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...
Lots of questions from me today and this may be my most urgent ;
having been going through a very BAD flare this past week my knees simultaneously became swollen and horrible pain and then , upon finding a lump behind my ear which felt extremely tender, I mentioned to my rheumie when I saw him Monday and asked if it might be a swollen lymph node and he felt it and said yes...and then I also told him up at the top of my legs in groin area (both legs) felt the same and he checked that and those nodes are swollen too and when I asked why he just said because I'm in a really bad flare right now.
I just wonder , is swollen lymph nodes a typical thing that occurs in a flare? ( I did not think to ask him so I'm asking you all )
I try to swim because of my RA but the neck lymph node actually is preventing me from swimming if you can believe it.
I have to admit here, I have this feeling of "dread" like something besides the RA is just not quite right. I've had the feeling ever since my January diagnosis. I do have anxiety & depression issues which are lifelong, not just recent.
But I feel like , you all here in this group, seem to have better coping skills than me. I feel lost , even here.
Not that I am into pity parties I really am not. I just feel , well, so lame about it all.
I feel like I might as well have a cancer diagnosis, like it's all so surreal and I keep thinking it's just not true.
I know I am all over the place here but I felt I needed to get these admissions of feelings out there.
If nothing else I do want to know more about the lymph node thing.
thanks.
having been going through a very BAD flare this past week my knees simultaneously became swollen and horrible pain and then , upon finding a lump behind my ear which felt extremely tender, I mentioned to my rheumie when I saw him Monday and asked if it might be a swollen lymph node and he felt it and said yes...and then I also told him up at the top of my legs in groin area (both legs) felt the same and he checked that and those nodes are swollen too and when I asked why he just said because I'm in a really bad flare right now.
I just wonder , is swollen lymph nodes a typical thing that occurs in a flare? ( I did not think to ask him so I'm asking you all )
I try to swim because of my RA but the neck lymph node actually is preventing me from swimming if you can believe it.
I have to admit here, I have this feeling of "dread" like something besides the RA is just not quite right. I've had the feeling ever since my January diagnosis. I do have anxiety & depression issues which are lifelong, not just recent.
But I feel like , you all here in this group, seem to have better coping skills than me. I feel lost , even here.
Not that I am into pity parties I really am not. I just feel , well, so lame about it all.
I feel like I might as well have a cancer diagnosis, like it's all so surreal and I keep thinking it's just not true.
I know I am all over the place here but I felt I needed to get these admissions of feelings out there.
If nothing else I do want to know more about the lymph node thing.
thanks.
I've not had them in the groin area, but I have swollen/tender lymph nodes in my neck all the time. Right underneath my jaw where my earlobes are, if that makes sense at all. My doc said it goes along with the RA.
I have never had the swollen lymph nodes, but I have read many accounts from those with RA who have had them. I have also read articles written by healh care professionals that mention the same thing.
As for the feeling of dread...I have had that, too. Especailly before my diagnosis. I knew something was really wrong, but my blood tests were normal. It was scary! I am sero-negative, as many othere here are, also.
Please post your feelings and questions often. We all try to help one another here. We are a community.
Blessings,
V
really, that is what I expected. I really know on one hand, I've had this damn disease way longer than my dx......(in 2003, was sero positive but THAT doc dismissed it saying it doesn't mean "anything") grrrr.
all this suffering and only know do I get taken seriously.
I think I am more able TO suck it up about the swollen nodes , knowing it is part of it. I think I felt "maybe I REALLY have cancer" or something ELSE besides RA , doing that. Yanno?
Now I look back to all the times my neck lymph nodes have been swollen (over the years) with no known reason.
hmmm. maybe this is a baby step I just took. I think I just crossed over from "in denial" to "pissed off". :p
He answers my questions when I know to ask. (very patiently even)