Re: Collection of Symptoms

[Guest guest]

Ken, I think those are probably rheumatoid

nodules if they are small (like a pea or smaller), but if they are larger they

are likely to be synovial cysts. I have lots of rheumatoid nodules,

mostly on my hands but some elsewhere. These can come and go, or come and

stay. I’ve just learned to live with them because if they are

surgically removed they usually just come back. They are one of the

diagnostic criteria for RA but many people with RA never get them. I’m

not really sure what causes them or what is in them, but they can either feel

squishy or fairly firm.

The synovial cysts are connected to the

joint but they may not be right at the joint. RA causes the joints to

make excess synovial fluid and that can make a cyst right at the joint or the

fluid can travel through a tendon sheath and erupt at some distance from the

joint. They can be surgically removed but often return. I had a

large one removed from my right wrist and it never came back, but I ignored a

smaller one on my left wrist and it just went away by itself. I consider

the nodules or cysts to be just nuisances rather than something to really deal

with.

It is necessary to ask your doctor about

these at your next visit because all I know is my personal experience and what

reading I did to try to understand my situation. There are probably other

things that the lumps could be so you should have your doctor look at

them. God bless.

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of Ken Pearson

Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 11:29

PM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject:

Collection of Symptoms

Hi Harald

Thanks so much for your interesting hypothesis that RA is a syndrome of

symptoms common to a lot of diseases. This approach would explain a lot of the

'mystery' of RA.

Harold, I have 2 'fluid lumps' or 'collections of fluid' on the

top of my left hand just below the wrist. One doctor said these were common in

RA. What can I do to get these pesky cysts go away?

Hoping you are well, I thank you for the care and time you put into

this group.

Ken.

[Guest guest]

My friend gets those same cysts. Sometimes they get pretty big and painful. They can be drained but they will eventually come back. If you hear of anything else to do for them, please please let me know. Thanks

Reni, I agree with you. I am more interested in having effective treatment than in having an accurate diagnosis. Similar treatments can work for a variety of different diagnoses, but even if we have a certain diagnosis we still don¢t know what treatment will work. I really believe that RA is not a single disease but a syndrome or collection of symptoms common to a lot of diseases. That¢s why RA presents in so many different ways and why people with RA respond so differently to any single treatment.

I¢m kind of reminded of the annual search for what to put in a flu vaccine. We call the disease flu even though there are many known types of flu and a different vaccine needs to be developed for each one. In a similar way I think there are many types of RA but so far we don¢t know how to identify which type people have so we don¢t know how to tailor a treatment to an individual case. More is being learned each year so maybe some day we can test to see what kind of RA we have and what treatment will work for us. Until that happens we have to treat each individual case on a trial and error basis. God bless.

From: rheumatoid_arthriti sgroups (DOT) com [mailto: rheumatoid_arthriti sgroups (DOT) com ] On Behalf Of ReniSent: Friday, May 30, 2008 11:50 AMrheumatoid_arthriti sgroups (DOT) comSubject:RE:Re: [rheumatoid_ arthritis] Hello all

Hi Kim,

I have been reading all the feed back you have gotten and think how nice it is we all have one another to rally round and support when we need it here! I am sure the not knowing and trying to find answers is hard on you, but i must confess i am not sure the dx of ra is so wonderful either. Even when you get the dx of ra it seems to me that the rat race begins all over again and may constantly be a struggle. Harold and some of the others are quiet settled in their rx threapies and doing well, but there are many of us who never get the rx cocktail correct for remission o rsubsidance of the progressive disease of rhuematoid. It is the problems of everyone is so differnet and ra strikes in so many differfent fronts and ways in and outs

and curve balls. Then you throw the doctors in there too and they all have different approaches and techniques, well we all just have at some time to face the fact that ra is a progressive nasty disease and there is no cure. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings just the facts. But there is always hope with new drugs coming out. so hang in there and just keep looking for answers, and build a bridge and get across the symptoms and into the prevention from any more joint deteriation.