Re: New...but not to the symptoms...have questions

[Guest guest]

Hi

I do believe that Methotrexate is every Rheumy's drug of choice. It was

prescribed for me about a month after I was diagnosed with RA and it sure

works. Yes, I felt so much better once I started taking it.

It sounds like you are not on very many meds. You have to work with your

Rheumy to get on the right meds to get the pain under control. Also RA is

not kind to a person's body if they are not on medication to slow the

progression.

I have been where you are and I know what you are going through. Once you

get on the right meds, you will feel like a new person.

Hang in there. It DOES get better!!!

Shay in Michigan

-- [ ] New...but not to the symptoms...have questions

It's taken 12 years to get a diagnosis of RA, but it's been such a long road

I've had severe fatigue, joint/body pain since this started, and have just

been ignored. I have Scleritis and came close to losing my right eye, and

last week they said that I have Goiter. What's next? . I was told about

the RA back in 2002, and given the option of taking Methotrextate (sorry if

I've spelled that wrong), but after reading the side effects, I thought that

this doctor was medicine happy.

Are most of you on the metro? does it work? have you found other opstions

besides this medication? Any overall advice? When I get up every day it's

a difficult struggle to get myself going, I'm now at work, and I only want

to be in bed. It's sooooo hard. Did you feel better once you started

taking it? I can't remember what feeling good is like....I've forgotten. I

m 50, but I feel like I'm just dying day by day.

Thanks for listening!

[Guest guest]

Hi:

I am 69 years old, and have had RA for 6 years. It came on very

suddenly, and I had never heard of it before.

Right from the beginning, my Rheumy treated my RA agressively. I

started with MTX, Prednisone pills, and Prednisone shots, plus pain

meds. I was in very bad shape, and my pain was unbearable.

Over the years, I have found the right " cocktail mix " of RA meds. that

work wonderful for me. I am still on MTX, also take Leucovorin,

Prednisone,Placquenil, Sulfasalazine, and pain meds. when needed for the

RA. I am basically pain free all the time, except now I have knee pain

and willl have a total knee replacement in a few weeks. It is due to

OA. My flares are shorter in duration when I have them, and it is much

longer in between them. It was trial and error with the meds. my Rheumy

ordered for me. I have no joint or bone erosions at all. I do have my

blood tested 1x each month so she can monitor me and the RA.

I am very happy that I have my life back, and can do most things like I

used to. I had to learn to pace myself, as I got so tired, that I spent

2 or 3 days in bed if I did too much. I also just take things one day

at a time. That is all I can handle. I have the RA in my hands,

wrists, thumbs, feet and ankles. My feet and ankles are the worst hit.

When I am in a flare, I can hardly walk or bear the pain in them.

I hope you will really think about the meds. you need to take to feel

better. My Rheumy told me about the meds. I take, and I decided to take

them no matter what. I could not take the pain and suffering I had in

the beginning. I have also been on Pred. since day one. It has been

the " wonder drug " that has worked so good for me.

I hope my letter helps you.

Wishing you pain free days ahead.

Hugs,

Barbara

--- In , " Search@... " <beach_sunone@...>

wrote:

>

> It's taken 12 years to get a diagnosis of RA, but it's been such a

long road. I've had severe fatigue, joint/body pain since this started,

and have just been ignored. I have Scleritis and came close to losing

my right eye, and last week they said that I have Goiter. What's next?

.. I was told about the RA back in 2002, and given the option of taking

Methotrextate (sorry if I've spelled that wrong), but after reading the

side effects, I thought that this doctor was medicine happy.

>

> Are most of you on the metro? does it work? have you found other

opstions besides this medication? Any overall advice? When I get up

every day it's a difficult struggle to get myself going, I'm now at

work, and I only want to be in bed. It's sooooo hard. Did you feel

better once you started taking it? I can't remember what feeling good

is like....I've forgotten. I'm 50, but I feel like I'm just dying day

by day.

>

> Thanks for listening!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you both...it helps so much to have hope and hearing it from others that

have been in my shoes, it's a dose of good medicine for me. I wonder every day

how I can keep on when I'm 50 and due to retiure at 62....plus I work for our

local emergency management office, and as soon as hurricane season is around the

corner, the stress and load of work will double. Plus the 2nd assistant was let

go, so I'm doing the work of two. My joint/body pain is terrible and the

fatigue is like being given multiple shots of novicaine...getting my arms up and

keeping them up for even 5 seconds is too much.

Again, thanks for listening, and for the hope that the medication may give me

some of my life back.

> >

> > It's taken 12 years to get a diagnosis of RA, but it's been such a

> long road. I've had severe fatigue, joint/body pain since this started,

> and have just been ignored. I have Scleritis and came close to losing

> my right eye, and last week they said that I have Goiter. What's next?

> . I was told about the RA back in 2002, and given the option of taking

> Methotrextate (sorry if I've spelled that wrong), but after reading the

> side effects, I thought that this doctor was medicine happy.

> >

> > Are most of you on the metro? does it work? have you found other

> opstions besides this medication? Any overall advice? When I get up

> every day it's a difficult struggle to get myself going, I'm now at

> work, and I only want to be in bed. It's sooooo hard. Did you feel

> better once you started taking it? I can't remember what feeling good

> is like....I've forgotten. I'm 50, but I feel like I'm just dying day

> by day.

> >

> > Thanks for listening!

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I have been on mtx since 04. I use to have some bad side effects from the mtx,

when I was on the pills. I now take injections, and it stopped the stomach

problems. I still have fatigue, which I'm sure goes along with the meds and the

heath problems. I have fibro also, and been having a lot of pain from it. I

take Humira too. I am able to take care of myself, and that is good for me. I

have very severe RA, so life is very hard, without the meds, I would be

bedridden.

Life does throw some punches at us all. I will be 46 this month, and I have

been fighting this stuff for a very long time. I just try to stay positive, and

its not always easy.

I am sorry you have so much pain, and you have to work. That is very hard for

anyone. I would talk to your rheumy, and discuss what is best for you. You

need to be on something to stop the progression of the disease. If you are

planning on working for awhile, your pain will just get worse without it.

You have been going through this for awhile. Have you ever thought about filing

disability? I could no longer work, filed my disability, and I received in one

year later. It is really hard to give into this, but when your in so much

pain,you have to make a change. I hope my post helps. I'm here if you ever

need to talk, it does help to talk to others that have the same problem,(PAIN)

Gentle hugs, Tawny

>

> It's taken 12 years to get a diagnosis of RA, but it's been such a long road. 

I've had severe fatigue, joint/body pain since this started, and have just been

ignored.  I have Scleritis and came close to losing my right eye, and last week

they said that I have Goiter.  What's next?  .  I was told about the RA back in

2002, and given the option of taking Methotrextate (sorry if I've spelled that

wrong), but after reading the side effects, I thought that this doctor was

medicine happy. 

>  

> Are most of you on the metro?  does it work?  have you found other opstions

besides this medication?  Any overall advice?  When I get up every day it's a

difficult struggle to get myself going, I'm now at work, and I only want to be

in bed.  It's sooooo hard.  Did you feel better once you started taking it?  I

can't remember what feeling good is like....I've forgotten.  I'm 50, but I feel

like I'm just dying day by day.

>  

> Thanks for listening!

>

>