Guest guest Posted March 22, 2002 Report Share Posted March 22, 2002 This is great news Tess!! > Hi Friends...I saw my rheummy today who was DELIGHTED with my RA > improvement since starting Remicade. He was amazed at how " slender " and > pain-free my hands are. The swelling I've had for years is almost gone. > He did some blood work as usual (I'm anxious to see if my SED rate is > down from 87 - what it was the day prior to 1st Remicade.) The swelling in my left hand disappeared, to all intents and purposes, last weekend. It is a wonderful thing, isn't it? It's tough when you have pain in your hands, trying to do all the things one must do with one's hands all day long! The only comment I have on your impending surgery and medications is what I remember from my thyroid surgery. At the time I had not been diagnosed with RA and was taking a variety of herbal meds along with tylenol to control the pain (not very well I might add). I was terrified of how I would feel after the surgery without my " medications " . What the reality turned out to be was you get so many medicines for pain and god knows what else in the anesthesia and medications after surgery, that after I woke up from my surgery, I didn't ever know I had arthritis for about the next 2 weeks! Aren't the only medicatios you need to go off of prior to surgery the ones that act as a blood thinner? I would definitely agree that many doctors think RA is psychosomatic or worse, look at all the stories you have heard in this forum on that subject. Pretty weird, wonder what these docs attribute to all the swelling and misformed joints? Which at least can be seen, whereas pain is subjective and easier for these docs to dismiss, since it can't be " seen " . Weird about the physical therapist. Can they just blow off a patient like that? Suzanne > One thing he said surprised me...he said he did not think it necessary > for me to go off Remicade & Metho. prior to surgery...he said if I was > on steroids he'd feel differently. I always thought you had to go off > these drug prior to surgery. Any thoughts or information? He also said > that some surgeons don't necessarily believe in the validity of RA - > that some think it is more psychosomatic, therefore wanting to eliminate > RA drugs prior to surgery. Has anyone hard this before??? I, like many > of you, have carried many different diagnoses over the years before they > settled on RA, psoritic arth. and fibromyalgia (including sero-negative > lupus, mixed conn. tissue disease, chronic fatigue syn., etc.) How would > a Dr. be able to deny RA when he sees swollen joints, redness and/or > pain, and sky high SED rates? > > The neurosurgeon wrote out a prescription for Physical Therapy 3 x > weekly for a month. I have gone twice, Then the PT told me today that > there was nothing he could do to alter the neurologic problem, so just > keep up my exercises, take good care - goodbye! I see my primary care > next week, and will ask her to refer me back to the neurosurgeon. > > I'm sorry if I seem a little flustered today...it just seems like some > of the info I'm getting from the medical profession is contradictory. > Thanks for listening. God bless you all for your kindnesses > > Hugs of Hope.... > > Tess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2002 Report Share Posted March 23, 2002 Hi Suzanne...thanks for you wonderful post. I'm seeing my Primary Care Dr. Tuesday, and will run all the PT by her...then I'll go see he neurosurgeon again to get a better idea of things. The way the PT guy just disappeared, and he really seemed to be a compassionate, learned fellow, at first, left me frazzled. One foot ahead of the other, right? Love & Hugs.... Tess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2002 Report Share Posted March 23, 2002 Tess_St_Pierre@... wrote: > Hi Suzanne...thanks for you wonderful post. > > I'm seeing my Primary Care Dr. Tuesday, and will run all the PT by > her...then I'll go see he neurosurgeon again to get a better idea of > things. The way the PT guy just disappeared, and he really seemed to be > a compassionate, learned fellow, at first, left me frazzled. > > One foot ahead of the other, right? > > Love & Hugs.... > > Tess > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 23, 2002 Report Share Posted March 23, 2002 Suzanne wrote: > This is great news Tess!! > > > Hi Friends...I saw my rheummy today who was DELIGHTED with my RA > > improvement since starting Remicade. He was amazed at how " slender " and > > pain-free my hands are. The swelling I've had for years is almost gone. > > He did some blood work as usual (I'm anxious to see if my SED rate is > > down from 87 - what it was the day prior to 1st Remicade.) > > The swelling in my left hand disappeared, to all intents and purposes, last > weekend. It is a wonderful thing, isn't it? It's tough when you have pain > in your hands, trying to do all the things one must do with one's hands all > day long! > > The only comment I have on your impending surgery and medications is what I > remember from my thyroid surgery. At the time I had not been diagnosed with > RA and was taking a variety of herbal meds along with tylenol to control the > pain (not very well I might add). I was terrified of how I would feel after > the surgery without my " medications " . What the reality turned out to be was > you get so many medicines for pain and god knows what else in the anesthesia > and medications after surgery, that after I woke up from my surgery, I > didn't ever know I had arthritis for about the next 2 weeks! Aren't the > only medicatios you need to go off of prior to surgery the ones that act as > a blood thinner? > > I would definitely agree that many doctors think RA is psychosomatic or > worse, look at all the stories you have heard in this forum on that subject. > Pretty weird, wonder what these docs attribute to all the swelling and > misformed joints? Which at least can be seen, whereas pain is subjective and > easier for these docs to dismiss, since it can't be " seen " . > > Weird about the physical therapist. Can they just blow off a patient like > that? > > Suzanne > > > One thing he said surprised me...he said he did not think it necessary > > for me to go off Remicade & Metho. prior to surgery...he said if I was > > on steroids he'd feel differently. I always thought you had to go off > > these drug prior to surgery. Any thoughts or information? He also said > > that some surgeons don't necessarily believe in the validity of RA - > > that some think it is more psychosomatic, therefore wanting to eliminate > > RA drugs prior to surgery. Has anyone hard this before??? I, like many > > of you, have carried many different diagnoses over the years before they > > settled on RA, psoritic arth. and fibromyalgia (including sero-negative > > lupus, mixed conn. tissue disease, chronic fatigue syn., etc.) How would > > a Dr. be able to deny RA when he sees swollen joints, redness and/or > > pain, and sky high SED rates? > > > > The neurosurgeon wrote out a prescription for Physical Therapy 3 x > > weekly for a month. I have gone twice, Then the PT told me today that > > there was nothing he could do to alter the neurologic problem, so just > > keep up my exercises, take good care - goodbye! I see my primary care > > next week, and will ask her to refer me back to the neurosurgeon. > > > > I'm sorry if I seem a little flustered today...it just seems like some > > of the info I'm getting from the medical profession is contradictory. > > Thanks for listening. God bless you all for your kindnesses > > > > Hugs of Hope.... > > > > Tess. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2002 Report Share Posted March 24, 2002 Hi Ginger, I enjoyed reading your description of the improvement in your hands after Remicade. You sound like I did after my third or fourth injection of Enbrel. It was like a miracle after all else had failed. Were you on Enbrel before Remicade? I am so happy for you! Sincerely, Patsy Re: [ ] Chapter 3 -Tess Suzanne wrote: > This is great news Tess!! > > > Hi Friends...I saw my rheummy today who was DELIGHTED with my RA > > improvement since starting Remicade. He was amazed at how " slender " and > > pain-free my hands are. The swelling I've had for years is almost gone. > > He did some blood work as usual (I'm anxious to see if my SED rate is > > down from 87 - what it was the day prior to 1st Remicade.) > > The swelling in my left hand disappeared, to all intents and purposes, last > weekend. It is a wonderful thing, isn't it? It's tough when you have pain > in your hands, trying to do all the things one must do with one's hands all > day long! > > The only comment I have on your impending surgery and medications is what I > remember from my thyroid surgery. At the time I had not been diagnosed with > RA and was taking a variety of herbal meds along with tylenol to control the > pain (not very well I might add). I was terrified of how I would feel after > the surgery without my " medications " . What the reality turned out to be was > you get so many medicines for pain and god knows what else in the anesthesia > and medications after surgery, that after I woke up from my surgery, I > didn't ever know I had arthritis for about the next 2 weeks! Aren't the > only medicatios you need to go off of prior to surgery the ones that act as > a blood thinner? > > I would definitely agree that many doctors think RA is psychosomatic or > worse, look at all the stories you have heard in this forum on that subject. > Pretty weird, wonder what these docs attribute to all the swelling and > misformed joints? Which at least can be seen, whereas pain is subjective and > easier for these docs to dismiss, since it can't be " seen " . > > Weird about the physical therapist. Can they just blow off a patient like > that? > > Suzanne > > > One thing he said surprised me...he said he did not think it necessary > > for me to go off Remicade & Metho. prior to surgery...he said if I was > > on steroids he'd feel differently. I always thought you had to go off > > these drug prior to surgery. Any thoughts or information? He also said > > that some surgeons don't necessarily believe in the validity of RA - > > that some think it is more psychosomatic, therefore wanting to eliminate > > RA drugs prior to surgery. Has anyone hard this before??? I, like many > > of you, have carried many different diagnoses over the years before they > > settled on RA, psoritic arth. and fibromyalgia (including sero-negative > > lupus, mixed conn. tissue disease, chronic fatigue syn., etc.) How would > > a Dr. be able to deny RA when he sees swollen joints, redness and/or > > pain, and sky high SED rates? > > > > The neurosurgeon wrote out a prescription for Physical Therapy 3 x > > weekly for a month. I have gone twice, Then the PT told me today that > > there was nothing he could do to alter the neurologic problem, so just > > keep up my exercises, take good care - goodbye! I see my primary care > > next week, and will ask her to refer me back to the neurosurgeon. > > > > I'm sorry if I seem a little flustered today...it just seems like some > > of the info I'm getting from the medical profession is contradictory. > > Thanks for listening. God bless you all for your kindnesses > > > > Hugs of Hope.... > > > > Tess. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2002 Report Share Posted March 24, 2002 Patsy3 wrote: > Hi Ginger, > > I enjoyed reading your description of the improvement in your hands after > Remicade. You sound like I did after my third or fourth injection of > Enbrel. It was like a miracle after all else had failed. Were you on > Enbrel before Remicade? I am so happy for you! > > Sincerely, > > Patsy > > Re: [ ] Chapter 3 -Tess > > Suzanne wrote: > > > This is great news Tess!! > > > > > Hi Friends...I saw my rheummy today who was DELIGHTED with my RA > > > improvement since starting Remicade. He was amazed at how " slender " and > > > pain-free my hands are. The swelling I've had for years is almost gone. > > > He did some blood work as usual (I'm anxious to see if my SED rate is > > > down from 87 - what it was the day prior to 1st Remicade.) > > > > The swelling in my left hand disappeared, to all intents and purposes, > last > > weekend. It is a wonderful thing, isn't it? It's tough when you have pain > > in your hands, trying to do all the things one must do with one's hands > all > > day long! > > > > The only comment I have on your impending surgery and medications is what > I > > remember from my thyroid surgery. At the time I had not been diagnosed > with > > RA and was taking a variety of herbal meds along with tylenol to control > the > > pain (not very well I might add). I was terrified of how I would feel > after > > the surgery without my " medications " . What the reality turned out to be > was > > you get so many medicines for pain and god knows what else in the > anesthesia > > and medications after surgery, that after I woke up from my surgery, I > > didn't ever know I had arthritis for about the next 2 weeks! Aren't the > > only medicatios you need to go off of prior to surgery the ones that act > as > > a blood thinner? > > > > I would definitely agree that many doctors think RA is psychosomatic or > > worse, look at all the stories you have heard in this forum on that > subject. > > Pretty weird, wonder what these docs attribute to all the swelling and > > misformed joints? Which at least can be seen, whereas pain is subjective > and > > easier for these docs to dismiss, since it can't be " seen " . > > > > Weird about the physical therapist. Can they just blow off a patient like > > that? > > > > Suzanne > > > > > One thing he said surprised me...he said he did not think it necessary > > > for me to go off Remicade & Metho. prior to surgery...he said if I was > > > on steroids he'd feel differently. I always thought you had to go off > > > these drug prior to surgery. Any thoughts or information? He also said > > > that some surgeons don't necessarily believe in the validity of RA - > > > that some think it is more psychosomatic, therefore wanting to eliminate > > > RA drugs prior to surgery. Has anyone hard this before??? I, like many > > > of you, have carried many different diagnoses over the years before they > > > settled on RA, psoritic arth. and fibromyalgia (including sero-negative > > > lupus, mixed conn. tissue disease, chronic fatigue syn., etc.) How would > > > a Dr. be able to deny RA when he sees swollen joints, redness and/or > > > pain, and sky high SED rates? > > > > > > The neurosurgeon wrote out a prescription for Physical Therapy 3 x > > > weekly for a month. I have gone twice, Then the PT told me today that > > > there was nothing he could do to alter the neurologic problem, so just > > > keep up my exercises, take good care - goodbye! I see my primary care > > > next week, and will ask her to refer me back to the neurosurgeon. > > > > > > I'm sorry if I seem a little flustered today...it just seems like some > > > of the info I'm getting from the medical profession is contradictory. > > > Thanks for listening. God bless you all for your kindnesses > > > > > > Hugs of Hope.... > > > > > > Tess. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2002 Report Share Posted March 24, 2002 Thanks for the support, ette. Hugs of Hope... Tess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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