new member

[Guest guest]

HELLO ALL My name is I am from Louisiana. I am new to the group I have

been reading a lot of the post. I was diagnosed Aug 6 2010 the day before my

46th b-day. WOW what a b-day gift. I thought I was going crazy when it

started. I woke up one morning with my elbow hurting . Went to work by the time

I got off work it was better BUT my hand on the opposite hand hurt so bad that I

could not move it. I kind of thought I new what it was before the test because

my mom had RA too. I did not see many of the symptoms she had at the beginning.

I sure know how bad it can get though. My mom past away Oct of 2008. The last 10

years of her life she lived with me and my husband she could not take care of

herself . The last 2 years of her life I stayed home and took care of her 24/7.

I am an only child and she refused to go into an assisted living home. My mother

took so many different meds. it is unbelievable. I do remember in the beginning

she did take gold shots. That is wild. She was on Oxycontin and Duragesic

patches 150 mg at the same time. That is crazy to me I can take 3 ex strength

Tylenol and go to sleep.

we have not found the right med yet. I have been on Predisone since the

beginning. I hate that drug it seems to help some. we have tried Methotrexate

pills and injection, and Humeria injection. Now my Dr wants me to try Orencia

infusion. I am so scared because one of the side effects is Lymphoma. My mother

took Rymicade and after 3 or 4 infusions she got Lymphoma in the lymph node in

her neck and cancer in one of her Tonsils. She made it through all the chemo

treatments the Dr didn't think she would.

I would appreciate any advise.

Thanks for letting me share my story.

(in Louisiana)