Re: Newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (long post)

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Welcome to the group - you will find great support and

information here. It is difficult to really accept

the fact that you have a disease like RA, a disease

with no cure, and which will be with you the rest of

your life. You will find yourself going through many

stages during this journey; disbelief, anger,

resentment, fear, depression, until you find

acceptance. It's not an easy road, but that is why we

are here for you - to help you with it.

After 8 years with RA, I have finally come to accept

the fact that I have it, have to take meds for it, and

that I will take these meds for the rest of my life.

What I still have trouble with is, because nobody can

tell you what course your disease process will take,

and what RA will eventually do to your body, the

uncertainty of what this will do to your life. That I

still wonder about. The RA started first in my hands

and wrists, and has gradually come to involve most

joints in my body. I, however, do not have any

visable deformities or any x-ray evidence of RA, and I

credit that to the early and aggressive treatment I

received from my first doctor, and which has continued

through my present rheumy. She also treats me for OA

and Fibromyalgia.

I stay as active as possible, but it is hard with

chronic pain and fatigue to even have the energy to

get up and do things somedays. I do have animals,

horses, various fowl, and dogs, who need me, and who I

get up to feed every morning, water, and take care of,

and that is about all that gets me up somedays! I

also feed again in the evenings, and this gets me up

and about again, up and down the hill to the corrals,

etc. This is my exercise along with stretching. I

also try to ride my horse at least once a week, body

willing.

I don't understand why your doctor did not refer you

to a rheumatologist when your first blood work came

back positive for evidence of RA? Those 7 months

between doctors was a time when the inflammation

obviously got worse, and you could have some damage to

your joints that you are unable to see, but which

could be seen on x-ray. Make sure your doctor takes

x-rays of your affected joints for baseline level.

Prednisone is great for inflammation, and thus, takes

care of some of the pain, but it does not really treat

RA. What you need to be on is a DMARD, disease

modifying drug, like Methotrexate, Plaquenil, Arava,

something that will slow down and possibly even stop

the disease process itself. Early and aggressive

treatment of RA is very important. Make sure your

doctor is going to treat your RA in this way, or else

get yourself another doctor. This is nothing to sit

back and watch to see what it will do next. It's your

life, your quality of life, that you are fighting for.

I hope this helps, and I hope that you are able to

continue working with the proper medications. It

sometimes takes a while for the meds to start working,

for the right med or combo of meds to be found, so you

have to be patient. It will get better and there is

life after RA! Hang in there - any further questions,

just ask and I am sure you will get lots of help from

these great people here!

Kathe in CA

--- Sherman <memaw336@...> wrote:

> Hi,

> I am still not convinced that I have this disease,

> but I do know something is terribly wrong with my

> body. Through as> series of blood tests my Dr. told

me I had a high> rheumatoid factor. It was 108 the

first time. To> make a long story short, I went to a

Rheumatologist> and he tested me 7 months later and

the rheumatoid> factor was 180. He also did a CCP

antibody test and> it was 52H. He said his confirmed a

diagnosis of> rheumatoid arthritis. He> gave me a

prescription for Prednisone 2 10mg> tablets a day for

7 days. Then call him back and let> him know if it

helped. It did not...> I work 5-6 nights a week 8

hours at a time on my

> feet. I have been having more and more trouble just

> making it through the night. Also I have mind

> numbing fatigue. I just don't understand what is

> happening to my body.

> Thank you,

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

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