Newly diagnosed with RA at 45

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I'm Amy, and I'm very glad to have found this group. I suspected

that I had arthritis for about a year, but denial outweighed pain

until a month ago. I went to a rheumatologist, got diagnosed with

RA and was prescribed Plaquenil and Ibuprofen about 1600-2400 mg (I

was already taking it anyway). The doctor wanted to put me on

Medrol but it makes me completely nuts (a side effect listed

as " irritability " ). The other strategy she wanted to try was to put

me on immunosuppressants, but I'm the world record holder for sinus

infections so we decided not to.

From what I've read, I can't tell how many folks out there are still

in the workforce. I'm 45 with two kids 5 and 8. My husband and I

were counting on my being in the workforce for at least 13 more

years. Any thoughts on how realistic that is? I have a desk job, so

my work isn't too physically demanding.

Questions:

- Who all is out there in the workforce with RA? I'm 45 with two

kids 5 and 8. My husband and I were counting on my being in the

workforce for at least 13 more years. Any thoughts on how realistic

that is? I have a desk job, so my work isn't too physically

demanding.

- Does your RA move around? Mine is primarily in my hands and feet

and secondarily in my knees and hips, but today my knees are horrid

even after maxxing out my meds while my hands are fine.

- Does RA come with fatigue? Or is that the Plaquenil? Or is that

something else?

Thanks in advance!

Amy

[Guest guest]

Hello Amy,

Welcome to the group. I'm Toni. I am 42 and I was diagnosed at 36 and out

of the workforce by 39 yo. Of course my job was physically rather demanding.

But even desk type jobs have been a real issue. I had serious problems with

meds and side effects. I would start a continent plan of what if you can no

longer do your present job? Especially since your children are rather

young.

I wished I had not listened to the docs who kept saying this is just a blip

and we will fix you all up good as new!! UGH!! I would have started

planning immediately to change careers as soon as I learned what was really

going

on.

My children was a good bit older than yours when I was diagnosed. They were

in middle and high school. However, loosing my job...going on LTD and

staying home were such a blessing!! I got to really enjoy my daughters and got

to see them grow up. The last one graduates from high school in about an

month.

My former employer actually did me a favor when they fired me. I was soo

stressed out....working long hours...3 hr round trip commute and never really

got to see my kids. In the end my employer for refusing to allow me to

retrain, treating me like a dirt has gotten their just reward. The factory I

was

working in along with many other facilities will be closing in June. Its high

tech and will all be going overseas where labor is dirt cheap and the do not

have the labor laws of the US to protect the workers. I had predicted this

long before I left.

So all things happen for a reason and I am glad that I went with the flow.

I do have a career. I started my own business. I love what I do and I work

on my terms. So that works well with my illness. Its low stress which really

is helpful for me. I am on NO Meds.....No stress so my RA and Fibro symptoms

are almost none existent. My last rheummy visit the doc was shocked at my

X-rays. He can not explain it. He is suppose to be one of the national best

in his field.

He expected me to have lots of damage when I told him I have not been on

meds in over a year and even when I was on them...I took them pretty

haphazardly

and when I remembered. He even tried to get me back on meds...told him no

thank you. I don't feel better on them...I actually feel worst on meds....so

why should I waste my money!

So I do strongly believe that state of mind and levels of stress play a

major part in how active your disease is and how much discomfort it causes one.

As soon as my job fired me....heck I started feeling 100% better within

hours! lol

Toni in Texas

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[Guest guest]

Amy to answer your questions..yes my RA does move around. But it tends to

cause pain in the same joints when its acting up. My feet, hips, shoulders,

thumbs, wrists and elbows. Those joints are pretty consistent.

Fatigue is part of the disease. You immune system is running in

overdrive....your body is running a constant marathon. The other part is a

side effect

of the meds.

For your sinus infections. I use to have horrible sinus problems. I

started doing saline nasal flushes. I have my own little neti pot and use to

mix

my own saline solution. You can now buy nasal flush kits from your local

drugstore with pre-measured salt. When I started doing nasal flushes my sinus

infections stopped. I have not had one in over 10 yrs!! Whooo HOO!! Just a

suggestion to try that has worked wonders for me.

Toni

______________________________________________________________________

For your free comprehensive Financial needs analysis...please contact me.

Learn how to legitimately get out of debt and be financially independent.

_www.primerica.com/aclavern_ (http://www.primerica.com/aclavern)

**************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family

favorites at AOL Food.

(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)

[Guest guest]

>

> Hello Amy,

>

> Welcome to the group. I'm Toni. I am 42 and I was diagnosed at

36 and out

> of the workforce by 39 yo. Of course my job was physically

rather demanding.

> But even desk type jobs have been a real issue. I had serious

problems with

> meds and side effects. I would start a continent plan of what if

you can no

> longer do your present job? Especially since your children are

rather

> young.

>

> I wished I had not listened to the docs who kept saying this is

just a blip

> and we will fix you all up good as new!! UGH!! I would have

started

> planning immediately to change careers as soon as I learned what

was really going

> on.

>

> My children was a good bit older than yours when I was

diagnosed. They were

> in middle and high school. However, loosing my job...going on

LTD and

> staying home were such a blessing!! I got to really enjoy my

daughters and got

> to see them grow up. The last one graduates from high school in

about an

> month.

>

> My former employer actually did me a favor when they fired me. I

was soo

> stressed out....working long hours...3 hr round trip commute and

never really

> got to see my kids. In the end my employer for refusing to allow

me to

> retrain, treating me like a dirt has gotten their just reward.

The factory I was

> working in along with many other facilities will be closing in

June. Its high

> tech and will all be going overseas where labor is dirt cheap and

the do not

> have the labor laws of the US to protect the workers. I had

predicted this

> long before I left.

>

> So all things happen for a reason and I am glad that I went with

the flow.

> I do have a career. I started my own business. I love what I do

and I work

> on my terms. So that works well with my illness. Its low stress

which really

> is helpful for me. I am on NO Meds.....No stress so my RA and

Fibro symptoms

> are almost none existent. My last rheummy visit the doc was

shocked at my

> X-rays. He can not explain it. He is suppose to be one of the

national best

> in his field.

>

> He expected me to have lots of damage when I told him I have not

been on

> meds in over a year and even when I was on them...I took them

pretty haphazardly

> and when I remembered. He even tried to get me back on

meds...told him no

> thank you. I don't feel better on them...I actually feel worst

on meds....so

> why should I waste my money!

>

> So I do strongly believe that state of mind and levels of stress

play a

> major part in how active your disease is and how much discomfort

it causes one.

> As soon as my job fired me....heck I started feeling 100% better

within

> hours! lol

>

> Toni in Texas

>

>

>

_____________________________________________________________________

_

> For your free comprehensive Financial needs analysis...please

contact me.

> Learn how to legitimately get out of debt and be financially

independent.

> _www.primerica.com/aclavern_ (http://www.primerica.com/aclavern)

>

>

>

> **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists

on family

> favorites at AOL Food.

> (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)

>

>

>