Re: 21 years old & just Diagnosed with RA Diane (long)

[Guest guest]

Hi Diane:

Welcome to the group~ yes, we do have some younger

members around your age, and I am sure they will see

this and post to you. This is a wonderful and

compassionate, supportive group, and our moderators,

and a, spend hours searching for information

for us, and keep us updated on the latest treatments

for RA.

I have had RA for 7 years, I was dx when I was 45, and

the first medication I was on was Plaquenil, along

with Motrin, and, for a while, Prednisone. The Plaq

did really well for me for about 2-1/2 years, and then

gradually began to loose effect, or the RA became more

aggressive, and I went on to other medications. I am

currently on Enbrel, Mobic, Methotrexate, and

Ultracet, and my RA is in pretty good control.

With the Plaq, you don't have to get blood work every

8 weeks which I have to do because of the Mtx, and I

liked that when I first began taking Plaq. It is the

drug with the least amount of side effects, at least

that is what my doctor said, and I had no side effects

from it, none. I did have to get eye exams every 6

months to check for the very rare side effect of

retinal damage, and my exams were always fine. Are

you on any anti-inflammatories? That might help a bit

with the warmth you are experiencing because of

swelling in your joints. Were you dx by blood work?

Unfortunately, the fatigue is something that I

continue to struggle with (maybe with my Fibromyalgia

too, I have kind of a double whammy with fatigue), but

I am better than I was prior to Enbrel being added.

When your body says rest, though, it is best to listen

and take that small nap, or sit and read, just rest.

If you fight it, you will have more fatigue which will

lead to stress which leads to more pain - vicious

cycle, so cut it down by resting.

I don't know if anybody really knows what causes RA,

there are many things thought to have something to do

with it, but it is an autoimmune system disease and it

means that your immune system is somehow out of whack,

and RA is trying to destroy the joints, and the

connective tissue, in the body it inhabits. The drugs

like Plaq and Mtx are DMARDS which are used to control

or slow down the progression of the disease, so there

is less joint damage, and pain. My grandmother had

RA, my grandfather had Psoriasis, and my Dad has

Raynaud's syndrome - all immune system problems, so

maybe my family is somehow prone to it. That might be

one reason I got RA, but I am sure it is not the total

reason. Nobody knows for sure, and nobody knows what

disease course the RA will take in any particular

person. You just have to roll with the punches, and

hope for the best, be positive.

We are so lucky nowadays that there are many great

meds out there for us - biologics, etc., - much more

than were available to my grandmother and others in

her era, and she was crippled by the RA. I have every

positive feeling with the meds we have now, that I

will not end up like that. Yes, I have slowed down,

sometimes I use a cane because of foot and knee pain,

and I have had to compromise, move slower, and I don't

worry as much about the little stuff like a perfectly

clean house. I can still ride my horse once in a

while, takes help to get on and off, but it is

absolutely my best therapy, and I am very happy that I

am still able to do it. There is life after RA, so

don't get tooooo freaked out by what you read - yes,

it's a chronic disease, yes, it can be scary and

unpredictable, but it can be controlled too with the

right medications. I am glad that your doctor seems

to be treating from the start, and aggressive early

treatment is the way to fight RA.

Take heart, Diane, and I hope that my little novel

here (lol) has helped a bit. Hang in there -

Kathe in CA

--- dianie7134 <dianie7134@...> wrote:

> Hi Everyone!

>

> My name is Dianie, I'm 21 years old and was

> diagnosed with rheumatoid

> arthritis about 6 weeks ago... I've been taking

> 200mg of Plaquenil

> twice a day for the past month... I've felt somewhat

> better (not so

> stiff & hurting as much) since I've been taking this

> med but I still

> experience fatigue in the mornings and sometimes

> throughout the day,

> my joints still feel warm (knees, wrists, hips)...

> Does anyone have

> any advice or knowledge they could share with me

> about Plaquenil &

> rheumatoid arthritis? Has anyone been diagnosed this

> young? I'm still

> a little uneducated about this disease and I would

> like to know as

> much as possible, I've searched on the internet but

> every website had

> a somewhat different opinion of rheumatoid arthritis

> and what causes

> it... I'd greatly appreciate any response or advice

> I get.

>

> Thanks and have a great day!

>

> ~Dianie~

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

Kathe

" To ride a horse is to borrow freedom. "

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