Hi Everyone from Another Newcomer

[Guest guest]

I've been reading the posts for several weeks now. I'm starting to

feel like a " peeping Tom " from learning so much about some of you

while not sharing anything about me, so I thought it was time to

introduce myself.

My name is , I'm 49, live in Texas with my husband and two

kids. My journey with this wonderful disease began very suddenly in

April 2003 when I woke up with a swollen, throbbing right hand. I

honestly thought I had somehow broken a bone without knowing it. The

hand seemed to heal after two or three days, to be followed by a four-

day bout of excruciating pain in my right shoulder, followed by

another three days of swelling in my left wrist, and so on and so

on. I know this sounds stupid – even to me – but I honestly thought

I was somehow hurting myself without realizing it. Finally figured

out something wasn't quite right (duh). I was originally diagnosed

with palindromic rheumatism, even though I did test seropositive RA.

(I don't know if you're familiar with PR, but it's another

inflammatory arthritis that visits a joint for two or three days,

causes immense pain, and then randomly moves on to another joint.

You get it in flares, like RA, but it supposedly rarely causes joint

erosion. Still hurts like hell, though.) Finally in April of this

year, it started falling into a more " rheumatoid type " pattern…more

consistent pain, especially in my knees, feet, and hands,

morning " stiffness " (and isn't that an understatement?), yada, yada,

yada. Fortunately, my internist had sent me to a great

rheumatologist at the end of last year, so I was already taking

Celebrex and had started Plaquinel for the PR. Now I'm also taking

fairly small doses of Prednisone (5mg) and Methotrexate (7.5). I

consider myself VERY fortunate because so far I'm responding well to

a fairly small dose of meds -- Minimum side effects and a pretty big

reduction in pain. (Yes, I know this can change very quickly, but

I'm trying to look on the bright side and be thankful for where I am

today!) I'm really just having a few aches and pains right now, and

I'm much, much better in the mornings. Actually, one of my biggest

challenges right now is the loss of energy, especially since I

started the methotrexate. Given the option, I could probably take

about four naps a day.

I think I'll stop here…Otherwise, I'll tell you everything I know and

never have anything to post again. Like I said, I just wanted to

introduce myself while I'm in a fairly " good place " so that maybe

when the bad times come, I'll have a few more friends (and you can

never have enough, can you?) You seem like a really great bunch of

people and I look forward to being a part of this group.

Take care,