Delurking, itchy and a question, was: Another question.....

[Guest guest]

I have been happily lurking on this list for a few months now. To introduce

myself, my name is , I've been dx with RA since 2000, but grew up with

'growing pains', and never have had a time without some sort of joint pain.

Both my parents had RA, so between 30 and 40 when I got really nasty to a couple

of doctors who would not treat me for RA, I got a little pushy (read ballastic)

with them. Finally I found a General Practitioner who was wonderful, did the

blood work and put me on methotraxate. He retired a couple of months ago and

his replacement referred me to a Rheumy. The poor new GP was surprised to find

out I had never when to a specialist for the RA. I have a fantastic Rheumy at a

local University hosipital and am in a drug study for one of the new biologics.

Hey, folks, there are some great new drugs snakeing there way through the

approval process. I went from constant pain, to mostly painfree. Dr. T said

that this new drug has a better response rate that humira. I have 8 more months

of it on the study and am hoping for a remission when I go off it, (that's if I

have to go off of the drug.) I wasn't always so positive, before I started

these injections, I was looking at disability retirement and I am only in my

early 40's.

But the itchy thing is something I have had for years. At least since I have

been treated for RA I do not get hives as much as I had. It's one of the

symptoms that my doctors overlooked for years. I didn't even realize the red

raised areas were hives, until one doctor told me what it was. So, I used a

combo of benedril and coritzone creams to make the itching stop somewhat. And

Yes, I have noted a relationship between the hives and itching and a oncoming

flare.

Now here is where I have a question. I have OA from the RA in my right knee. I

get some nasty pain in my knee. I don't measure pain from 1 to 10, I measure it

in better or worse than a migraine. This pain is twice a migraine. No swelling

or redness and the pain travels up to my hip and down to toes, eventually I have

pain in my right shoulder, elbow and wrist, including what feels like pain in

the muscles. But only on the limbs on my right side. The Rheumy says it's not

the RA, and well, I have enough issues that we have been working on with the RA,

I have not pursued this yet. It isn't constant, just a few times a month.

Anyone else know anything about this?

Thanks, I do like this list.

[Guest guest]

Welcome . So great to hear that you're doing so well. Do you

know which biological you're on? Enbrel has been good for me

but it's the only biological I've ever been on, and I often wonder if

I tried another one if it would be even better. I've been reading about

these new ones in the clinical trials and it's exciting news. In the

past we didn't have these options.

I had both knees replaced which eliminated the majority of my knee

pain. The muscle pain sounds like it could be fibromyalgia, which often

is diagnosed in RA patients, but are you saying that the muscle pain

is only on your right side?

a

On Jan 3, 2006, at 3:28 PM, cynthiadew1@... wrote:

>

> I have been happily lurking on this list for a few months now. To

> introduce myself, my name is , I've been dx with RA since

> 2000, but grew up with 'growing pains', and never have had a time

> without some sort of joint pain. Both my parents had RA, so

> between 30 and 40 when I got really nasty to a couple of doctors

> who would not treat me for RA, I got a little pushy (read

> ballastic) with them. Finally I found a General Practitioner who

> was wonderful, did the blood work and put me on methotraxate. He

> retired a couple of months ago and his replacement referred me to a

> Rheumy. The poor new GP was surprised to find out I had never when

> to a specialist for the RA. I have a fantastic Rheumy at a local

> University hosipital and am in a drug study for one of the new

> biologics. Hey, folks, there are some great new drugs snakeing

> there way through the approval process. I went from constant pain,

> to mostly painfree. Dr. T said that this

> But the itchy thing is something I have had for years. At least

> since I have been treated for RA I do not get hives as much as I

> had. It's one of the symptoms that my doctors overlooked for

> years. I didn't even realize the red raised areas were hives,

> until one doctor told me what it was. So, I used a combo of

> benedril and coritzone creams to make the itching stop somewhat.

> And Yes, I have noted a relationship between the hives and itching

> and a oncoming flare.

>

> Now here is where I have a question. I have OA from the RA in my

> right knee. I get some nasty pain in my knee. I don't measure

> pain from 1 to 10, I measure it in better or worse than a

> migraine. This pain is twice a migraine. No swelling or redness

> and the pain travels up to my hip and down to toes, eventually I

> have pain in my right shoulder, elbow and wrist, including what

> feels like pain in the muscles. But only on the limbs on my right

> side. The Rheumy says it's not the RA, and well, I have enough

> issues that we have been working on with the RA, I have not pursued

> this yet. It isn't constant, just a few times a month. Anyone

> else know anything about this?

>

> Thanks, I do like this list.

>

>

[Guest guest]

a,

All I have for a name is a code number for the study drug.

Yes, the pain in only in the leg, hip and arm on the right side. I have the

usual high pain tolerance that comes with RA and it lays me low. It can also be

pretty much constant for 2 or 3 days.

Subject: Re: Delurking, itchy and a question, was: Another question.....

Welcome . So great to hear that you're doing so well. Do you

know which biological you're on? Enbrel has been good for me

but it's the only biological I've ever been on, and I often wonder if

I tried another one if it would be even better. I've been reading about

these new ones in the clinical trials and it's exciting news. In the

past we didn't have these options.

I had both knees replaced which eliminated the majority of my knee

pain. The muscle pain sounds like it could be fibromyalgia, which often

is diagnosed in RA patients, but are you saying that the muscle pain

is only on your right side?

a

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/3/2006 5:33:05 PM Central Standard Time,

cynthiadew1@... writes:

> At least since I have been treated for RA I do not get hives as much as I

> had. It's one of the symptoms that my doctors overlooked for years. I didn't

> even realize the red raised areas were hives, until one doctor told me what

> it was.I have noted a relationship between the hives and itching and a

> oncoming flare.

>

>

Wow ... someone else with " hives " i thought i was going crazy with the hives

that i used to have for 4 weeks ! my allergist doctor gave me a prescription

of zantac to be taken twice a day to calm the hives , I haven't had another

hive as long as I take that pill however my back is killling me, I think

the weather hasn't helped either , on tuesday we were slammed with over 10

inches of the white fluffy stuff , and again yesterday another 2 inches

peace,

gayle ( out chasing rainbows )