New member

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I've just joined this group today and am looking forward to hearing other

members' experiences with rheumatoid arthritis. I'll be 63 next month, and

live in piedmont North Carolina.

Within a year I was diagnosed with shingles, rheumatoid arthritis, bleeding

ulcer and anemia from Aleve, and breast cancer. It was really a rough year

for me. The worst was the RA, worse even than the breast cancer, because it

was caught early by my annual mammogram. It was Stage 0 ductal carcinoma in

situ. I had a lumpectomy in March 2002, followed by 35 radiation treatments.

Now I'm just hoping it doesn't come back.

I have Type 2 diabetes, so the rheumatologist at first diagnosed me with two

frozen shoulders, which is common in diabetics; and diabetic limited joint

mobility syndrome, which affects mostly the hands and is usually painless.

He sent me to physical therapy, which did no good and was just torture to

have my arms moved into positions they didn't want to go into. I kept having

unbearable pain, so I called the rheumatologist and he called in a

prescription for Vioxx. That didn't help any more than Celebrex, which I'd

already tried. I called him again about the pain, and this time he really

got it. He got me in to see him in two days. Bloodwork showed lots of

inflammation and a positive rheumatoid factor, so he diagnosed me with

rheumatoid arthritis. X-rays of my hands showed no damage.

All of this time I was taking a double dose of Aleve.

I was put on 7.5 mg of methotrexate a week, along with prednisone to help

with the pain until the MTX had time to work. After three months, the dosage

was increased, and has been increased periodically until now I'm at 15 mg.

My last CBC showed that my white blood cell count was low. I have been off

the prednisone for about a month and a half. I'm still having lots of pain,

especially in my knees.

I have also developed rheumatoid nodules on both elbows. I also have what I

think is a nodule on one foot, but the rheumy said he didn't know what it

was. Now I think I'm getting them on the tops of both hands and on one index

finger.

Now I'm supposed to decide if I want to take Arava. I would like to know

about others' experiences with this medication. What I've read so far is

very scary.

I would also like to know if any of you have rheumatoid nodules. Can they be

caused by methotrexate? Do they ever just go away? My aunt, the only other

person in my family with RA, had huge nodules on her elbows.

I'm so glad to have found a support group for this terrible disease.

Sue