Guest guest Posted October 10, 2003 Report Share Posted October 10, 2003 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. Miriam Cleveland, 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. If you don't or can't get them then you need a shoe with lots of room for your toes - you could consider something as simple as an extra insole to help make the shoe fot your foot better. At one point I was cutting off the toe portion of the insoles because as your toes shift on you they can rub very painfully. I also use wool socks (preferably with a padded sole - you have to look but they exist). The wool gives you a little more cushioning and believe me every little bit counts when your cartilege is gone. Annette > 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. > > Miriam > Cleveland, 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. If you don't or can't get them then you need a shoe with lots of room for your toes - you could consider something as simple as an extra insole to help make the shoe fot your foot better. At one point I was cutting off the toe portion of the insoles because as your toes shift on you they can rub very painfully. I also use wool socks (preferably with a padded sole - you have to look but they exist). The wool gives you a little more cushioning and believe me every little bit counts when your cartilege is gone. Annette > 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. > > Miriam > Cleveland, OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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