lie / Another new member--Oregon

[Guest guest]

Hello lie,

I just now got to your intro. I am way behind in email. I still have 399

more to read! At the start of the day I was at about 550. Progress!

~Rainy NW

[ ] Another new member--Oregon

> My name is lie, and I was diagnosed with RA about 4 years ago. I've

> actually had it a long time, but it was in remission for many years. I

first

> was diagnosed in the early-to-mid 70s following an especially bad case of

> Asian flu. I was in my 30s. The symptoms lasted for about 6 weeks and

then

> completely went away. Besides the pain and swelling, my symptoms included

> some weird, very sore spots on my legs, a bit on my arms and body, which

> begain as tiny bright red spots and grew quickly until it looked like I

had a

> bright red spider just under my skin, and then diffused and faded. The

> doctors said several flu patients developed this, but they didn't know

what

> it was. In my late 40s-early 50s, I developed pain, swelling, and nodules

on

> my hands and achilles tendons, but after 6 months to a year, that went

away

> as well. Then in 1998, I had another onset of the weird spots, and the

> attendant RA symptoms have never left. The doctors still say they don't

know

> what those spots are. They diagnosed by blood tests--rheumatoid factor

and

> SED rate. I've never been treated with cortisone drugs because I have

been a

> type 1 diabetic for 31 years, and cortisone plays hell with a person's

blood

> sugar--I just can't tolerate it. I've been taking sulfasalazine since

> diagnosis because it also helps with bowel sypmtoms--severe diarrhea (but

> it's not Crohn's Disease or Celiac, say the doctors). But now I also have

> some severe hemolytic anemia, RBC between 27-29 (37 is normal), which my

> rheumie believes is related to the sulfasalazine even though I take

> mega-strengh folic acid, B-12 and iron. A hemotologist diagnosed the

anemia

> as being hemolytic. So--my rheumie is trying, slowly to take me off

> sulfasalazine and onto methotrexate. So far the sulfa is down 2/3 and the

> metho is up to 20 mg. a week, and I've recently switched to injectible

> because the metho pills give me diarrhea. I think I'm at some point in a

> flareup about 2/3 of the time and the other third feel okay, though I'm

> always tired and have no stamina due to the anemia. The only problem I've

> developed from the diabetes is some with my eyes--so they're not working

too

> great now, but really okay. I control my blood sugar with a moderately

low

> (under 100 g) carbohydrate a day diet, beginning in 1999. I lost weight,

> which I needed to do, and my blood sugar is WAY better controlled now. I

> worked up until May of last year and I'm now trying to get on social

security

> disability. I'm 61, not married but I have a long-time, permanent

partner,

> Elmer, who is an absolutely wonderful and supportive person. He's 71, but

I

> think physically, because of my illnesses, we're about the same age.

>

> I've been lurking a while on your list, and I like what I've seen. Keep

it

> coming! I tried an RA message board once before, but it was Whine

only--no

> information or suggestions--got tired of that fast. The mix you have here

is

> a good one. A certain amount of whine is indeed necessary!

>

> I live in a small suburban town 25 miles SW of Portland, called Cornelius.

> For the other Oregonians on the list, Cornelius is in between Hillsboro

and

> Forest Grove. I look forward to sharing with you all.

>

> lie