Re: arthritis and swelling

[Guest guest]

I am in advanced stages having RA for a decade and having joint pain doesnt always mean swelling for me. Especially in the winter cold, my bones just ache sometimes badly. If you are just in the midst of diagnosis, swelling is a sign of active disease and that causes the pain. It is the white blood cells attacking the joint that cause the swelling, thinking its an infection, and trying to fix that, and the pain comes with that. Since our white blood cells think we are the infection, and try to attack us rather that defend us, our immune system is acting in the reverse of what it normally should. Good luck.......Deborah

[Guest guest]

Hi Dawn, in the beginning I didn't have any inflamation, just pain and the

pain was different all the time so even I thought I was crazy trying to

explain it.

Dorey

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

From: " dzoo16 " <mtnbykr@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 5:49 PM

Subject: arthritis and swelling

> Hi all,

>

> I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the " options " . I am

> wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling with

> their pain?

>

> I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have actual

> swelling of the joints.

>

> I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You could

> have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.

>

> Dawn

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I was 15 years old when my symptoms started and they began with joint pain and stiffness but little actual swelling. My fingers were stuck and my feet hurt when I walked on a hard floor barefoot in the morning. The swelling came on later. I was found to have a high sed rate and a high or positive RA/RH? factor, I think -- it's tough to remember 15 years back Andiedzoo16 <mtnbykr@...> wrote:

Hi all,I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the "options". I am wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling with their pain?I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have actual swelling of the joints. I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You could have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.Dawn

[Guest guest]

Unfortunately diagnosis of RA is often very difficult and may take several years before the diagnosis is really firm. However most of the possibilities are treated much the same way so treatment can precede the diagnosis and response to treatment can be part of the diagnosis process. There are seven criteria from the American College of Rheumatology to diagnose RA and having any four of them qualifies for a positive diagnosis.

1. Morning stiffness, lasting for at least an hour, present daily for at least 6 weeks2. Arthritis of 3 or more joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks3. Arthritis of the hand joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks4. Symmetric arthritis, lasting for at least 6 weeks5. Rheumatoid nodules6. Positive rheumatoid factor (blood test)7. Joint changes on x-ray

None of these specifically mention swelling but arthritis (that just means joint inflammation) often includes swelling. Prednisone is a strong anti-inflammatory that is often used to help the symptoms of RA and if it is effective that is a strong indication that an inflammation is involved. It usually acts quickly to help the symptoms of RA but does not do much to slow the joint damage from RA, and it also has many bad side effects. However it is very useful when you need something to permit you to function.

Most RA medicines take quite a while to become fully effective (several weeks to several months). Probably the most common one is Methotrexate but some doctors start with milder ones like Plaquenil and Sulfasalazine. The modern approach is to use aggressive treatment to get the RA under control and then back off if a lesser amount of medication will work. I hope you get effective treatment soon. God bless.

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

From: dzoo16

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 5:49 PM

Subject: arthritis and swelling

Hi all,I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the "options". I am wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling with their pain?I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have actual swelling of the joints. I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You could have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.Dawn

[Guest guest]

Deborah hi ,

I'm i've been dx'ed since 04 04 and been in bad

pain since 1999 i only experince slight swelling with

warmeth at times ???? so another odd thing about this

diease with me and never no sever redness ?? but now

besides my toes looks like my fingers are turning to

with more S I joint problems ??? I think I give up

trying to figuer it out even deal with it !

john

--- dbargad@... wrote:

> I am in advanced stages having RA for a decade and

> having joint pain doesnt

> always mean swelling for me. Especially in the

> winter cold, my bones just ache

> sometimes badly. If you are just in the midst of

> diagnosis, swelling is a

> sign of active disease and that causes the pain. It

> is the white blood cells

> attacking the joint that cause the swelling,

> thinking its an infection, and

> trying to fix that, and the pain comes with that.

> Since our white blood cells

> think we are the infection, and try to attack us

> rather that defend us, our

> immune system is acting in the reverse of what it

> normally should. Good

> luck.......Deborah

>

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[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/6/2005 9:57:04 A.M. Central Standard Time, mtnbykr@... writes:

Hi all,I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the "options". I am wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling with their pain?I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have actual swelling of the joints. I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You could have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.Dawn

I think swelling is one symptom that goes hand in hand with RA.

Before finally getting DX'd, my feet were so swollen that my toes turned purple and I could

only wear 1certain pair of shoes. Also, my hands were so swollen and the RA was so bad that I couldn't use my hands at all - I had to have help getting dressed and with cutting my food.

Becky

[Guest guest]

I have some swelling in my ankles and hands... but not my knees and yet they are painful too. It may be one of the great RA mysteries... to swell or not to swellSamOn Sep 6, 2005, at 10:57 AM, dbargad@... wrote:I am in advanced stages having RA for a decade and having joint pain doesnt always mean swelling for me.  Especially in the winter cold, my bones just ache sometimes badly.  If you are just in the midst of diagnosis, swelling is a sign of active disease and that causes the pain.  It is the white blood cells attacking the joint that cause the swelling, thinking its an infection, and trying to fix that, and the pain comes with that.  Since our white blood cells think we are the infection, and try to attack us rather that defend us, our immune system is acting in the reverse of what it normally should.  Good luck.......Deborah

[Guest guest]

The only swelling I've had is from those darn steroids! Seriously

though, just my fingers which are all fat today! But my most painful

joints, elbows and knees havent swollen at all

--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " dzoo16 " <mtnbykr@c...>

wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the " options " . I

am

> wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling with

> their pain?

>

> I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have

actual

> swelling of the joints.

>

> I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You could

> have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.

>

> Dawn

[Guest guest]

This is good to know as I am having a hard time explaining my pain

since it moves around. Sometimes my joints are red and hot but not

really swollen. Silly body.

I guess I really don't want the diagnosis of RA so perhaps I am

bucking the system and Dr's because of it.

One thing at a time. I do have a " abnormal " RA factor but just

marginal. Sed rat is normal.

Currently my thyroid tests came back abnormal so I want to focus on

that first and get something I can actually see on paper that is

wrong!

So perhaps once that is regulated everything else will go away A

girl can hope.

Dawn

> Hi Dawn, in the beginning I didn't have any inflamation, just pain

and the

> pain was different all the time so even I thought I was crazy

trying to

> explain it.

>

> Dorey

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: " dzoo16 " <mtnbykr@c...>

> <Rheumatoid Arthritis >

> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 5:49 PM

> Subject: arthritis and swelling

>

>

> > Hi all,

> >

> > I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the " options " .

I am

> > wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling

with

> > their pain?

> >

> > I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have

actual

> > swelling of the joints.

> >

> > I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You

could

> > have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.

> >

> > Dawn

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Good attitude! Hope is everything. I wish you all the best and I was just reading a great book, "Living Well with AutoImmune Diseases" by J. Shoman. It's an excellent book and I highly recommend it....It is a large paperback and it was $15.00,(Not bad) but I'm sure you could get it from a library as well.

Be as well as you can be.

dzoo16 <mtnbykr@...> wrote:

This is good to know as I am having a hard time explaining my pain since it moves around. Sometimes my joints are red and hot but not really swollen. Silly body.I guess I really don't want the diagnosis of RA so perhaps I am bucking the system and Dr's because of it. One thing at a time. I do have a "abnormal" RA factor but just marginal. Sed rat is normal.Currently my thyroid tests came back abnormal so I want to focus on that first and get something I can actually see on paper that is wrong! So perhaps once that is regulated everything else will go away A girl can hope.Dawn> Hi Dawn, in the beginning I didn't have any inflamation, just pain and the > pain

was different all the time so even I thought I was crazy trying to > explain it.> > Dorey> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "dzoo16" <mtnbykr@c...>> <Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 5:49 PM> Subject: arthritis and swelling> > > > Hi all,> >> > I am in the process of diagnosis, rheum is one of the "options". I am> > wondering does everyone that is diagnosed with RA have swelling with> > their pain?> >> > I ask because I have the fatigue and joint pain but rarely have actual> > swelling of the joints.> >> > I find the whole diagnosis process pretty disheartening-- You could> > have--arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrom, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.> >> > Dawn> >>

>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >