Re: My husbands diagnosis

[Guest guest]

a

Im sad to hear about your husbands recent onset. I too am a male with Rheumatiod

Arthritis.

I have had this condition for 21 years

A couple of points my rheumy told me recently

1) Even though RA in females is much more common than women, Men when they do

get RA tend to get it more aggresively.

2) I have heard of this quick onset, sometimes called rheumatic fever.

A few suggestions,I have personally found that cutting out beer ( i still drink

white spirits) cutting down on red meat has reduced the severity/flare ups .

Also drink as much water as possible. and under no circuimstance drink caffene

or eat Chocolate..

I must say however that every person is different.

It might be worth keeping a food journal and seeing if his arthritis gets worse

after eating certain foods.

I actually found that it can take up to two days for some foods to cause a flare

up in my condition.

Anyway good luck

" paulatc61 " <gtg462d@...> on 30/11/2002 16:07:56

Please respond to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

cc: (bcc: Gregg/NSW/QBE/AU)

Subject: My husbands diagnosis

About six months ago my husband started having joint pain. Before

this he was working, taking classes, and helped around the house.

He was full of energy and always on the run. Now, except when he

takes pretazone, he is in extreme pain all over his body. He is only

40 years old, and has never been sick until recently.

Without the steroids, some nights he will run a fever, he can hardly

get out of the bed, and he is now on anti-depressents. He can

hardly move. I thought the arthritis came on slowly, or only

effected a few joints. He hurts all over. His hands swell and he

is weak. This seemed to happen overnight!

He started on low dose steroids and methytrexate this week. Before

this he was on Minocycline and Indomethacin. The Indomethacin made

him dizzy and disoriented. I also think it made his depression

worse. He no longer takes the antibiotic or the NSAID, but the

Methyltrexate is causing him some stomach problems.

We were told he had reactive arthritis, but the initial infection

that started this was never found. He has been to a urologists and

went through a bladder biopsy, and they only found evidence of

inflammation. No suprize there. His entire body is inflammed!

Although the surgery seemed to worsen his condition. Since the

biopsy, a month ago, his throat has never healed from the tube they

put down his throat.

Has anyone else had this quick, acute onset that involves so many

joints? I worry that they may be looking at the wrong condition, and

as time passes, he is getting worse.

[Guest guest]

a,

When I got RA, it literally hit me over night. I went to bed feeling

fine & woke up on Mother's Day of '01 feeling awful with excruciating

pain in my shoulder, which traveled to my other shoulder, both hands,

both knees & then to my feet. I basically became disabled & lived

for months of excruciating pain . I'm taking: Methotrexate,

Plaquenil, Darvocet, & my doctor just put me on Vioxx (I was on

Ansaid, which I felt never really worked for me).

Currently, I'm going through a flare up but over all, I am doing a

lot better. Like your husband, I get weak & tire easily. That's

normal with RA. With this disease, you realize your limitations

rather quickly (the once simple task of using a hand held can opener

is now extremely difficult & little old ladies zoom past me).

Is your husband seeing a Rheumatologist? If not, he really should

see one to get an acurate diagnosis.

Keep us posted on his progress. Hugs & best wishes to both of you.

Barbara

[Guest guest]

I knew I was forgetting one of my medications! I also take Medrol.

I hate taking steroids but it's either that or try to live with the

pain. I'll take my chances with the Medrol & all of it's 'wonderful'

side affects.

> a,

>

> When I got RA, it literally hit me over night. I went to bed

feeling

> fine & woke up on Mother's Day of '01 feeling awful with

excruciating

> pain in my shoulder, which traveled to my other shoulder, both

hands,

> both knees & then to my feet. I basically became disabled & lived

> for months of excruciating pain . I'm taking: Methotrexate,

> Plaquenil, Darvocet, & my doctor just put me on Vioxx (I was on

> Ansaid, which I felt never really worked for me).

>

> Currently, I'm going through a flare up but over all, I am doing a

> lot better. Like your husband, I get weak & tire easily. That's

> normal with RA. With this disease, you realize your limitations

> rather quickly (the once simple task of using a hand held can

opener

> is now extremely difficult & little old ladies zoom past me).

>

> Is your husband seeing a Rheumatologist? If not, he really should

> see one to get an acurate diagnosis.

>

> Keep us posted on his progress. Hugs & best wishes to both of you.

>

> Barbara

[Guest guest]

This is helpful information because my husband drinks coffee all day. He has never been much of a drinker (alcoholic beverages), and has eliminated this totally because of the medication he is taking, but he almost never drinks water. I will pass this on to him. He may have to slowly decrease his intake of caffiene or he will go through withdrawels. I think he would be willing to do just about anything to decrease the symptoms. Thanks a lot!

-------Original Message-------

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Date: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 1:54:21 PM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re: My husbands diagnosis

aIm sad to hear about your husbands recent onset. I too am a male with RheumatiodArthritis.I have had this condition for 21 yearsA couple of points my rheumy told me recently1) Even though RA in females is much more common than women, Men when they doget RA tend to get it more aggresively.2) I have heard of this quick onset, sometimes called rheumatic fever.A few suggestions,I have personally found that cutting out beer ( i still drinkwhite spirits) cutting down on red meat has reduced the severity/flare ups .Also drink as much water as possible. and under no circuimstance drink caffeneor eat Chocolate..I must say however that every person is different.It might be worth keeping a food journal and seeing if his arthritis gets worseafter eating certain foods.I actually found that it can take up to two days for some foods to cause a flareup in my condition.Anyway good luck"paulatc61" <gtg462d@...> on 30/11/2002 16:07:56Please respond to Rheumatoid Arthritis To: Rheumatoid Arthritis cc: (bcc: Gregg/NSW/QBE/AU)Subject: My husbands diagnosisAbout six months ago my husband started having joint pain. Beforethis he was working, taking classes, and helped around the house.He was full of energy and always on the run. Now, except when hetakes pretazone, he is in extreme pain all over his body. He is only40 years old, and has never been sick until recently.Without the steroids, some nights he will run a fever, he can hardlyget out of the bed, and he is now on anti-depressents. He canhardly move. I thought the arthritis came on slowly, or onlyeffected a few joints. He hurts all over. His hands swell and heis weak. This seemed to happen overnight!He started on low dose steroids and methytrexate this week. Beforethis he was on Minocycline and Indomethacin. The Indomethacin madehim dizzy and disoriented. I also think it made his depressionworse. He no longer takes the antibiotic or the NSAID, but theMethyltrexate is causing him some stomach problems.We were told he had reactive arthritis, but the initial infectionthat started this was never found. He has been to a urologists andwent through a bladder biopsy, and they only found evidence ofinflammation. No suprize there. His entire body is inflammed!Although the surgery seemed to worsen his condition. Since thebiopsy, a month ago, his throat has never healed from the tube theyput down his throat.Has anyone else had this quick, acute onset that involves so manyjoints? I worry that they may be looking at the wrong condition, andas time passes, he is getting worse.