Hello im new

May 13, 2004

I just have a few ?s! How is one diagnosed with RA? I just want to

know what to expect when i go to the dr! And what can i do about my

pain i hurt all over and have for almost 4 weeks now ! Its mainly

when i first wake up and then late afternoon! I have it real bad in

my knees and arms and ankles and hands! It even hurts to type this

write now!

Thanks

Brat

May 13, 2004

Hi there. The first question I have, is what type of doctor are you

seeing? When I first had symptoms I saw my primary care physician

who did a blood test. They looked for signs for lupus, lyme disease

and the RA factor. The RA factor is not conclusive, but most people

with RA have an elevated one. The reason it's not conclusive is that

some people with RA do not have an elevated RA factor, and some

people have an elevated RA factor but do not have RA. But it is one

indicator. For me, my primary care provider looked at my elevated RA

factor, my symptoms and my family history of severe RA and referred

me to a rheumatologist.

The next indicator is your symptoms. If you are seeing a

rhuematologist, he/she will look for physical signs/symptoms of RA.

He/she will likely bend and twist and squeeze and press on certain

joints to see how they feel. If he/she suspects RA, he/she may

prescribe some typical RA medications and see if the symptoms react

positively to the drugs. If they do, the way your symptoms reacted

can be another indicator.

What happens quite often is you first get symptoms like you have, all

over. Mine were in knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, hands and feet.

The pain sort of bounced around those spots. My rheumy says when

that happens, the RA is " brewing. " It will almost always take some

time to get a diagnosis because the rheumy will monitor and track

these " indicators " until enough add up and he/she can declare you

have RA. It took 9 months before I was diagnosed. It's more of an

art than a science at this point. Which is why it is most important

to have a really really good rheumatologist. They are not all

created equal. You are best served by doing lots of research on your

own (or reading posts here from , which will point you to all the

latest news) and then determining for yourself if your rheumy is up

on the latest stuff. Eventually the symptoms settle down and will

mostly be in hands and feet, but not always. I still have pain in

knees and elbows and hips sometimes, but hands and feet are the worst.

Any good rheumy will take their time diagnosing RA, so that it will

be an accurate diagnosis. But a good rheumy will NOT let you

languish in pain or have to deal with swelling and not being able to

function. RA symptoms must be treated aggressively with medication

to AVOID/PREVENT swelling as swelling causes joint damage, painful

and irreversible joint damage. This has to start before you are

diagnosed. See a post above or yesterday regarding early agressive

treatment of RA for more information about this.

I was first started on Bextra and had occasional cortisone injections

in certain joints. When the symptoms progressed and Bextra wasn't

cutting it anymore (which is what someone with RA can expect since

it's a progressive disease) we switched prednisone. When he was

ready to diagnose me with RA, we added methotrexate. When that

wasn't cutting it anymore, we added Humira, a biological drug which

you should do some research about (the other biologicals are Enbrel

and Remicade). The biolgicals are the best thing we have to slow the

progression of the disease and prevent what previously were always

disabling effects of having RA. Not everyone can take these and they

don't work for everyone, but when they work, I consider them miracle

drugs.

I hope that is not too much information. Good luck with your doctor

and let us know what they say about your pain.

Jennie

> I just have a few ?s! How is one diagnosed with RA? I just want to

> know what to expect when i go to the dr! And what can i do about my

> pain i hurt all over and have for almost 4 weeks now ! Its mainly

> when i first wake up and then late afternoon! I have it real bad

in

> my knees and arms and ankles and hands! It even hurts to type this

> write now!

> Thanks

> Brat

May 13, 2004

Jennie,

You have described to a T the way my RA started. It jumped around from

one joint to another, LOL. I was reluctant to mention it to my GP,

because the symptoms sounded weird even to me. So my RA was just

" brewing, " huh? When I went to my GP for shingles, two or three months

after my arthritis symptoms started, I showed her my one swollen

finger, and she asked if there was any RA in my family. She has good

instincts, I think.

Later, when I went to a rheumy, he originally thought it was " diabetic

limited joint mobility syndrome, " which affects the hands. But that was

supposed to be painless, and I was having terrible pain, not only in my

hands but in other joints as well. So then he got me in to see him in

two days, and ordered blood tests that confirmed that I had RA.

Anyway, I'm glad to know that someone else's RA started off in such a

crazy fashion.

Sue

On Thursday, May 13, 2004, at 11:41 AM, xponder70 wrote:

>

> What happens quite often is you first get symptoms like you have, all

> over. Mine were in knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, hands and feet.

> The pain sort of bounced around those spots. My rheumy says when

> that happens, the RA is " brewing. " It will almost always take some

> time to get a diagnosis because the rheumy will monitor and track

> these " indicators " until enough add up and he/she can declare you

> have RA.

>

October 22, 2004

Welcome Toni. Sorry for all you are going through. I hope your doctor

finds out what is going on so you can start treatment. It's hard not

knowing what is going on. I can understand why you are at the end of your

rope. Hang on tight and hopefully things will get better soon.

a

>

> my name is Toni I live in Midland Tx, I was diagnosed 3wks ago that

> I have fibromyalgia, Monday a week I had a bone scan, and learned

> today Iam pre RA,, This past monday i had skin biopsis done because

> doc thinks I may have lupus. im 49 married one son 29 married he is

> a fireman, I have a step son 17 and and daughter 16 and they both

> have down syndrome. My mom lives with up she is on hospice. Im a

> surgical nurse got hurt at work a year ago had surgery and I m still

> not working and work comp has been a living hell as well as the pain

> management doc I have now. would change if I could find some one

> else. so I feel like im at the end of my rope.. needless to say I

> dont sleep much .. I went to RA doc today because yesterday I woke

> swollen feet hands face whole I feel like I could blow up.. I

> thought he was going to put me in the hospital. I had him scratching

> his head. I have some type of vascularitis is what doc said. They

> dont want to start RA meds til they figure out what is going

> on..well Im tired now Im gonna get off my feet. I wish I could have

> had something pleasant to say ya know...toni

>

October 22, 2004

Toni, welcome to the group!

Sorry that you are having such a rough time and that you have so many

sources of stress in your life.

Hope you'll get some answers very soon and that the proper treatment

will help you feel better.

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

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