Newbie Introduction

[Guest guest]

Hi =)

I am Meg, I am 26 and live in CT. I was diagnosed in September of

2001 with Sero-Negative RA, in other words, I have no RH factor

showing in my blood. This diagnosis took about 6 months after my

severe symptoms began (major swelling and painful, stiff joints) I

have had problems with my knees since I was 10 and had surgery on my

left knee removing a large portion of my knee cap that had died when

I was 16...guess that should of been the first sign!

I have always been very tall (I am a little over 6'1 " ) and heavy so

the doctors always attributed my knee problems to quick growth

spurts, weight and extreme height (there wasn't the WNBA back then!)

Starting about 2 years ago I had my tonsils removed after 6 months of

horribly chronic tonislitis, after the surgery I had a reaction to

the morphine and vallium I was given and then took forever to heal

from the surgery. After that I began having allergic reactions to

almost every medication I took and constantly getting sick.

My saving grace through all of this has been my allergist who I began

seeing a year ago. I now have to wear a medical allert bracelet

because of my allergies to medicine, and I receive weekly allergy

shots. This is all being attributed to the RA.

Because of my allergies I am allergic to most of the regular RA

medications and almost all of the pain meds. I currently take 400mg

of plaquenil a day (eye checks every 4 months!) and thats it. I have

been given a script for Darvocet for pain but it really has no

effect. I am allergic to all NSAIDS (severe asthmatic reaction and

vomitting) so no ibuprofen or that type for me =( I am also allergic

to all Opiates (except for some reason I can take percocet!) so my

pain reduction is very limited.

I started plaquenil last November and was doing very well, only one 2

day flare since starting. Then at the end of March (right around my

birthday!) I had another flare up, only this one hasnt gone away and

more joints than ever have become involved.

My doctor basically has given me little hope or options and I just

went to a new doctor last monday who is already giving me tons of new

hope and a much better prognosis. My other doctor is in his mid-60's

and I believe he has no patients under his age. Being 26, I believe

it is a little more difficult for me to say " ok I will go on

disability " I have yet to marry, have kids, get my masters degree,

etc. He told me I may have difficulty with pregnancy which scares me

the most as I want nothing more than children! I don't think he

grasps the different lifestyle of a mid-20's person just beginning

this disease. My new doctor is much younger, has young children of

her own and came highly recommended by many. I had to wait 2 months

to get an appointment with her but now that I am a patient the wait

is minimal (a few days to a week for non-emergency)

Right now the joints that are most affected are my ankles, knees,

hips, right elbow, both wrists and a few fingers and toes (all the

top joint) the elbow, wrists and fingers/toes are the new additions

since march. I have missed 8 full days and 2 half days of work so

far this year because of the RA, luckily I now qualify

for " intermittant disability " through my job which will allow me to

take days and not use up my personal time off (15 days)

Well if you got this far through my book I thank you for caring! I

hope to get to know all of you and learn a lot more than I have. I

do not know anyone with RA, and I am especially interested in getting

to know some people in my age range, although all frieds and support

are more than welcome!!!!

Best of luck to everyone!!! xoxo