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...
Well, lately I have been having problems with my breathing. I also have chostachondritis and my ribs are so painful. So my rheumy sent me to a lung specialist who sent me for a CT scan of my chest. This morning I had the CT scan. The young man doing the test asked me questions about why I was there and what were my symptoms. After taking pictures on my back, he came in and said that I have gallstones and that could be the cause of a lot of my problems. So now I wait for the lung doc to get the results and decide what is the next step. I have not had to have any surgery since being diagnosed with RA. I have read on here that I would have to stop my Orencia infusions but not sure for how long. Anyone else have this or have had this problem? Thanks, Wendy
I had my gallbladder out 20 years ago. I'll never forget the severe pain of gall bladder attacks. It went from the middle of my chest-straight through to my back. I had to lay in submerged in a HOT water bath in order to breathe. I would vomit. Sometimes it made me feel better some times did not. This happened to me after the birth of my first child and the dr. blamed my symptoms on being a new, nervous mother. :(
My father who had his gallbladder removed and new the symptoms told me to push my dr. for a test for gallstones. Sure enough my gallbladder was FULL of sludge- not big stones.
I had the big abdominal cut type surgery but today it is laproscopic and people say it is a breeze. Hope it will be the answer to your problems.
All my best