Re: Beginning to consider the possibility

[Guest guest]

Hello !

Welcome ! We have so much in common ! We ranch in Virginia.

I too have an " autoimmune family " . My problems are primarily hands

and feet, although my shoulders are often an issue, and I have had

all of the discomforts you have described.

I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and take synthroid x 15 years. I

also have RA with really similar symptoms and onset to yours, and

this year I was told that they believe I have lupus, although my

kidney labs are excellent. I too am active, although I ache like you

wouldn't believe !

My college aged son has ulcerative colitis, my college aged

daughter has autoimmune diabetes (following a virus) and is on an

insulin pump. My two youngest sons have asthma and many food

allergies.

I see my doctors when I should, eat and drink properly, take a

conservative amount of medications and the supplements my doctors

have ordered, and then I live life....creaks and all. I am in my

early forties.

Mostly I am happy and have a good outlook. I do find that as a

result of the aches and pains I am less tolerant of some of the more

peculiar distant relatives we have, and as a result, don't have a lot

to do with them. I don't know whether the illnesses themselves have

caused me to take stock of my life and spend time more wisely, or

whether this " housecleaning of the peculiar " would have occured

anyway when I reached this phase of life. I also notice I have a

diminished tolerance for annoyance, duplicity or bull. They love me

at our local government meetings because I'm almost the only one who

says what's true !

In any event, this is a wonderful forum with a great many people

with a really broad range of experiences. I hope you find support,

learning and fellowship here, and of course if there is ever anything

I can answer personally, you or anyone here can e-mail me privately.

Best wishes to all,

Jane

>

>

> Hi, I joined this group to find out more about this disease from

> people that have it. I have been to all the info-sites. I believe I

> have RA based on several factors and I will list them for you.

Thank

> you in advance for your time if you read this and respond.

>

> The factors include:

>

> * My great grandmother had it, my grand mother did, her sister did

> and my mother has it (as well as Lupus)...and the latter has lived

> with RA for as long as she remembers but was no diagnosed until she

> was in her 40s. She is now 65 and on Remicaid.

>

> *In 1982 I seemingly had an acute occurance of 'bursitis'? My knee

> and my wrist were inflamed and very painful but it went away.

>

> * Since the late 80s I have had bouts of TMJ (jaw joint popping)...

> and my jaw is misaligned. I haven't had the TMJ 'lock ups' for

> several years.

>

> *I have stiffness in the morning and at other times, after riding

in

> a car for a long time. My feet hurt regularly and I have bunions. I

> am 48 years old.

>

> * I am about 40 pounns overweight and I take synthroid for low

> active thryoid.

>

> * I've had signifigant upper back/neck pain for about 5 years. My

> upper back is crooked.

>

> * I am wondering if the last 2 days of illness was a 'flare'. I

felt

> like I was coming down with something...fatique, funny

throat...that

> got sore and dry but not like strep, Stiffness allll over and a

> itchy pink spot near my elbow that came on yesterday. I believe

this

> is the second time this kind of ill feeling has happened, the last

> was also accompanied by a cold though...and the elbow spot also

> occurred.

>

> I have thus far hesitated talking to my Mom about it because I feel

> it will be a horrible thing to hear for her. She will feel like

> she's cursed me if that is what this is. RA has stolen so much of

> her life but you cannot believe how much she has fought it and

lived

> well in spite of this awful disease. She believes it began with Rhm

> Fever when she was 5 -- and as a result she had a 'near death

> experiance' - she did in fact die althpugh the doctor brought her

> back. She remembers feeling stiff in the morning as a kid in

> elementary school...didn't think a thing about it and her parents

> thought it was just growing pains. I wrote off much of my own

aches

> over the past few years as just run of the mill aches & pains of

> middleage but I wonder if I should be thinking a little more

> seriously about what I might have and how to contend with it. I am

> otherwise healthy and active. We ranch in Wyoming - beef cattle and

> we also raise a few horses. I am active and not a complainer.

>

> Thank you.

> Shery Jespersen

[Guest guest]

dear shery, I hope you are wrong, but you need to

see your doctor....or a rheumatologist....you can

make yourself crazy playing a guessing

game...gentle hugs, Marcia

--- sherydolly <lynnj@...> wrote:

>

>

> Hi, I joined this group to find out more about

> this disease from

> people that have it. I have been to all the

> info-sites. I believe I

> have RA based on several factors and I will

> list them for you. Thank

> you in advance for your time if you read this

> and respond.

>

> The factors include:

>

> * My great grandmother had it, my grand mother

> did, her sister did

> and my mother has it (as well as Lupus)...and

> the latter has lived

> with RA for as long as she remembers but was no

> diagnosed until she

> was in her 40s. She is now 65 and on Remicaid.

>

> *In 1982 I seemingly had an acute occurance of

> 'bursitis'? My knee

> and my wrist were inflamed and very painful but

> it went away.

>

> * Since the late 80s I have had bouts of TMJ

> (jaw joint popping)...

> and my jaw is misaligned. I haven't had the TMJ

> 'lock ups' for

> several years.

>

> *I have stiffness in the morning and at other

> times, after riding in

> a car for a long time. My feet hurt regularly

> and I have bunions. I

> am 48 years old.

>

> * I am about 40 pounns overweight and I take

> synthroid for low

> active thryoid.

>

> * I've had signifigant upper back/neck pain for

> about 5 years. My

> upper back is crooked.

>

> * I am wondering if the last 2 days of illness

> was a 'flare'. I felt

> like I was coming down with

> something...fatique, funny throat...that

> got sore and dry but not like strep, Stiffness

> allll over and a

> itchy pink spot near my elbow that came on

> yesterday. I believe this

> is the second time this kind of ill feeling has

> happened, the last

> was also accompanied by a cold though...and the

> elbow spot also

> occurred.

>

> I have thus far hesitated talking to my Mom

> about it because I feel

> it will be a horrible thing to hear for her.

> She will feel like

> she's cursed me if that is what this is. RA has

> stolen so much of

> her life but you cannot believe how much she

> has fought it and lived

> well in spite of this awful disease. She

> believes it began with Rhm

> Fever when she was 5 -- and as a result she had

> a 'near death

> experiance' - she did in fact die althpugh the

> doctor brought her

> back. She remembers feeling stiff in the

> morning as a kid in

> elementary school...didn't think a thing about

> it and her parents

> thought it was just growing pains. I wrote off

> much of my own aches

> over the past few years as just run of the mill

> aches & pains of

> middleage but I wonder if I should be thinking

> a little more

> seriously about what I might have and how to

> contend with it. I am

> otherwise healthy and active. We ranch in

> Wyoming - beef cattle and

> we also raise a few horses. I am active and not

> a complainer.

>

> Thank you.

> Shery Jespersen

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Shery and welcome to the group.

My doctor said that one way to tell RA from "regular" (osteo) arthritis is the length of time of stiffness in the morning. But since it seems to run in your family, you do have a greater possibility of it being RA.

I also had the same "growing pains" diagnosis throughout my school years. We think now it was Juvenile RA. The doctors even said "If you weren't so young I'd think it was RA". Hello!

Hugs, Jacy

~Be the change that you want to see in the world. - Gandhi

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

Want a signature like this?

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

From: sherydolly

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 15:39

Subject: Beginning to consider the possibility

Hi, I joined this group to find out more about this disease from people that have it. I have been to all the info-sites. I believe I have RA based on several factors and I will list them for you. Thank you in advance for your time if you read this and respond. The factors include: * My great grandmother had it, my grand mother did, her sister did and my mother has it (as well as Lupus)...and the latter has lived with RA for as long as she remembers but was no diagnosed until she was in her 40s. She is now 65 and on Remicaid. *In 1982 I seemingly had an acute occurance of 'bursitis'? My knee and my wrist were inflamed and very painful but it went away.* Since the late 80s I have had bouts of TMJ (jaw joint popping)... and my jaw is misaligned. I haven't had the TMJ 'lock ups' for several years. *I have stiffness in the morning and at other times, after riding in a car for a long time. My feet hurt regularly and I have bunions. I am 48 years old.* I am about 40 pounns overweight and I take synthroid for low active thryoid. * I've had signifigant upper back/neck pain for about 5 years. My upper back is crooked. * I am wondering if the last 2 days of illness was a 'flare'. I felt like I was coming down with something...fatique, funny throat...that got sore and dry but not like strep, Stiffness allll over and a itchy pink spot near my elbow that came on yesterday. I believe this is the second time this kind of ill feeling has happened, the last was also accompanied by a cold though...and the elbow spot also occurred. I have thus far hesitated talking to my Mom about it because I feel it will be a horrible thing to hear for her. She will feel like she's cursed me if that is what this is. RA has stolen so much of her life but you cannot believe how much she has fought it and lived well in spite of this awful disease. She believes it began with Rhm Fever when she was 5 -- and as a result she had a 'near death experiance' - she did in fact die althpugh the doctor brought her back. She remembers feeling stiff in the morning as a kid in elementary school...didn't think a thing about it and her parents thought it was just growing pains. I wrote off much of my own aches over the past few years as just run of the mill aches & pains of middleage but I wonder if I should be thinking a little more seriously about what I might have and how to contend with it. I am otherwise healthy and active. We ranch in Wyoming - beef cattle and we also raise a few horses. I am active and not a complainer.Thank you.Shery Jespersen

[Guest guest]

Isn't one of the most definitive factors of RA that the pain and

inflammation are bilateral? At least, that's what I think! My RA

has affected both feet and ankles and both arms, elbows and

wrists.

>

>

> Hi, I joined this group to find out more about this disease from

> people that have it. I have been to all the info-sites. I believe I

> have RA based on several factors and I will list them for you.

Thank

> you in advance for your time if you read this and respond.

>

> The factors include:

>

> * My great grandmother had it, my grand mother did, her sister

did

> and my mother has it (as well as Lupus)...and the latter has

lived

> with RA for as long as she remembers but was no diagnosed

until she

> was in her 40s. She is now 65 and on Remicaid.

>

> *In 1982 I seemingly had an acute occurance of 'bursitis'? My

knee

> and my wrist were inflamed and very painful but it went away.

>

> * Since the late 80s I have had bouts of TMJ (jaw joint

popping)...

> and my jaw is misaligned. I haven't had the TMJ 'lock ups' for

> several years.

>

> *I have stiffness in the morning and at other times, after riding

in

> a car for a long time. My feet hurt regularly and I have bunions. I

> am 48 years old.

>

> * I am about 40 pounns overweight and I take synthroid for low

> active thryoid.

>

> * I've had signifigant upper back/neck pain for about 5 years. My

> upper back is crooked.

>

> * I am wondering if the last 2 days of illness was a 'flare'. I felt

> like I was coming down with something...fatique, funny

throat...that

> got sore and dry but not like strep, Stiffness allll over and a

> itchy pink spot near my elbow that came on yesterday. I believe

this

> is the second time this kind of ill feeling has happened, the

last

> was also accompanied by a cold though...and the elbow spot

also

> occurred.

>

> I have thus far hesitated talking to my Mom about it because I

feel

> it will be a horrible thing to hear for her. She will feel like

> she's cursed me if that is what this is. RA has stolen so much

of

> her life but you cannot believe how much she has fought it and

lived

> well in spite of this awful disease. She believes it began with

Rhm

> Fever when she was 5 -- and as a result she had a 'near death

> experiance' - she did in fact die althpugh the doctor brought her

> back. She remembers feeling stiff in the morning as a kid in

> elementary school...didn't think a thing about it and her parents

> thought it was just growing pains. I wrote off much of my own

aches

> over the past few years as just run of the mill aches & pains of

> middleage but I wonder if I should be thinking a little more

> seriously about what I might have and how to contend with it. I

am

> otherwise healthy and active. We ranch in Wyoming - beef

cattle and

> we also raise a few horses. I am active and not a complainer.

>

> Thank you.

> Shery Jespersen

[Guest guest]

My RA was diagnosed when I had a high fever and they did run teso I

know it is not Still's disease and I did have an RA factor show up

in the test so I so have RA and now still's disease Sherrie

> > >

> > >

> > > Hi, I joined this group to find out more about this

disease

> from

> > > people that have it. I have been to all the info-sites.

I

> believe I

> > > have RA based on several factors and I will list them

for

> you.

> > Thank

> > > you in advance for your time if you read this and

respond.

> > >

> > > The factors include:

> > >

> > > * My great grandmother had it, my grand mother did, her

> sister

> > did

> > > and my mother has it (as well as Lupus)...and the latter

has

> > lived

> > > with RA for as long as she remembers but was no

diagnosed

> > until she

> > > was in her 40s. She is now 65 and on Remicaid.

> > >

> > > *In 1982 I seemingly had an acute occurance

of 'bursitis'?

> My

> > knee

> > > and my wrist were inflamed and very painful but it went

away.

> > >

> > > * Since the late 80s I have had bouts of TMJ (jaw joint

> > popping)...

> > > and my jaw is misaligned. I haven't had the TMJ 'lock

ups'

> for

> > > several years.

> > >

> > > *I have stiffness in the morning and at other times,

after

> riding

> > in

> > > a car for a long time. My feet hurt regularly and I have

> bunions. I

> > > am 48 years old.

> > >

> > > * I am about 40 pounns overweight and I take synthroid

for

> low

> > > active thryoid.

> > >

> > > * I've had signifigant upper back/neck pain for about 5

> years. My

> > > upper back is crooked.

> > >

> > > * I am wondering if the last 2 days of illness was

> a 'flare'. I felt

> > > like I was coming down with something...fatique, funny

> > throat...that

> > > got sore and dry but not like strep, Stiffness allll

over

> and a

> > > itchy pink spot near my elbow that came on yesterday. I

> believe

> > this

> > > is the second time this kind of ill feeling has

happened,

> the

> > last

> > > was also accompanied by a cold though...and the elbow

spot

> > also

> > > occurred.

> > >

> > > I have thus far hesitated talking to my Mom about it

because

> I

> > feel

> > > it will be a horrible thing to hear for her. She will

feel

> like

> > > she's cursed me if that is what this is. RA has stolen

so

> much

> > of

> > > her life but you cannot believe how much she has fought

it

> and

> > lived

> > > well in spite of this awful disease. She believes it

began

> with

> > Rhm

> > > Fever when she was 5 -- and as a result she had a 'near

> death

> > > experiance' - she did in fact die althpugh the doctor

> brought her

> > > back. She remembers feeling stiff in the morning as a

kid

> in

> > > elementary school...didn't think a thing about it and

her

> parents

> > > thought it was just growing pains. I wrote off much of

my

> own

> > aches

> > > over the past few years as just run of the mill aches &

> pains of

> > > middleage but I wonder if I should be thinking a little

more

> > > seriously about what I might have and how to contend

with

> it. I

> > am

> > > otherwise healthy and active. We ranch in Wyoming - beef

> > cattle and

> > > we also raise a few horses. I am active and not a

complainer.

> > >

> > > Thank you.

> > > Shery Jespersen

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ---------------------------------------------------------------

----

> ---------

> >