First time...With a question

[Guest guest]

I'm a 34 year old mom of one with a history of joint pain due to

injuries because my joints are hypermobile. Well, in the past year

I've started having increasing problems with my hips, elbows and

shoulders. I put it up to body changes due to pregnancy and the

different kind of stresses caused by dragging an active baby around

24 hours a day. Well about 2 months ago I started having

intermittent problems with my hands and wrists (particularly with

the largest joints at the base of my fingers. they're a bit red and

swollen this morning). Its not every day, and its more annoying

that truly painful. In fact, most days its only first thing in the

morning that there's a problem, and only a 'whole day' thing once or

twice a month for 4 or 5 days at a time.

I mentioned this to my doc at an annual physical just so he could

confirm it was the hypermobility issue combined with age. He told

me that he wanted to do blood tests to screen for RA.

So, my question is.....Does this seem familiar? Are my symptoms

really consistent with the onset of RA? Should I be concerned or is

the doc just being cautious?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

[Guest guest]

Hi :

I came down with my first (!) autoimmune disease shortly after I had my son. Apparently this is not uncommon and they have linked autoimmune diseases to the body's inability to distinguish between the baby's antibodies and the mother's. Not to alarm you, but it does seem like it's a possibility. As far as the swollen and painful joints - most RA sufferers find that their pain is worse in the morning and as the day progresses, it does get better. With osteo, it is the opposite. I would definitely let your doctor screen you for the RA antibody. But even if you test negative, keep an eye on the symptoms and keep checking in. Not everyone with RA tests positive.

Good luck!

gloria

[Guest guest]

,

You can't be to cautious with RA. Get the tests and hopefully you

will get a difinitive answer. Most joint damage with RA happens

within the first couple years of onset, so aggressive drug therapy is

recommended.

My first symptoms were intermittent also. Within a couple months I

had severe acute RA. That was last March. I am now on a handful of

meds and it appears it may be undercontrol with minimum joint damage.

Good luck and God Bless. I sinverely hope you do not have RA.

Jay

> I'm a 34 year old mom of one with a history of joint pain due to

> injuries because my joints are hypermobile. Well, in the past year

> I've started having increasing problems with my hips, elbows and

> shoulders. I put it up to body changes due to pregnancy and the

> different kind of stresses caused by dragging an active baby around

> 24 hours a day. Well about 2 months ago I started having

> intermittent problems with my hands and wrists (particularly with

> the largest joints at the base of my fingers. they're a bit red

and

> swollen this morning). Its not every day, and its more annoying

> that truly painful. In fact, most days its only first thing in the

> morning that there's a problem, and only a 'whole day' thing once

or

> twice a month for 4 or 5 days at a time.

>

> I mentioned this to my doc at an annual physical just so he could

> confirm it was the hypermobility issue combined with age. He told

> me that he wanted to do blood tests to screen for RA.

>

> So, my question is.....Does this seem familiar? Are my symptoms

> really consistent with the onset of RA? Should I be concerned or

is

> the doc just being cautious?

>

> Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

>

>