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The subject line says it best..I've been for the most part a silent member to this list, but since returning from my primary today I decided perhaps my misery might be of help to someone here..I learned 2 years ago I was honored to be listed in the ranks of having RA.That was the best news I have had since that day. For the past 2 years I had pain, sores, opened wounds on my legs, below the knee.the pain is beyond description, I call it my living hell.I have been diagnosed with Pyroderma Gangrenosum and have already gone through 3 surgical debrisements and skin grafts without any positive outcome. My wound care doctor and rheumatic doctor decided "remicade" is for me.It used for moderate to severe R.A. and has recently been discovered it works marvels on pyroderma and severe wounds and lesions that will not heal.

During my first infusion of remicade I ended up flat on my back on the floor in the doctors office.it seems remicade is a bear on a patient who has asthma. They had to inject me with a steroid and benerdryl to get my breathing back to normal with oxygen,then continued with the infusion. My RA still has me in horrid pain, but after the 3rd infusion of remicade the pyroderma on both legs are reducing in size as well as amount of pain. Last week I woke screaming from the pain, the infectious disease doctor did a biopsy on the legs and the results came back that i now have tested positive for M.R.S.A which is the newly dreaded illness nurses and care givers are concerned. it can be contagious, it is painful and they now are deciding what to do with me, either put me in the hospital with anti biotic iv's or allow me to lock myself in my house and have a line put into my arms for the iv anti-biotic drips to be given at home with a visiting nurse. whats my point in boring ya'll is, do NOT allow remicade to be given if you have opened wounds and skin infections. The doctors are *positive* the remicade was the factor and more harm than good was done to me. I am a 47 year old white female, and I will confess I am so tired of hurting, I forgot what it is to have a 24 hour period of no pain. Several times I have seriously thought of taking my life..It would stop my pain, it would make life easier on my daughter who at the age of 19 has become my rock.

If anyone has experienced what I have please write me, I need advice, I need advice from someone who is living the hell I am.I am seriously getting to my limit with these doctors. There is an expression, "they don't know their as$ from the elbow".

I hope someone here can suggest what I might look for in a new doctor perhaps. I live in south FL. Any advice would be appreciated and I hope I might have helped or at least made someone here aware of what our illness does...

Anne