Newcomers and support, long story

[Guest guest]

Hi Latisha and Jpey and Everyone,

I'm new here also, and I also joined the Lupies. It's been over 2 years

that I have had aching hands, and

fatigue. When I originally went to my family doc, a great guy, he

immediately sent me to a rheumy for

the aching hands...I went, but only saw the rheumy's nurse and she jumped

in and said I have RA or Lupus

and I should start taking this, that and the other thing (I was already on

celebrex)...I was scared to death

as all this info came out of the blue. I thought my family doc thought I

had a bit of osteoarthritis in my hands

because of a previous injury to my right, and I used to play the flute (in

jr high 30 years ago). She frightened

me so badly that my hands and feet clammed up - so when she examined me she

said I have Reynauds also.

I nodded like Ralphie did on Santa's lap when he couldn't remember he

wanted a Red Ryder BB gun...uh, huh...

while my mind was screaming, " I AM SO OUTTA HERE!! " I left without saying

yes to anything, just that I'd think

about it. She looked at me like I was stupid and pathetic. I've worked in

Biochemistry for 25 years, and while

not a chemist, I know enough about things, and the guys who found the basis

for the COX2 enzyme (that vioxx,

celebrex, bextra are based on) are from my department.

Fast forward 2 years. I kept taking celebrex but my hands still ached. Got

real tired in the summer and the

family doc ordered blood tests. Anemic. I have to add that 2 years

previous, and again this summer, my

ANA titer was 1:40 and speckled...some consider that negative for

inflammatory disease. He sent me to

a gastroenterologist and there's nothing going on from top to bottom that

would make me anemic (and I had a

hysterectomy in '93, not total, though). The gastro, real nice, gently

suggested going back to the rheumy last

month. I said I prefer to be an ostrich with my head in the sand (is it

the ostrich?haha)...she said OK, but I'm here

if you need me. Two weeks later I was getting killer headaches lasting 3

days that even tylenol with codeine

didn't budge. Went back to my family doc and his PA (who's cool) said,

well, I really think you need to see a

rheumy. So I said if 3 or 4 people tell you it's a tree, it's probably a

tree.

Went back to rheumy, NOT his nurse. He was nice, dry sense of humor, and we

agreed together that I would

take Plaquenil, Bextra instead of the celebrex, and a short-term dose of

Prednisone along with water therapy.

I have to add that over thanksgiving, hubby and I drove to Florida to see

his folks. When we got back to

Michigan, my hips and knees were achy for longer than I would have

expected. A new wrinkle for this 45

year old.

It's been 2 weeks that I've been on meds, almost 3. Two weeks of water

therapy, 3x a week. Gotta say I feel

better. The hand and arm exercised in the water really help strengthen the

muscles to put less pressure on the

joints and tendons. I don't know if it's RA or lupus, they're still

treated the same at first. I did go and get some

blood work results the rheumy took on Dec. 9th - my ANA titer is now

1:160. My knees buckled and I felt

like throwing up. My denial was coming apart.

It's still a roller coaster. My husband doesn't talk about it and like

jpey, I have 2 kids - a son who's supposed to

graduate this year and a daughter who's a junior at MSU living at

home. Full time job and part time youth director

at our church. Trying to simplify...

God bless all of you and take care of yourselves today. It took something

like this to make me stop and take

care of myself for the first time in my life...and I wonder if that's part

of the reason I have it??? Anyone else feel

this way?

Joyce in MI