Guest guest Posted December 2, 2002 Report Share Posted December 2, 2002 Hi I am new here. I wanted to introduce myself and tell you all hello. I am 35, single, with a 15 month old and a 10 year old. I was diagnosed with both fibromyalgiaa and RA a couple of months ago. I have been having symptoms of the RA for about 3 years. They used to come every 6 to 9 months so I could still hold down a job. When I was pregnant I was totally symptom free. But after 3 months postpartum they came back with a vengance. I decided to write after reading about infections that won't heal. I had a rash on my face that my pcp said was perioral dermatitis. He put me on heavy doses of prednisone. I am on Vioxx for RA and am going to be put on Plaquenil in a couple of weeks. Anyway, since the prednisone, I have been bitten by something and they will not heal. And my RA is really flaring up. Just wanted to share. Thanks for listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 You've been suffering for a long time but apparently your recent medicines are helping you a lot. Joint damage that has already happened will always be with you and may require surgery to replace some joints. You can hope to slow down or stop future joint damage and the medicines you are on seem to be the correct ones for that. New medicines are coming out fairly often and we always hope that one will come that gives us full remission but so far I'm not aware of any that reach that objective. It's good that you are off Prednisone now and that is a good sign that medicines are helping very much. We can hope that they continue to give you improvement. From what I've read JRA can become the same as adult RA but it can also disappear with time. I'm not sure but I think JRA might be about the same as what was called "growing pains" while I was growing up in the 1930s. I hope you find some combination of medications and other treatments to permit you to resume a "normal" life. Good luck and God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: mpalevsky_bunnylover Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 8:27 AM Subject: Introduction My name is Miriam and I have been lurking on this last for the last few months. I have found the information I have been reading to be very insightful and helpful.I am 37 with 7 children and was disagnosed with RA about 1 years ago but have suffered with pain since I was 12. I got passed around to Dr's who said they didn't find anything wrong and I had given up. Late last year I couldn't take the pain anymore and it was from head to toe with extreme exhaustion and my company doctor sent me to a rhematologist who promised to get to the bottom of the problem, after all these years! I tried things like Vioxx, Celebrex, Cochicine and who knows what else and the pain kept getting worse. I am now on MTX and Enbreal and Vioxx. I am not in the extreme pain I had been in but I still am in pain constantly. I can barely walk due to the damage to the metatarsal joints in my feet, I can barely write because my hands are so sore and everything in between hurts also.My 16 year old daughter was recently diagnosed with JRA after 4 years of being in pain, my not liking the doctors I took her to until I finally took her to my own rheumy. Based on when my problems started, I probably have JRA and not RA. I am not sure if it makes a difference or what the real differences are between them, except when you got diagnosed.I work full time and am really struggling. I haven't been staying a full 8 hours because I just can't make it. Are medications ever supposed to make me feel "normal" again or is this as good as it gets? Should I hope or expect for more relief? I am not in the mind numbing pain I was in prior to my current meds and recently came off prednisone (gained 30 pounds)but I am having a hard time imagining that this is as good as its going to get.Sorry for the length, and thanks for all the great info I have already gathered.MiriamCleveland, OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 > Orthotics can be a big help for sore feet. You end up wearing ugly > shoes or running shoes for life (my opinion) but they are a great > help. I am very uncomfortable walking without them but practically > normal with them, as long as I'm not too tired. I actually had my foot casted for orthotics about 2-3 weeks ago. The podiatrist has been keeping my feet taped with padding in the proper places to help out until the orthotics are ready. Even with this, my feet are so painful that I can't stand for more than a few minutes at a time but they still hurt, even when I am sitting. Thanks for the suggestions, Miriam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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