Progression of RA.... I hate this disease

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone! :-) I hope everyone is having a great day and an even

better weekend! Welcome new members. My name is Kami and I am 38 years

young and live in PA. My road to diagnosis started on my 38th birthday

last year with a case of scleritis. I used to think... " Wow! My

birthday SUCKED! " however I am now in the frame of mind that getting

scleritis MIGHT have been the best bday present ever because it led to

the formal diagnosis and treatment of RA. Okay now that I've gotten

all warm and fuzzy.... I neeed to vent a bit about the beast called RA.

I cannot believe the rapid progression I am seeing of this disease. I

FINALLY get on the right track with meds (8 MTX per week and Humira

every other week) and am thrown a curve. HA! I made a pun. The curve I

have been thrown is actually the curving of my right fingers away from

the thumb, otherwise known as ULNAR DRIFT.

So I am at the doctor yesterday and we are busy talking about my quasi-

success with Humira (it helps but doesn't last 2 weeks)and we decide

to give it another month before trying weekly yada,yada,yada when he

decides to look at my hands. I have been having alot of problems with

my right hand strengthwise and swelling so I hold up my hands and he

says " Your hands have changed dramatically over 6 weeks " I am

like... " well yeah I can't do this and that blah blah " and it occurs

to me.....He is really concerned about this! So he showed me what

concerned him... the drifting of my fingers away from the thumb.

Apparently, I didn't have it 6 weeks ago. WTF? I can't believe how

fast this crap happens! He tried to talk me into having a brace made

and I was like um.... Can't I give the Humira a bit more time to see

if it stops??? So.... He agreed to give me a month and then I will

probaby have another MRI (had one in Feb) to see what, if any, changes

have happened.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? I swear evry day is

something new with this disease.... I cannot wait to tame this beast!

On another note... Anyone injecting Humira WEEKLY? I would love to

talk to you!

Take care everyone!

Kami