Re: Newly diagnosed with RA and really confused!

[Guest guest]

Hi Janine -

What part of South Carolina do you live in? I am in Florence!

D.

jmbrawner <jmbrawner@...> wrote:

Hello-

I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist. I

was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am stunned

about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate this

past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't imagine

that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've read

every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still feel like

I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel? What

will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I feel

better? etc...

Fighting back the tears in SC,

Janine

ltdavis_jrdavis@...

---------------------------------

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

Hi Janine!

My name is F and I live in Savannah. Welcome to the board. I know how you

feel. I

was told I have RA just a week ago. Did you go to MUSC?

> Hello-

> I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

> Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

> finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist. I

> was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am stunned

> about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate this

> past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't imagine

> that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

> point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've read

> every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still feel like

> I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel? What

> will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I feel

> better? etc...

>

> Fighting back the tears in SC,

>

> Janine

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ltdavis_jrdavis@...

>

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

> Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I live in Mt. Pleasant which is just over the bridge from ton.

_____

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of

Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 7:28 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Newly diagnosed with RA and really confused!

Hi Janine -

What part of South Carolina do you live in? I am in Florence!

D.

jmbrawner <jmbrawnercomcast (DOT) <mailto:jmbrawner%40comcast.net> net> wrote:

Hello-

I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist. I

was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am stunned

about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate this

past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't imagine

that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've read

every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still feel like

I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel? What

will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I feel

better? etc...

Fighting back the tears in SC,

Janine

ltdavis_jrdavis@ <mailto:ltdavis_jrdavis%40>

---------------------------------

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group, even though no one really wants to have to be in

a group like this You sound like you are off to a great start,

combating it early, getting informed, etc. There will be pain, more

than likely a lot of it, you'll probably feel tired and have days when

you feel sorry for yourself that you have this horrible disease. The

best thing you can do is to keep your head up and not let it beat you.

Keep doing the things you love, mobility helps slow the damage, but

listen to your body. If you feel like you can't do things some days

because of the pain and swelling, don't do them, you could do damage.

Find something that you love to keep you going. The worst thing you

can do is sit around (we all sit around sometimes and feel sorry for

ourselves every once in a while) and feel sorry for yourself. I try

to only let that go on for an hour tops, otherwise the disease will

beat me. I'm 23 years old, was diagnosed at 16. I kept playing

sports and showing horses and I still go out dancing, but only do

these things when the pain isn't too bad, although the sports I don't

do anymore after doing permanent damage from not listening to my body

and lifting freight at work. The information can be overwhelming and

scary, but just take it one day at a time, it helps from getting

overwhelmed.

Hope this helps!!

Autumn

[Guest guest]

Hi -

Yes, I went to MUSC. Do you mind telling me how you were diagnosed?

Physical and lab values? Do you have a treatment plan yet?

Janine

> > Hello-

> > I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

> > Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

> > finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist.

I

> > was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am

stunned

> > about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate

this

> > past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't

imagine

> > that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

> > point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've

read

> > every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still

feel like

> > I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel?

What

> > will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I

feel

> > better? etc...

> >

> > Fighting back the tears in SC,

> >

> > Janine

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ltdavis_jrdavis@

> >

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

> > Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your kind email. Your information is helpful. You

sound really positive about your situation and I give you a lot of

credit for that. I hope you are well and are doing the things that

make you happy. I know it's only a matter of time before I can get

my head around this and get back to living. I appreciate your

courage!

Janine

>

> Welcome to the group, even though no one really wants to have to be

in

> a group like this You sound like you are off to a great start,

> combating it early, getting informed, etc. There will be pain, more

> than likely a lot of it, you'll probably feel tired and have days

when

> you feel sorry for yourself that you have this horrible disease.

The

> best thing you can do is to keep your head up and not let it beat

you.

> Keep doing the things you love, mobility helps slow the damage, but

> listen to your body. If you feel like you can't do things some days

> because of the pain and swelling, don't do them, you could do

damage.

> Find something that you love to keep you going. The worst thing

you

> can do is sit around (we all sit around sometimes and feel sorry for

> ourselves every once in a while) and feel sorry for yourself. I try

> to only let that go on for an hour tops, otherwise the disease will

> beat me. I'm 23 years old, was diagnosed at 16. I kept playing

> sports and showing horses and I still go out dancing, but only do

> these things when the pain isn't too bad, although the sports I

don't

> do anymore after doing permanent damage from not listening to my

body

> and lifting freight at work. The information can be overwhelming

and

> scary, but just take it one day at a time, it helps from getting

> overwhelmed.

> Hope this helps!!

> Autumn

>

[Guest guest]

Janine - who did you see at MUSC? I just went there & saw Dr. Holly for

the first AND last time. I have had RA for close to 6 years. Mt Pleasant is not

too far from Florence!

D.

Janine <jmbrawner@...> wrote:

I live in Mt. Pleasant which is just over the bridge from ton.

_____

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of

Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 7:28 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Newly diagnosed with RA and really confused!

Hi Janine -

What part of South Carolina do you live in? I am in Florence!

D.

jmbrawner <jmbrawnercomcast (DOT) <mailto:jmbrawner%40comcast.net> net> wrote:

Hello-

I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist. I

was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am stunned

about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate this

past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't imagine

that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've read

every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still feel like

I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel? What

will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I feel

better? etc...

Fighting back the tears in SC,

Janine

ltdavis_jrdavis@ <mailto:ltdavis_jrdavis%40>

---------------------------------

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

[Guest guest]

> > > Hello-

> > > I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus

also.

> > > Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

> > > finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a

rheumatologist.

> I

> > > was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am

> stunned

> > > about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started

methotrexate

> this

> > > past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't

> imagine

> > > that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At

this

> > > point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get.

I've

> read

> > > every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still

> feel like

> > > I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel?

> What

> > > will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will

I

> feel

> > > better? etc...

> > >

> > > Fighting back the tears in SC,

> > >

> > > Janine

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ltdavis_jrdavis@

> > >

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

> > > Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Well Janine,

After visiting the Mayo Clinic, MUSC and harvard a few years ago, begging people

to listen

to me, all I got was infammatory OA from Mayo. MUSC and Harvard told me I was

fine. I

had two hip replacements this Fall and noticed swollen fingers after the surgery

that did

not go away. I went back to Harvard, the doc was with me 5 minutes tops and

said RA, go

on methotreaxate. I asked for minocycline so he gave me that with Celebrex.

I still wonder if by some chance I might have some other problem but my crp is

elevated

and still rising. I had a very slight elevation of my rheumatoid factor which

is now

negative again. who knows? This field is difficult because labs don't mean

what they say.

I'd like to avoid mtx and biologics for as long as possible.

How about you? Labs?

> > > Hello-

> > > I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

> > > Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

> > > finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist.

> I

> > > was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am

> stunned

> > > about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate

> this

> > > past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't

> imagine

> > > that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

> > > point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've

> read

> > > every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still

> feel like

> > > I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel?

> What

> > > will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I

> feel

> > > better? etc...

> > >

> > > Fighting back the tears in SC,

> > >

> > > Janine

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ltdavis_jrdavis@

> > >

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

> > > Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

To Janine- My Name is Amy, I'm down here in Texas. I also have RA

(for 5 years) Fibromyalgia, hypoglycemia and hypothyroid. A drug

called Rituxin has been a miracle for me. I am operating at 85% I am

34 years old. The thing that bothers me the most is my fibromyalgia.

I failed on (meaning these drugs did not work) on Humira, Remicade

and Orencia all Biologic chemo based drugs. My number one peice of

advice I could give to you is to get involved in yoga and pilates.

It will changes your life. You will feel so much better. It is

gentle yet still gives you the stretchs that you need. I promise you

will not be disapointed. Give that gift to yourself.

Feel Better, Take care of U.

Loyally,

Amy

>

> Hello-

> I have just been diagnosed with RA and possibly with Lupus also.

> Although I have been experiencing symptoms for over a year, I

> finally " self-diagnosed " myself and went to see a rheumatologist.

I

> was shocked to learn that I really have this disease and am

stunned

> about the thought of a lifetime of this. I started methotrexate

this

> past week and will begin a TNF shortly. I am 39....I can't

imagine

> that I will be taking medication for the rest of my life. At this

> point, I would appreciate any kind of information I can get. I've

read

> every last thing I can find on the internet, however, I still feel

like

> I don't know enough. What am I in store for? How will I feel?

What

> will all this medication do to the rest of my body? When will I

feel

> better? etc...

>

> Fighting back the tears in SC,

>

> Janine

>