RE: Carol - Ankylosing spondylitis versus psoriaticspondyloarthropathy

July 28, 2002

Oh Tess, right about now I would love a boring ride! ;-)

I have to say, I've never had pain in the uppermost joint of my fingers, nor

have they looked crooked. I just get the puffiness in the lower joints of

my fingers. When I grip things it's always really awkwardly. I remember

the first time I took prednisone I was amazed at the fact that my

handwriting looked the way it used to, and I could write with such ease. It

's funny the way we become accustomed to our disabilities, big or small.

The pain, on the other hand, I don't think I'll ever become accustomed to!

I agree about the diagnosis being their " best guess " . I've heard a lot of

people say their diagnosis was revised. But it is better to have a

diagnosis than to think you're just " crazy " or a hypochondriac. It's

validating somehow.

Love and hugs,

Carol

Re: [ ] Carol - Ankylosing spondylitis versus

psoriaticspondyloarthropathy

Hi...among my diagnoses are RA & PA. I'd seen doctors for almost 20

years before they came to this conclusion. For me, when the RA is

flared up it is very symetrical...fevers, redness, swelling, extreme

fatigue. When the PA is flared up, usually only the top joints of my

fingers, but not symetrically, are flared, but they look as if the bone

enlarges kind of crookedly...where in RA flares it's more swollen &

puffy. Of course lots of times everything is flared at once, so it gets

confusing. My labs are off & on positive, nothing consistant except a

sed rate that goes from 49 to 100+, and anemia.

To be honest, I don't think these are conclusive diagnoses, but rather

the best they can guess at this time. It's been that way since I was

29. When all this was first going on, I NEEDED a label - a diagnosis to

make me feel " not crazy. " Now, it's more of a 'whatever.' I KNOW I've

got autoimmune disorders...started with severe asthma at 2 months of

age. Back then, they told my parents over & over that I was, " allergic "

to myself. Kind of hard to 'get away' from yourself, right?

I just pray that we all take good care of ourselves, be our own best

advocates, and when we are too weary to, get strength from this

wonderful family, and our source of faith. There are lots of bumps in

the road, but at least we don't have a boring ride (she says a bit

sarcastically.)

Love You All...

Tess

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