RE: Hi, I'm new here and I thought I would introduce myself...

[Guest guest]

Hi and welcome to the group! I hope we're able to help you.

My primary care doc diagnosed me with RA about 6 years ago, but in

that time I've had only one blood test where the RA factor was

positive, and that was only weakly so. My rheumy now refers to what

I have as 'inflammatory poly-arthritis', but treats it with the same

meds as RA. It's not unusual for people to have RA but not have a

positive rheumatoid factor test.

I've never heard of a doc wanting to do surgery 'just to see what's

going on' unless they have a good idea of what it might be! Before

letting him cut into you, I would get another opinion. From my

experience most rheumys don't usually do surgery, but instead will

refer you to a surgeon because you are having specific problems with

joints that they think can be helped by surgery.

As for RA, try not to immediately think the worse. In the past most

people with RA received very little treatment until their joints

were deformed. These days the protocol is to start with Disease

Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) right away to try to stop

the joint damage from even happening. If your doc hasn't mentioned

drug therapy to you, you need to ask about it.

A really good web-site to learn more about RA, Sjorgrens and lots of

other things is at www.arthritisinsight.com. Education and support

(like through this group) will really help. We all have our good

days and bad, and in this group can share the good and get support

for the bad.

Take care, Beth

> I'm in my late thirties and was diagnosed with Rheumatoid

Arthritis,

> Sjogren's Syndrome, Reynaud's Syndrome and Hypothyroidism about a

> year ago. The worst symptoms seem to stem from my Sjogren's,

> however. I do have some swelled joints in my right hand, and I do

> have joint pain everywhere, but the symptoms of the Sjogren's are

> horrible. Dry everything and very painful.

>

> Anyway, I am not sure exactly what to do about the Rheumatoid. It

> has barely begun to " show " and I don't even test positive for it

in

> my blood samples. Did any of you go through that too? My doctor is

> knife happy and keeps asking if I will let him go in to my hand,

> right shoulder, left hip and left foot too " see " what's going on.

My

> response was, if you can't see it on the x-ray and I can still use

> my body fair enough, why would I want you to cut me open and go in

> so many places. Am I right in waiting on the surgery?

>

> This is all pretty new to me and I'm fairly scared... mostly

because

> of the Sjogren's. But, I know very well what Rheumatoid arthritis

> can do to you... my neighbor has had it for years and has a total

of

> 87 surgeries on her feet alone. That poor woman. So... that scares

> me too.

>

> Well, thank you for having me in the group. I look forward to the

> posts and participating in the discussions.

>

>

[Guest guest]

My doctor is

> knife happy and keeps asking if I will let him go in to my hand,

> right shoulder, left hip and left foot too " see " what's going on.

My

> response was, if you can't see it on the x-ray and I can still use

> my body fair enough, why would I want you to cut me open and go in

> so many places. Am I right in waiting on the surgery?

An unconditional YES, YOU ARE RIGHT from me.

Sierra

[Guest guest]

I certainly wouldn't let anyone cut me open in that many places just to look around.

If it still works, leave it alone. I would only do surgery as a last result.

Hugs, Jacy

~I don't approve of political jokes; I've seen too many get elected.

jacymail@...IM: jacygal - ICQ: 96949087www.geocities.com/mtn_rose

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-----Original Message-----From: bookwood01 [mailto:bookwood01@...]Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 21:05Rheumatoid Arthritis Subject: Hi, I'm new here and I thought I would introduce myself...I'm in my late thirties and was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren's Syndrome, Reynaud's Syndrome and Hypothyroidism about a year ago. The worst symptoms seem to stem from my Sjogren's, however. I do have some swelled joints in my right hand, and I do have joint pain everywhere, but the symptoms of the Sjogren's are horrible. Dry everything and very painful. Anyway, I am not sure exactly what to do about the Rheumatoid. It has barely begun to "show" and I don't even test positive for it in my blood samples. Did any of you go through that too? My doctor is knife happy and keeps asking if I will let him go in to my hand, right shoulder, left hip and left foot too "see" what's going on. My response was, if you can't see it on the x-ray and I can still use my body fair enough, why would I want you to cut me open and go in so many places. Am I right in waiting on the surgery?This is all pretty new to me and I'm fairly scared... mostly because of the Sjogren's. But, I know very well what Rheumatoid arthritis can do to you... my neighbor has had it for years and has a total of 87 surgeries on her feet alone. That poor woman. So... that scares me too. Well, thank you for having me in the group. I look forward to the posts and participating in the discussions.

[Guest guest]

The only cut I'd be in favor of is cutting your relationship with that doctor.

If he/she can't tell with x-rays and an MRI maybe another doctor can. Are you

seeing a rheumatologist? Your doctor sounds more like an orthopedic doctor to

me. A site I like for general information and support is

http://arthritisinsight.com/ where they have information on medications, disease

descriptions, suggestions for newly diagnosed, and a very active message board.

God bless.

>

> From: " bookwood01 " <bookwood01@...>

> Date: 2004/10/02 Sat AM 03:05:23 GMT

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Subject: Hi, I'm new here and I thought I would

introduce myself...

>

>

I'm in my late thirties and was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis,

Sjogren's Syndrome, Reynaud's Syndrome and Hypothyroidism about a

year ago. The worst symptoms seem to stem from my Sjogren's,

however. I do have some swelled joints in my right hand, and I do

have joint pain everywhere, but the symptoms of the Sjogren's are

horrible. Dry everything and very painful.

Anyway, I am not sure exactly what to do about the Rheumatoid. It

has barely begun to " show " and I don't even test positive for it in

my blood samples. Did any of you go through that too? My doctor is

knife happy and keeps asking if I will let him go in to my hand,

right shoulder, left hip and left foot too " see " what's going on. My

response was, if you can't see it on the x-ray and I can still use

my body fair enough, why would I want you to cut me open and go in

so many places. Am I right in waiting on the surgery?

This is all pretty new to me and I'm fairly scared... mostly because

of the Sjogren's. But, I know very well what Rheumatoid arthritis

can do to you... my neighbor has had it for years and has a total of

87 surgeries on her feet alone. That poor woman. So... that scares

me too.

Well, thank you for having me in the group. I look forward to the

posts and participating in the discussions.

[Guest guest]

I would get a second oppinion from another doctor........Joyce

----- Original Message -----

From: " snowdrift52003 " <snowdrift52003@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 10:28 PM

Subject: Re: Hi, I'm new here and I thought I would

introduce myself...

My doctor is

> knife happy and keeps asking if I will let him go in to my hand,

> right shoulder, left hip and left foot too " see " what's going on.

My

> response was, if you can't see it on the x-ray and I can still use

> my body fair enough, why would I want you to cut me open and go in

> so many places. Am I right in waiting on the surgery?

An unconditional YES, YOU ARE RIGHT from me.

Sierra

[Guest guest]

,

I would also be hesitant on surgery just to " see " what's going on. I

do have a bad finger on right hand that needs joint replacement and

straightening out but still have not done anything. It's not the thought of

surgery that bothers me as much as the recouperation time afterward with no

use of it that I dread.

Kay

----- Original Message -----

From: " bookwood01 " <bookwood01@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 10:05 PM

Subject: Hi, I'm new here and I thought I would

introduce myself...

>

> I'm in my late thirties and was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis,

> Sjogren's Syndrome, Reynaud's Syndrome and Hypothyroidism about a

> year ago. The worst symptoms seem to stem from my Sjogren's,

> however. I do have some swelled joints in my right hand, and I do

> have joint pain everywhere, but the symptoms of the Sjogren's are

> horrible. Dry everything and very painful.

>

> Anyway, I am not sure exactly what to do about the Rheumatoid. It

> has barely begun to " show " and I don't even test positive for it in

> my blood samples. Did any of you go through that too? My doctor is

> knife happy and keeps asking if I will let him go in to my hand,

> right shoulder, left hip and left foot too " see " what's going on. My

> response was, if you can't see it on the x-ray and I can still use

> my body fair enough, why would I want you to cut me open and go in

> so many places. Am I right in waiting on the surgery?

>

> This is all pretty new to me and I'm fairly scared... mostly because

> of the Sjogren's. But, I know very well what Rheumatoid arthritis

> can do to you... my neighbor has had it for years and has a total of

> 87 surgeries on her feet alone. That poor woman. So... that scares

> me too.

>

> Well, thank you for having me in the group. I look forward to the

> posts and participating in the discussions.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>