Re: Re: Please Help Me Figure Out My MRI!

[Guest guest]

well... Your results show that the disease is VERY active so the biologic you

are on is really not kicking in.

I am on orencia which works welll... I also has a good result with enbrel tho (i

switched bc enbrel is more expensive). Good luck to you!

[Guest guest]

Dear , thank u for letting me know ur situation..... i am so sorry that this is causing you so much grief. i have had ra for about 27 yrs and after working 20yrs i hung on the last yr for dear life i finally had to go on disability. thank goodness i am not the primary in this family unit and all our children are raised. my husband still works and has his health, glory to God! this must be an extraordinary amout of stress and pressure on u...... u will be in my personal prayers! I pray you get good answers and good results quickly! love, Reni <catdelouise@...> wrote: Hi Reni,The reason I want to know before I see the doctor is that he tends to downgrade things, make things not as bad as it seems. After 4 years on Humira it has failed me and my doctor is reluctant to take the next step, which I wanted to be Orencia since Enbrel did not improve me enough.I hope these results are enough to warrant action, if not I need to find a new doctor. I have an appointment with a new one but it is not until July 3rd! In the meantime I can no longer work and I am on very high doses of pain medication: 50 mg of Opana, twice a day with Percocet 325/10 as needed. I am exhausted. I also feel I am

developing Raynaud's Syndrome. I am the main breadwinner in my family and it is very bad that I cannot work. I was laid off so I am collecting unemployment but I worry that I will not be well enough to go back when it runs out.This is the first time in having RA for over 5 years that I actually feel I cannot work.> Hi All,> > I just had MRIs done of the right and left hand and I could really use your help in > translating:> > Left Hand:> > "....However, at the level of the fourth metacarpal head in the anterior soft tissues anterior > to the flexor tendon, there 7 mm nodule within the subcutaneous fat which is > hypointense on Tq, hyperintense on T2...this abuts the flexor tendon.> > ....There is some enhancement of the soft tissues of the distal aspect of the thumb and > fifth digit more so than the other fingers and I am not certain whether this is real or > artifactual. There is an additional enhancing nodule approx. 6 mm in size on the volar > surface of the hand at the level of the fifth metacarpal head, within the subcutaneous fat."> > Right Hand:> > "...At the distal hypothenar

eminence anteriorly, within the subcutaneous tissue, there is > increased T2 and STIR signal present in an amorphous, ill defined region which measures > approximately 2 cm transverslely X 3 mm deep...Similarly, at the distal left fifth digit, at > the site of a vitamin E marker, there is an area of increased T2 signal seen within the soft > tissue surrounding the bone...Findings are nonspecific and could certainly be due to areas > of focal soft tissue inflammation or infection. Correlation with clinical symptoms is > suggested as well as physical exam. A low-grade vascular malformation can appear > similar. These do not appear to be related to the joint space. Histologic evaluation may > ultimately be warranted."> > Google is not helping me, I need a layman's interpretation. Please help me if you can!> > Thank you,> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear - When your disease becomes so intense that it keeps you from doing what you normally do, it means your disease is becoming unmanageable. There is Remicade and there is Rituxan. An aggressive form of this disease means it will find a way around or build up a tolerance to Humira. I have heard of a reluctant patient but a reluctant doctor? I would think about applying for ssdi now. I will explain why. The award you will receive will be retroactive. This means the amount you are awarded will start paying out at the date of your documented disease onset. You will need to sue for your award which means getting a disability lawyer. He will get a small percentage of that award after presenting your medical history and case history to a law judge. The amount can be extremely considerable depending on what you have paid in to social security and how many work credits you have earned. You can ask your unemployment office about that. You can always go back to work if you go into complete remission but financially a disability award would take the wage stress off of you. I would explore your options with a disability lawyer as soon as you can. I speak from experience. It would be worth your while. Please email me should you have any other questions. Yours, Deborah

On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 10:04 PM, <catdelouise@...> wrote:

Hi Reni,

The reason I want to know before I see the doctor is that he tends to downgrade things,

make things not as bad as it seems. After 4 years on Humira it has failed me and my

doctor is reluctant to take the next step, which I wanted to be Orencia since Enbrel did not

improve me enough.

I hope these results are enough to warrant action, if not I need to find a new doctor. I

have an appointment with a new one but it is not until July 3rd! In the meantime I can no

longer work and I am on very high doses of pain medication: 50 mg of Opana, twice a day

with Percocet 325/10 as needed. I am exhausted. I also feel I am developing Raynaud's

Syndrome. I am the main breadwinner in my family and it is very bad that I cannot work.

I was laid off so I am collecting unemployment but I worry that I will not be well enough to

go back when it runs out.

This is the first time in having RA for over 5 years that I actually feel I cannot work.

> Hi All,

>

> I just had MRIs done of the right and left hand and I could really use your help in

> translating:

>

> Left Hand:

>

> " ....However, at the level of the fourth metacarpal head in the anterior soft tissues

anterior

> to the flexor tendon, there 7 mm nodule within the subcutaneous fat which is

> hypointense on Tq, hyperintense on T2...this abuts the flexor tendon.

>

> ....There is some enhancement of the soft tissues of the distal aspect of the thumb and

> fifth digit more so than the other fingers and I am not certain whether this is real or

> artifactual. There is an additional enhancing nodule approx. 6 mm in size on the volar

> surface of the hand at the level of the fifth metacarpal head, within the subcutaneous

fat. "

>

> Right Hand:

>

> " ...At the distal hypothenar eminence anteriorly, within the subcutaneous tissue, there is

> increased T2 and STIR signal present in an amorphous, ill defined region which

measures

> approximately 2 cm transverslely X 3 mm deep...Similarly, at the distal left fifth digit, at

> the site of a vitamin E marker, there is an area of increased T2 signal seen within the

soft

> tissue surrounding the bone...Findings are nonspecific and could certainly be due to

areas

> of focal soft tissue inflammation or infection. Correlation with clinical symptoms is

> suggested as well as physical exam. A low-grade vascular malformation can appear

> similar. These do not appear to be related to the joint space. Histologic evaluation may

> ultimately be warranted. "

>

> Google is not helping me, I need a layman's interpretation. Please help me if you can!

>

> Thank you,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

, Deborah is sooo right about the disability thing, plus if u should be able to go back to work even like pt u still get disability plus a pt pay check depending on amounts per month. The stress u are under might be keeping the ra cycling into high gear too. Take care, ReniDeborah Bargad <dbargad@...> wrote: Dear - When your disease becomes so intense that it

keeps you from doing what you normally do, it means your disease is becoming unmanageable. There is Remicade and there is Rituxan. An aggressive form of this disease means it will find a way around or build up a tolerance to Humira. I have heard of a reluctant patient but a reluctant doctor? I would think about applying for ssdi now. I will explain why. The award you will receive will be retroactive. This means the amount you are awarded will start paying out at the date of your documented disease onset. You will need to sue for your award which means getting a disability lawyer. He will get a small percentage of that award after presenting your medical history and case history to a law judge. The amount can be extremely considerable depending on what you have paid in to social security and how many work credits you have earned. You can ask your unemployment office about that. You can always go back to

work if you go into complete remission but financially a disability award would take the wage stress off of you. I would explore your options with a disability lawyer as soon as you can. I speak from experience. It would be worth your while. Please email me should you have any other questions. Yours, Deborah On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 10:04 PM, <catdelouisecomcast (DOT) net> wrote: Hi Reni,The reason I want to know before I see the doctor is that he tends to downgrade things, make things not as bad as it seems. After 4 years on Humira it has failed me and my doctor is reluctant to take the next step, which I wanted to be Orencia since Enbrel did not improve me

enough.I hope these results are enough to warrant action, if not I need to find a new doctor. I have an appointment with a new one but it is not until July 3rd! In the meantime I can no longer work and I am on very high doses of pain medication: 50 mg of Opana, twice a day with Percocet 325/10 as needed. I am exhausted. I also feel I am developing Raynaud's Syndrome. I am the main breadwinner in my family and it is very bad that I cannot work. I was laid off so I am collecting unemployment but I worry that I will not be well enough to go back when it runs out.This is the first time in having RA for over 5 years that I actually feel I cannot work. > Hi All,> > I just had MRIs done of the right and left hand and I could really use your help in > translating:> > Left Hand:> > "....However, at the level of the fourth metacarpal head in the anterior soft tissues anterior > to the flexor tendon, there 7 mm nodule within the subcutaneous fat which is > hypointense on Tq, hyperintense on T2...this abuts the flexor tendon.> > ....There is some

enhancement of the soft tissues of the distal aspect of the thumb and > fifth digit more so than the other fingers and I am not certain whether this is real or > artifactual. There is an additional enhancing nodule approx. 6 mm in size on the volar > surface of the hand at the level of the fifth metacarpal head, within the subcutaneous fat."> > Right Hand:> > "...At the distal hypothenar eminence anteriorly, within the subcutaneous tissue, there is > increased T2 and STIR signal present in an amorphous, ill defined region which measures > approximately 2 cm transverslely X 3 mm deep...Similarly, at the distal left fifth digit, at > the site of a vitamin E marker, there is an area of increased T2 signal seen within the soft > tissue surrounding the bone...Findings are nonspecific and could certainly be due to areas > of focal soft tissue inflammation or infection. Correlation

with clinical symptoms is > suggested as well as physical exam. A low-grade vascular malformation can appear > similar. These do not appear to be related to the joint space. Histologic evaluation may > ultimately be warranted."> > Google is not helping me, I need a layman's interpretation. Please help me if you can!> > Thank you,> > >