Re: fed up

[Guest guest]

Hi Audrey, I strongly suggest that you see a rheumatologist. I'm sure your GP means well, but there are over 100 types of arthritis and many don't show up in the blood. Besides fibro, you could have sero-negative arthritis like I do. I saw 14 doctors (GPs, internists and neurologists) before a rheumy, who was able to diagnose me and make sense of my pain. Sero-negative means you test negative for the rheumatoid factor but still have classic symptoms of arthritis. I'm sure you aren't imagining your pain, even though it may feel like it.

I'm 25 and was diagnosed when I was 22. It is difficult to live with this disease, especially being younger, but it is VERY important that you are diagnosed (or not) soon. The newer meds work best if started early, and only a rheumy can truly understand the ramifications of that.

Where do you live? Someone on the list may be able to refer you to a rheumy.

Take care,

(in Virginia)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It's the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.” (Napoleon Hill)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>hi everyone, thought i would post a message as i am fed up with my >arthritis! I seen my g.p. today and he said all my blood tests are >fine. e.s.r normal but i am in a lot of pain, sometimes i think i >really don't have this disease or i imagine i have it. do other >people feel this way or am i really going mad. At the moment i have >the stiffness back in the mornings, swollen joints etc (you know all >the fun stuff) i think i'm having a major flare!!!! my rf test is >always negative. but i have had genetic tests done and i have the >genes. my mum has r.a. really bad and has had it for over 10years >now, i conviced her to move to live with me so we can help each >other, as i am only 36 and a single parent i am finding living with >thid disease very hard to cope with at the moment, anyhow thanks for >listening audrey > > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Dear Margaret --

I'm so sorry you are feeling blue. It's difficult but everyone has to make

their own decisions about meds. I fought with that too and for me quality

is more important than quantity. So if the meds do me in early I think it

is better than living longer in misery. Misery for me is not being able to

take part in my own life and the lives of those I love. I am slowed up some

but I keep going and I intend to keep it up as long as possible.

My husband is not a very social creature and he was a firefighter before

retiring. I am used to doing things without him and he doesn't mind. When

he was working his schedule was 24 hour shifts, sometimes 3 to 5 in row so

if I wasn't able to amuse myself my life would have been really lonely. He

doesn't like to travel either. He'll go anywhere I want him to go as long

as he can sleep in his own bed........believe me that limits our range. I

like to travel to visit family and friends so I do, mostly without him. I'd

rather he was with me but I adjust. I am taking a long way around to

encourage you to find activities that you can do without him while he

watches soccer. Call some other " soccer widows " and do something fun.

I hope you find some cheer, Cheri :-))

> I am upstairs on the computer and crying cause I feel so down. Hubby

> is downstairs watching soccor yet again, I am in the UK and we have 3

> weeks of it - more fun watching paint dry.

>

> Wanted to go to the coast today, but he had to practice for a play he

> has agreed to be in, seems he will do anything for angone else.

>

> Sorry for venting, but thanks for listening

>

> Margaret

>

>