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...
I've had a second visit with my newest rheumatologist, and I think this one's a keeper. My first had me under the "unspecified inflammatory arthropathy" label. She put me on prednisone, MTX and its little friends, Humira, which I couldn't tolerate, and then Enbrel. A month into the Enbrel she referred me to the rheumatology clinic at the nearby university, then suddenly closed her practice, messing up my Enbrel prescription on the way out. The university was a long wait, then a nightmare. Months later, got in with the new doctor.
She was positive, about 2 minutes after I walked in, that I have a screaming case of psoriatic arthritis. Makes sense to me: I have a 20-year history of psoriasis. Her mindset is that if a patient shows up with psoriasis and joint pain, the difficulty would be in proving it's NOT PsA. The damage in my lower back, visible on xrays, is more proof, as I guess that is much more of a PsA/AS (anklyosing spondylitis) thing than an RA phenomenon.
So, it's back on the Enbrel to see if it does any good. I wasn't too impressed with it before, but that was only for four weeks. Among other reasons, she says my insurance company- and don't we just love them being part of the decision- wouldn't approve anything else without giving Enbrel a good try first. The hope is that I can lower or get off the MTX and prednisone. I'd love to have both of those out of my life.
Even though I seem to NOT have RA, do y'all mind if I continue to hang out here? DS doesn't have a PsA group, the two diseases have more similarities than differences, and you are all just such a swell group of people!
She was positive, about 2 minutes after I walked in, that I have a screaming case of psoriatic arthritis. Makes sense to me: I have a 20-year history of psoriasis. Her mindset is that if a patient shows up with psoriasis and joint pain, the difficulty would be in proving it's NOT PsA. The damage in my lower back, visible on xrays, is more proof, as I guess that is much more of a PsA/AS (anklyosing spondylitis) thing than an RA phenomenon.
So, it's back on the Enbrel to see if it does any good. I wasn't too impressed with it before, but that was only for four weeks. Among other reasons, she says my insurance company- and don't we just love them being part of the decision- wouldn't approve anything else without giving Enbrel a good try first. The hope is that I can lower or get off the MTX and prednisone. I'd love to have both of those out of my life.
Even though I seem to NOT have RA, do y'all mind if I continue to hang out here? DS doesn't have a PsA group, the two diseases have more similarities than differences, and you are all just such a swell group of people!
Did she enlighten you on the defining differences between psoriatic and rheumatoid, other than the psoriasis? (I am wondering about it for myself and others might like to know too.)
Sounds like your new doc is on her game - GOOD. I'm also crossing fingers with you that you can get the nasty buggers MTX and prednisone out of your life...
Like confoosed said, I'd like to hear more about the differences as well - I kinda thought PsA was say, under the "umbrella" of RA, if that makes sense? But I don't know, it's all so confusing to me.
I'm really glad to hear you are finally getting answers - and I'm hoping relief is coming up ASAP for you.
P.S. remember, you can't leave the group, I'm just sayin'.... ; )
Leaving is up to you. Personally, I hope you stay with us, but if you choose to make a bad decision, I WILL SEND YOU KALE once a week for a very long time.
I WILL.
Peace and rest well
Bluedogs2
I'm still trying to suss out the differences between RA and PsA. They are definitely cousins, maybe siblings, possibly even fraternal twins. PsA usually presents with negative results on lab tests. Most people have skin or nail involvement first, but not always. RA is something like 80% female, where PsA is more even, maybe even skewing more towards the guy side. PsA hits tendons, especially at the attachment points to bones, as well as synovial tissue. It damages bone in fun new ways, and loves to settle into the spine and sacroiliac joints. The joints at the ends of the fingers are often affected, where as they claim RA doesn't hit those. (Many people with documented RA would disagree vociferously there.) Phil Mickelson has PsA, Lucille Ball had RA. Venus Williams, of course, is our Sjogren's girl, but that's another story.
My guess is that plenty of people with seronegative RA may have PsA. A number of people may have both. Treatments are pretty much identical, although I think they are starting to find that some of the biologics have a higher success rate with RA, others with PsA.
PsA is much less common, so I think it's often misdiagnosed. Anyone with a personal or family history of psoriasis, or odd skin or nail stuff that isn't diagnosed, might want to consider it.
We want you to stay with us, You are part of our family.
Peace and "Don't ask again"
Bluedogs2
You do make wonderful contributions to the group. We need the insights and the humor.
Please stay!
Nancy
(no lightening so far)
Be well
Bluedogs2
From what I've read PsA is more like RA then OA is. I'm definitely open to all PsA'ers out there joining us. Don't know if the support group title could be changed but if we keep mentioning PsA and someone does a search they'll find us. ;-)
Thanks for expanding on psoriatic v rheumatoid.
I have to wonder if psoriatic is just RA that doesn't attack organs. Eh, there's so much they dunno.
Scarlett, have you ever had a dermatologist look at your rash? It does sound kind of psoriasis-y, if that's a word.
Confoosed, PsA does attack organs too, I think. Great. Just great. I agree with you about autoimmune in general- I think what they don't know is far greater than what they do.
Bluedogs and Smith, I think it's a wonderful idea to join forces. There was another woman here, who I think went by Rosie or A Rose is a Rose or something similar who was diagnosed with PsA not too long ago and disappeared. I'm sorry she went away. Almost everything discussed on here is of interest to anyone with inflammatory arthritis, no matter which kind.