targets the B-Cells.

I didn't do

that well on Enbrel and Humira after 4 years has failed me and my thinking is my

body is

wise to the TNF blockers!

I will try a new Rheum. if I do not get on Orencia after my MRIs.

To the others, I do have Fibro and this pain does not feel like Fibro. My

hands are most

puffy in the morning, but by the time I get to the doctor's I have been

" exercising " my

hands with my 19 month old so they look better.

Also, I am a fairly thin woman and I look like I have fat hands! I think that I

am going to

take pictures of my hands at their worst.

The pain is worse on my palms, in the bones right under my first fingers and

pinkies, with

the pain going all along under my pinkies and in the corresponding tops of my

hands. It

feels like I have been slamming my hands against the wall.

I go into that much detail just to give you more of an idea of RA/Fibro or

whatever!

Thanks again,

>

> > Hi All,

> >

> > I last checked in 2 or 3 months ago. Last month I got laid off, which was

> > really awful

> > because it was totally based on personal reasons and jealousy! DH is also

> > not working due

> > to health problems. We have some money in the bank, but the only income is

> > my

> > unemployment!

> >

> > During that time, actually since October, the Humira that I have been

> > taking pretty

> > successfully for 4 years started failing me. I have some deformity, plus

> > Osteopenia in my

> > hands, actually all over, and I am just 38.

> >

> > I have been on a lot of pain medication am currently taking 25 mg Opana,

> > twice a day,

> > plus 4 Percocet's 10/325, and it still doesn't cut the pain!

> >

> > I advocated to go on Rituxan but my Rheum. and another Rheum. are against

> > it. The

> > feeling is that I am not swollen enough, that my RA doesn't look that bad!

> > So, now I

> > compromised and wish to go on Orencia.

> >

> > My doc is ordering MRIs of my left and right hands and wrists as he does

> > not see why I am

> > in so much pain.

> >

> > My feeling is who cares that you don't see it?! Should I wait to become a

> > cripple?

> >

> > In the meantime, I am down to being in too much pain to drive, great

> > fatigue, and memory

> > and concentration problems as I wait. I need to go back to work but it has

> > become

> > impossible!

> >

> > I feel like if the Humira worked than why would it hurt to try another RA

> > drug, even if they

> > don't think the pain is RA? Seems logical.

> >

> > A big problem is that the doctor who originally diagnosed my RA has passed

> > away and he

> > has seen me at my worst.

> >

> > Any thoughts? Thanks,

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>