Re: New here and to RA!

[Guest guest]

I am just posting a little message because I don't post very often here in this group. I am Bobbie, 38 years old and mother to fraternal twin boys. I am about to have a Bakers' Cyst removed from my right knee. I would like to know if anyone knows anything about this kind of cyst and where I could get any kind of info. Please email me at bobbie.pascal@...

Thanks for the assistance. Bobbie

I am in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

-----Original Message-----From: Delena [mailto:cowbells57@...] Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2002 10:34 AMRheumatoid Arthritis Subject: New here and to RA!Hello~my name is Delena, I am a 45 year old homemaker, married with 2 grown sons. I found out 3 weeks ago I have RA. I live in a very small town in the Ozark Mtns., of Arkansas....aside from my family doctor there isn't a rheumatologist for miles around! I do have my first appt., with one Nov. 21st! That is as soon as i could get an appt! We will drive 3 1/2 hours to Little Rock to see him. At times the pain and stiffness is so bad, I can hardly move much less go about my daily routine.......I am on medication to stop the progression, and Vioxx....I can't really tell much is happening at all. I have had to be put on perdnisone twice for inflammation...as soon as the treatment is completed the pain, inflammation comes back....strong and very bad!I was wondering if someone could tell me what to expect at my first visit to the Rheumatologist and what do you do to help relieve the pain when you are having your *Flare Ups*......All and any thoughts, prayers, advice etc., will be so appreciated!! Thanks so much and God bless......Delena

[Guest guest]

Hi Delena!

I was diagnosed with RA about a year & a half ago.

It's very important that you see a Rheumatologist instead of your

primary care doctor for RA. A Rheumatologist is better trained to

treat your condition & is better able to keep up with the latest

updates on RA.

It took me a while to get my first appointment with my

Rheumatologist. At first, you will most likely have to see him/her

every month. About a week prior to your appointments, you will

probably have to get your sed rate taken (blood test). This

determines how much inflamation is in your body. Depending on what

type of medication you'll be put on, you may need other blood tests.

You will very likely be put on medication that slows the progression

of joint damage.

If you haven't taken xrays yet, you will most likely have to get some

done. This way they can determine if your joints have any type of

damage. Prior to my first visit with my Rheumatologist, my primary

care doctor ordered regular xrays & since my RA was caught early, I

had no damage to my joints. Later my Rheumatologist viewed those

xrays & also had me take a bone scan (it was kind of like an MRI;

you're injected with radioactive dye & the machine scans your entire

body, picking up 'red' or 'hot spots' which indicates where the RA is

most active).

Prior to my diagnosis, I was in constant, excruciating pain. I could

barely walk. I couldn't bend my knees. I could only sleep in 2 hr.

intervals. The weigh of the sheet on my bed would actually hurt my

knees. I would shower at night before going to bed & 2 hrs. later

wake up sweating profusely. It was so bad that my gown & hair would

be soaked with sweat & my underarm deodorant would be 'sweated

away'. I would have to take constant showers. My husband would

literally have to help me in/out of the tub & sometimes help me to

wash myself & to use the toilet. It would take me a half hour to get

dressed for work. It normally would take me less than 5 minutes to

put on shoes, socks, pants & a blouse. This was not doing my hair &

makeup & preparing lunch.

Today I'm on a lot of medication but I feel 95% better than I did a

year ago (Methotrexate, Medrol, Ansaid, Plaquenil, Darvocet, & Folic

Acid). I do have some days where I ache more than others but that's

to be expected.

Best wishes to you!

[Guest guest]

Hi Delena,

I know what you mean, I've had RA. for about 7 years and I still have occasional flare-ups. It's pretty well under control though. I use Pred at abot 7mgm per day. 5 am and 2 pm. When it flares I increase it gradually to around 9 or 10 mgm per day depending on how bad it is. I'm currently on Arava for the progression and Naprosen as well. I started on Sulfusulazine and used that for 2 years until it stopped working. I then went onto Methatrexate which was good also for 2 years. I was getting too much pain and mout ulcers, so the RH. put me on this new Arava to try it. It's been ok except that lately I've been very nauseous and am currently having a break before re-starting it at a lower dose. I don't know what you're on now, but your Rheumatologist will probably put you on Salazaprin to start. It makes you wee bright yellow and your glasses get a bit yellow stained, if you wear them, or contacts. If you're in heaps of pain, you can always get your prednisolone dose increased temporarily and you can get localised injections of it as well. They just help the area of the inflamed joint that was injected. I hope things work out for you, I really do. By the way, I'm a 42 yo male from Australia. All the best Delena <cowbells57@...> wrote:

Hello~my name is Delena, I am a 45 year old homemaker, married with 2 grown sons. I found out 3 weeks ago I have RA. I live in a very small town in the Ozark Mtns., of Arkansas....aside from my family doctor there isn't a rheumatologist for miles around! I do have my first appt., with one Nov. 21st! That is as soon as i could get an appt! We will drive 3 1/2 hours to Little Rock to see him. At times the pain and stiffness is so bad, I can hardly move much less go about my daily routine.......I am on medication to stop the progression, and Vioxx....I can't really tell much is happening at all. I have had to be put on perdnisone twice for inflammation...as soon as the treatment is completed the pain, inflammation comes back....strong and very bad!I was wondering if someone could tell me what to expect at my first visit to the Rheumatologist and what do you do to help relieve the pain when you are having your *Flare Ups*......All and any thoughts, prayers, advice etc., will be so appreciated!! Thanks so much and God bless......Delena