RA fibromyalgia overlap and chest infections

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Glad you found that Fybro article interesting.

From reading your posts you and my friend seem (sadly for you both)

to share many of the 'off joint' sufferings. (See my recent posts re

Rituxan)I am SURE these patterns are significant,just unfortunately

medical advances haven't come up with the reasons yet,let alone the

answers!

Although progress is being made I suspect there will be more genetic

susceptibilities discovered, explaining why some individuals get

switched on to react in an auto immune fashion to various common

external triggers over a life time.Your respiratory infections and

sinus troubles, did they predate the FMS, RA, as in my friend's case?

Like you my friend had knee problems, initially in one knee predating

the frank RA by about a year.But for years before she used to get

painful swollen finger joints especially when her chest was bad.

The other thing fascinating to me as a doc,(I hope you will forgive

me) but what seems I'm sure for you almost the worst part to endure

of all this is the panic/anxiety mood effects and profound fatigue.

Sometimes my friend looks as though she has Parkinson's, with a blank

face, slow movements, other times she has troublesome tremor and

cramps.

Sorry this is long winded.

Have also been very interested in the helper dogs thread!

Wonderful...medicines are only one tool in the survival kit with

these conditions and keeping in control!

Best wishes,

Chris