Re: Hello, I am new to the group

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon:

I am sorry you have had so many problems, especially with the Doctors. Where

do you live by the way? Maybe I can refer you to someone I know if you are

close by.

Anyway, you need to definitely get a good Doctor, a Rheumie. You also need

to get diagnosed as soon as possible. If you do have something like

Rheumatoid Arthritis you can apply to the Social Security Admistration for

benefits. You also need to get on medicare. However, that comes later.

The sooner you get the diagnosis and get that appplication in, if it is RA or

something like it, the sooner you will get some money in case you can't work.

If you are determined to work there are medicines to take that can sometimes

help with RA. However, working is not easy if you have RA. But if you get a

job with benefits that will pay for medicines with a prescription plan, then

that is good. If the medicines help enough for you to work. It all depends.

First you have to start with a good Doctor.

Good Luck, my friend. I hope you keep in touch and let me know how it goes.

I have RA for about 7 years. I don't work any more. I was a Registered

Nurse. I have other problems that caused me to quit work. I have Asthma,

and a kidney transplant. These have nothing to do with the RA.

God Bless.

Colletti

Anjillah@...

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Sharon!

I am very sorry to read what you've been through. I can relate. I'm 43

and don't have a firm diagnosis either since the fall of 1996. I haven't

been as severely mistreated and shuffled around, but it has been very

frustrating not to have any consensus on my diagnosis.

When you finally do get a solid answer, please send the medical proof to

the rheumatologist who insisted you see a psychiatrist first. If she no

longer has a file on you, I have some ideas where she can put those

papers. At least the psychiatrist you saw had some sense!

If the doctor and radiologist at the community clinic have identified

erosions in your hands, what other things besides RA is your current

rheumatologist considering?

I'm glad you found us. I hope you are finally headed in the right

direction to get your diagnosis and the proper treatment.

Looking forward to hearing more from you,

[ ] Hello, I am new to the group

>

> Hello everyone,I just joinned the group a few days ago. I have been

getting up in the morning a reading the hundreds of emails from people

going through the same things I am and I realized how much I have needed

this group for a couple of years! I now also realized how uninformed

most of the world and some of the drs are about RA. I knew it was bad,

don't get me wrong, I have serveral family members with RA, Lupus and

thyroid disease.But when I started have serious symptoms, I realized

very quickly how this disease devistates their lives and mine.I have had

pain and swelling since 1996, I am 45 years old. My life was so active

prior to that it is difficult for me to see I am the same person. Three

years ago the pain in my shoulders hands and wrists became pain in hips,

ankles and toes. The the stiff painful neck has occurred three times

this year. During this time i went to my MDs and the gave me NSAIDS and

I went on with my life. A year and a half ago I went and told a new md

(My insurance changed so did my md) my pain was getting worse. He ran so

test; Lupus, RA, Hep C. All were negative. He told me he did not know

what was wrong with me. I did not like that remark at all! What was i

paying him far? I did not go back, instead I made an appointment with an

endocrinologist to see if my thyroid disease had anything to do with the

pain and swelling in my hands. The swelling comes on after I use my

hands. That Dr. said no, and referred me to a rheumatologist. When I

went to this appt. I know now I was inflamed several joints were hurting

at the same time and it was becoming very difficult to deal with the job

I was doing which required me to be on call 24/7. This rheumatologist

was with me five minutes and diagnosed somataform disorder(making up an

illness) and said she would not see me back until I went to a

psychiatrist. So the next month I went to a psychiatrist, he evaulated

me and said I did not fit the criteria for somatform disorder, he

examined my hands, and recommend that I find a different

Rheumatologist.I started taking celebrex; the low dose, and it was such

a relief to be able to sleep without pain in my hips and shoulders

waking me in the night!! But I was still having trouble getting through

my 8 hours at work. Exhausted, my toes swollen and in pain every day I

would come home from work and lay in bed with my feet on a pillow. I

thought I really was cracking under the pressure of my work!! It was

showing at work, finally I had to quit. I had spent thousands of dollars

on medical to find an answer and there was not one to be had. I still do

not have a diagnosis, with you must have to claim any benefits. I am

living with friends, because can't pay for a place, I have lost my car,

my credit, my dignity, my independence. I went on the internet to maybe

find some answers. I found a wealth of information. The most important

was; the seronegative RA test is not reliable and one can have RA and

not show a positive test. None of the Drs I had been to made me aware of

that! They misdiagnosed, and lead me to believe things about myself that

were incorrect! And I paid them to do it!! I am truely angry and

distrustful of the medical profession over this. Do they have their

heads in the sand due to their greed or what?I found a dr at the

community clinic, she x-rayed my hands and the RA erosions are present.

I am now seeing a new Rheum. who is ordering more extensive test, but

she is not convinced it is RA, she stated the swelling in RA does not

come and go generally. I don't know who or what to believe anymore.I

called my sister (with)who lives in another state and asked her if she

had a seropositive RA test or if inflamation showed up when she was

diagnosed?She said she did not show a positive test until after her

fingers were deformed. That took seven years!I am so glad I joined this

group, I am at an impass. I feel sick and manipulated and broke!Sharon.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

Welcome. I had a long hard time getting diagnosed also. I went to my pcp

for 2 1/2 years and he kept dragging me on with the wrong diagnoses. He kept

focusing on my weight and stomach probs. When my insurance changed, I had to

switch drs. and was finally put on the right track. Unfortunately that

wonderful dr. moved to New Jersey and I am having a really hard time finding

a dr. that I can trust again. I understand the frustration that you are

feeling and the only advice that I can give is to keep fighting. Stay on the

drs. If you don't accept what they are saying, tell them. It will make them

work harder and they will not take you for granted. I hope that you continue

to find comfort here.

Love and Hugs

Stacey in PA

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the Group. The best I have heard of in terms of a " cure " is the

disease going into remission. In the cases I've read about this was accomplished

with an early an aggressive treatment plan.  I don't know the details but I am

of the opinion they could not eat or drink whatever they want, but they weren't

too limited by it either. Alcohol seems not to work with RA, on the other hand

it could just be said, alcohol seems not to work. I've noticed, and I am not a

scientist or a doctor, that people in your age group seems to have a much better

chance at remission than an old dude like me.

Stan

Seattle, Rain.

Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 11:07:26 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific

Subject: [ ] Hello, I am new to the group

Hi Folks,

My name is , and I would like to introduce myself to the group and ask

one question.

I am 38 years old I have had RA since I was about 23, although I've been

diagnosed about 5 years ago.

I have a quick question for now. Does anybody know anyone that has experienced

cure from RA?

I mean real cure. Not meds, placebo, diet, etc. Basically, being able to eat and

drink whatever you want and have a normal life.

Thank you.

.

[Guest guest]

Welcome ,

I have never heard of a cure, wish. Some people go into remission, but

I feel meds are the only way someone will have some what of a normal

life.

My two cents,

Tawny

>

> Hi Folks,

> My name is , and I would like to introduce myself to the group

and ask one question.

>

> I am 38 years old I have had RA since I was about 23, although I've

been diagnosed about 5 years ago.

>

> I have a quick question for now. Does anybody know anyone that has

experienced cure from RA?

>

> I mean real cure. Not meds, placebo, diet, etc. Basically, being able

to eat and drink whatever you want and have a normal life.

>

> Thank you.

>

> .

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi and welcome to the group. Sorry to say this, but as of right now,

there is no cure for RA. There are plenty of meds out there and the trick is to

find the right " combo " for you that will hopefully put you into remission. Hope

this helps. Hope you'll hang out for a while - there is a lot of info to be

gained from this group. Everyone is very helpful and supportive. Together we

can keep this RA from consuming us. Best wishes for pain free days.....Doreen

>

> Hi Folks,

> My name is , and I would like to introduce myself to the

> group and ask one question.

>

> I am 38 years old I have had RA since I was about 23, although I've

> been diagnosed about 5 years ago.

>

> I have a quick question for now. Does anybody know anyone that has

> experienced cure from RA?

>

> I mean real cure. Not meds, placebo, diet, etc. Basically, being

> able to eat and drink whatever you want and have a normal life.

>

> Thank you.

>

> .