Re: Greetings! (RICK)

[Guest guest]

Rick,

Thank you for the kind welcome! Am sorry to hear about the lung

problems you have been experiencing...be sure to keep us updated.

Have recently begun to have a bit of chest pain, shortness of

breath, etc...and lots of coughing, so thanks for the advice...will

see somebody ASAP.

--- In , " Rick " <rhow176@c...>

wrote:

> Hi ,

> Welcome to the group. I am pretty new to the group as well. I

don't

> know much about the heart probs associated with RA, but I can tell

you a

> little about the lungs (at least how it has affected me). My lungs,

> about 8 months ago, jut filled up and closed my throat one day. The

> Emergency Room physician thought I was having a severe asthma

attack. I

> was put on Steroids (prednisone) and have tried to come off several

> times since but each time I ended up in the ER. I am going in - in

about

> 2 weeks to have some fluid removed from around my lungs and a

biopsy to

> see what it is. My understanding is there are several types of lung

> disorders associated with RA but have similar symptoms and can

only be

> differentiated by a biopsy. I also understand it can be critical

to have

> a conclusive diagnosis before treatments because if the diagnosis

is

> wrong then the treatment is also wrong which can further the

problem.

>

> If you are having ANY heart or LUNG symptoms or discomfort of any

kind,

> I would suggest letting your rheumy know immediately and see a

> pulmonologist and/or Cardiologist. It probably wouldn't be a bad

idea to

> get checked out by a pulmonologist and cardiologist anyways to get

a

> baseline established in case you ever do develop any problems

later they

> will have something to compare to.

> Good luck with your rheumy and hope you find the support you need

here

> :-)

>

>

> Rick

> [ ] Greetings!

>

> I'm new to the group, so I thought I would say hello to everyone

and

> tell you a bit about myself. I was diagnosed with JRA six years

ago

> when I was fifteen, and have, thankfully, remained realatively

> healthy since then. Currently, I am on 1 ML sug-q injections of

> methotrexate once a week...let me say, in the beginning it was a

> miracle. I was feeling 100% better for at least a year, although

> things seem to be going a bit downhill these days. Unfortunately,

I

> am still seeing my juvenille rheumy and he is not very agressive

> with treatment...can be extremely frustrating at times when I see

> firsthand how wonderful other treatments can be. Will see how

> things go when I see him again...

>

> My main conern at the moment is with some of the complications of

> RA...mostly lung and heard inflammation. Any information you guys

> have regarding would be much appreciated!

>

>

>

>

>

>

>