Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Muscles & Bones
/ Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

APPROVED

TWGarrett
TWGarrett
It's official I have been approved for the research on RA meds.. This is wonderful since the Free Clinic I go to can only treat me for my Fibro. The bad thing is that after I took the blood test and x-rays I had a follow up appt. at the free clinic for blood work in Oct. as well as x-rays. They decided because I have bone spurs in my feet and was negative on the blood test I had Osteo Arthritis instead of RA. Keeping in mind I had a possitive blood test in Aug.. I called the dr. doing the research,referred by the Free Clinic,and was told I had a possitive RA Factor and all the physical exam was possitive wait on the remaining test. I got the call yesterday, I am receiving my first infusion Mon.. The bad part was that it felt like being told the first time all over again that I have RA. Now the other question is could I also have Osteo Arthritis since I have bone spurs? If so should I be on anything specific for it?
On a better thought "HAPPY NEW YEAR" to all. Love and Hugs TW
lovebaby8
lovebaby8
I was told that bone spurs was part of RA. At least that what my RA doctor has said will I guess the correct term is nodules or something like that. I have a few of those but no talk of osteo arthritits. But I wish you luck with the reasearch drug and I hope that you have a good New Years as well.
michigirl
michigirl
I have a little bit of osteoarthritis along with my RA, too. Osteoarthritis is the kind you get from overusing a joint. What I don't know is if the RA causes the joints to weaken, thereby leading to overuse faster than normal. I don't know if there is a medication for OA. Good luck with the tests!
mmztcass
mmztcass
OA and RA runs on both sides of my family. I'm looking at the Hyaluronic Acid to see how it works with the OA. I think I have a bit of it too.

{{{hugs}}} :-)
deleted_user
deleted_user
I take Glucosamine for the OA, which is secondary to the RA. That means that because I had damage to the joints from the RA, the OA moves in to "over repair" the damage, from what I can figure out.

Don't discount that you may have RA. I was sero negative for the first years. If you have remission from RA, that is great. But if you are having hot flares, don't let them go on the RA. I got most of my damage before I was diagnosed and I was in terrible pain. My sed factors are never high, no matter how bad the flares. So be kind but firm, and ask for another blood test, and talk about how 30% of people with RA have low or zero sed rates. And good luck.
korina
korina
My Dr. told me you can have more than one type of arthritis. Good luck and God bless people like you who are willing to do medicine studies. Happy and Healthy New Year.
lycesq
lycesq
First - congratulations on qualifying - I hope you have some relief!

Secondly, RA and osteo can go hand in hand. I've had both. The RA is in remission but the osteo is alive and well.

Sometimes I think of our systems as a dragon that simply bites us at different places - at times it is quiet and at other times it roars.

Here's to a better 20ll for you!