Re: pain and inflammation...

[Guest guest]

Pam:

Sounds to me as though you need another doctor. If you were diagnosed two years ago, I would have thought that he'd have you on much more aggressive drugs to stop the disease. The fact that you are suffering and uncomfortable to talk to him, that he's unresponsive to your questions and pain are all indications to me that you need a different doctor.

RA isn't always symmetrical - mine isn't. And you can feel pain even if you don't have obvious inflammation. Sometimes my sed rate is down, but I'm having a tough time anyway. You need a doctor who is responsive to your pain and symptoms, not one who will just look at tests and tell you how you should be feeling.

Good luck to you.

gloria

[Guest guest]

Pam,

I believe that you can have inflammation without swelling because when I

try to do without my anti-inflammatory, I start hurting again... I have

also had pain worse on one side than another. Sounds like you should think

about another doc. I surely tried many docs and did not mind it at all til

I found somebody that would listen to me and try to answer my questions...

Kay

----- Original Message -----

From: " Pam " <pam@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 1:36 AM

Subject: pain and inflammation...

> I was diagnosed by my Rheumy about 2 years ago. He's treated me

> with Plaquenil, celebrex and nabumetone (we tried methotrexate but

> it seemed to make me sick).

>

> My doctor is not very friendly and really doesn't take time to know

> how I'm feeling nor does he want questions asked of him even though

> I have a lot!

>

> My big question right now is: I have a good bit of pain in my feet,

> ankles, knees, hands, knuckles, shoulders. I have off and on

> swelling in these joints but nothing really significant lately.

> However my knees and ankles swell a lot lately, but with rest and

> wrapping with ace bandages go down. Is RA inflammation always

> visible? I know when I was diagnosed my swelling was enourmous, but

> he drew synovial fluid to check it for inflamation and it was of

> course positive.

>

> My Rheumy looks at and feels my joints and since they aren't swollen

> acts like I should have no pain. Is that true? If I'm not

> inflammed, should my pain be gone? I know RA pain is symmetrical,

> however can one side be worse than the other? My biggest question

> is about the pain because I see him in a few days and I want to

> either change Rheumatologists or be convinced he's treating me like

> he should and that my pain is from something else.

>

> Please advise. I'm getting very frustrated!

>

> THanks, Pam

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Pam,

My suggestion would be to try another rheumy is you have the option

to do so. I had a lot of swelling when first diagnosed, but it's

been well controlled ever since. However, I have daily pain (mostly

controlled with Ultram or Vicodin.) The last time my doc measured

my sed rate (measure of inflammation) and rheumatoid factor, both

were at the low end of normal but I was in agony with pain and

inflammation.

The pain and any swelling are not always symmetrical, and one side

can definitely hurt worse than the other. Also test results don't

always give a good indication of what's really going on. It's so

important to find a doc who will listen to you and treat you as a

person and answer your questions and not just go by the textbook

idea of no swelling = no pain = no inflammation.

Good luck in finding someone who will listen.

Beth

> I was diagnosed by my Rheumy about 2 years ago. He's treated me

> with Plaquenil, celebrex and nabumetone (we tried methotrexate but

> it seemed to make me sick).

>

> My doctor is not very friendly and really doesn't take time to

know

> how I'm feeling nor does he want questions asked of him even

though

> I have a lot!

>

> My big question right now is: I have a good bit of pain in my

feet,

> ankles, knees, hands, knuckles, shoulders. I have off and on

> swelling in these joints but nothing really significant lately.

> However my knees and ankles swell a lot lately, but with rest and

> wrapping with ace bandages go down. Is RA inflammation always

> visible? I know when I was diagnosed my swelling was enourmous,

but

> he drew synovial fluid to check it for inflamation and it was of

> course positive.

>

> My Rheumy looks at and feels my joints and since they aren't

swollen

> acts like I should have no pain. Is that true? If I'm not

> inflammed, should my pain be gone? I know RA pain is

symmetrical,

> however can one side be worse than the other? My biggest question

> is about the pain because I see him in a few days and I want to

> either change Rheumatologists or be convinced he's treating me

like

> he should and that my pain is from something else.

>

> Please advise. I'm getting very frustrated!

>

> THanks, Pam

[Guest guest]

hi, Beth. I agree with all you wrote. but, can you tell me.....does vicodin make you sleepy? I just was given a prescription, and it keeps me up - I get wired and VERY negative about everything....does that happen to you? gentle hugs, Marcia = western NY oregonbeth <broot@...> wrote:

Pam,My suggestion would be to try another rheumy is you have the option to do so. I had a lot of swelling when first diagnosed, but it's been well controlled ever since. However, I have daily pain (mostly controlled with Ultram or Vicodin.) The last time my doc measured my sed rate (measure of inflammation) and rheumatoid factor, both were at the low end of normal but I was in agony with pain and inflammation.The pain and any swelling are not always symmetrical, and one side can definitely hurt worse than the other. Also test results don't always give a good indication of what's really going on. It's so important to find a doc who will listen to you and treat you as a person and answer your questions and not just go by the textbook idea of no swelling = no pain = no inflammation.Good

luck in finding someone who will listen.Beth> I was diagnosed by my Rheumy about 2 years ago. He's treated me > with Plaquenil, celebrex and nabumetone (we tried methotrexate but > it seemed to make me sick). > > My doctor is not very friendly and really doesn't take time to know > how I'm feeling nor does he want questions asked of him even though > I have a lot!> > My big question right now is: I have a good bit of pain in my feet, > ankles, knees, hands, knuckles, shoulders. I have off and on > swelling in these joints but nothing really significant lately. > However my knees and ankles swell a lot lately, but with rest and > wrapping with ace bandages go down. Is RA inflammation always > visible? I know when I was diagnosed my swelling was

enourmous, but > he drew synovial fluid to check it for inflamation and it was of > course positive.> > My Rheumy looks at and feels my joints and since they aren't swollen > acts like I should have no pain. Is that true? If I'm not > inflammed, should my pain be gone? I know RA pain is symmetrical, > however can one side be worse than the other? My biggest question > is about the pain because I see him in a few days and I want to > either change Rheumatologists or be convinced he's treating me like > he should and that my pain is from something else.> > Please advise. I'm getting very frustrated!> > THanks, Pam__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Marcia,

I've taken vicodin off and on for the past 2 1/2 years, and it no

longer makes me sleepy. If I take two at once I can get a little

spacy, but have managed to function at work in that condition so

it's not too bad. I try to keep it for late in the day or evenings

so if I get sleepy it doesn't matter as much.

I'm also on antidepressants (currently Effexor) so don't seem to

have as many of the emotional side effects that others get from some

of the medications. I know a lot of people have trouble with

prednisone in that regard but so far (knock on wood) the anti-

depressant seems to keep me stable even with all the other stuff.

Beth

Pam,

>

> My suggestion would be to try another rheumy is you have the

option

> to do so. I had a lot of swelling when first diagnosed, but it's

> been well controlled ever since. However, I have daily pain

(mostly

> controlled with Ultram or Vicodin.) The last time my doc measured

> my sed rate (measure of inflammation) and rheumatoid factor, both

> were at the low end of normal but I was in agony with pain and

> inflammation.

>

> The pain and any swelling are not always symmetrical, and one side

> can definitely hurt worse than the other. Also test results don't

> always give a good indication of what's really going on. It's so

> important to find a doc who will listen to you and treat you as a

> person and answer your questions and not just go by the textbook

> idea of no swelling = no pain = no inflammation.

>

> Good luck in finding someone who will listen.

>

> Beth

>

> --- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " Pam " <pam@a...>

wrote:

> > I was diagnosed by my Rheumy about 2 years ago. He's treated me

> > with Plaquenil, celebrex and nabumetone (we tried methotrexate

but

> > it seemed to make me sick).

> >

> > My doctor is not very friendly and really doesn't take time to

> know

> > how I'm feeling nor does he want questions asked of him even

> though

> > I have a lot!

> >

> > My big question right now is: I have a good bit of pain in my

> feet,

> > ankles, knees, hands, knuckles, shoulders. I have off and on

> > swelling in these joints but nothing really significant lately.

> > However my knees and ankles swell a lot lately, but with rest

and

> > wrapping with ace bandages go down. Is RA inflammation always

> > visible? I know when I was diagnosed my swelling was enourmous,

> but

> > he drew synovial fluid to check it for inflamation and it was of

> > course positive.

> >

> > My Rheumy looks at and feels my joints and since they aren't

> swollen

> > acts like I should have no pain. Is that true? If I'm not

> > inflammed, should my pain be gone? I know RA pain is

> symmetrical,

> > however can one side be worse than the other? My biggest

question

> > is about the pain because I see him in a few days and I want to

> > either change Rheumatologists or be convinced he's treating me

> like

> > he should and that my pain is from something else.

> >

> > Please advise. I'm getting very frustrated!

> >

> > THanks, Pam

>

>

>