Beginning to consider the possibility

[Guest guest]

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