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...
Hello everyone,
I was just Diagnosed with RA after having a total Hysterectomy (Ovaries kept) Im convinced this was hormonal. After my surgery 4 weeks later my feet started hurting and i couldn't walk. After much testing i was told i had a severe Vitamin D deficiency level 17 (norm is 40- above) Im now on prescription 100,000 IU 2 x a week, A week later my hands started swelling and my index fingers in both hands were extremely painful joints, my neck, knees as well. I asked to have my RA tested as well as Thyroid as well as many others. after more weeks of suffering and passed around from doctors to finally a Rheumatologist he called me in My first RA test was a level 15 not to impressive sine normal is 0-14. This time my husband and i got the call to come in the office and he told me i DO INDEED HAVE RA. I was finally happy to have a confirmed diagnosis but at the same time devastated that this means the end of my Nursing career I can barley function. Ive been in a constant flare for 5 weeks. He started me immediately on Methotrexate. I had a few crazy side effects and im wondering if anyone can tell me if this is good? I stated a Gluten Free diet as well, no sugar, many supplements, fish oil, turmeric, magnesium, milk thistle for liver, eating anti inflammatory foods. Is there anything I can do naturally to get this flare down? I had the hysterectomy due to severe endometriosis... Im hearing for me this was hormonal??? If I knew that i wouldn't have had this. Please if anyone knows any advice on what meds are good and wont kill me faster ... they sound like poison! Im scared to death! Thank you!
I was just Diagnosed with RA after having a total Hysterectomy (Ovaries kept) Im convinced this was hormonal. After my surgery 4 weeks later my feet started hurting and i couldn't walk. After much testing i was told i had a severe Vitamin D deficiency level 17 (norm is 40- above) Im now on prescription 100,000 IU 2 x a week, A week later my hands started swelling and my index fingers in both hands were extremely painful joints, my neck, knees as well. I asked to have my RA tested as well as Thyroid as well as many others. after more weeks of suffering and passed around from doctors to finally a Rheumatologist he called me in My first RA test was a level 15 not to impressive sine normal is 0-14. This time my husband and i got the call to come in the office and he told me i DO INDEED HAVE RA. I was finally happy to have a confirmed diagnosis but at the same time devastated that this means the end of my Nursing career I can barley function. Ive been in a constant flare for 5 weeks. He started me immediately on Methotrexate. I had a few crazy side effects and im wondering if anyone can tell me if this is good? I stated a Gluten Free diet as well, no sugar, many supplements, fish oil, turmeric, magnesium, milk thistle for liver, eating anti inflammatory foods. Is there anything I can do naturally to get this flare down? I had the hysterectomy due to severe endometriosis... Im hearing for me this was hormonal??? If I knew that i wouldn't have had this. Please if anyone knows any advice on what meds are good and wont kill me faster ... they sound like poison! Im scared to death! Thank you!
You have come to the right place and welcome. I am sorry this has happened to you and there are more natural approaches to this, but there is no guarantee that they will work to slow down the progression of the disease or ease your pain and in the end you need to do what is best for you. I'm not going to lie to you all of the medicines used to treat this disease have side effects. Some are worse than others. But in reality if you think about it all medicine (even tylenol) has risks. You have to do what will make you feel better. If it helps to ease your minds start with dietary changes and the milder medicines like antibiotics then move onto more hard core things like methotrexate, prednisone, or biologics. There is risks with everything in life, my ? to you is how much pain do you want to be in and what are you willing to do to feel better. Those are the ?s you have to ask yourself. Once you know that then you know what you will be willing to settle for and what you won't. It will make a huge difference in your quality of life.
I will say when I first started this I was worried about some of the meds too, but as the pain intensified and the Drs. kept putting off my diagnosis and not giving me anything that helped, I realized I would do whatever it took and take whatever they gave me to feel better, and that I was not willing to settle for less than a DMARD. Hope this helps and good luck. ((HUGS)) Carol
I started seeing symptoms at 15, over 45 years ago. It did get significantly worse when I was pregnant (and heavier) and after childbirth, so there could very well have been a correlation to hormone levels for me as well.
Please dont throw the towel in on nursing. I know there are a couple of other women here who are nurses as well and living with RA as well. Perhaps you will need to modify the type of nursing you are doing. Wait and see.
One of the most important things you can do is get in to see a podiatrist and have some good orthotics made that you can wear in some very well cushioned, wide toed shoes. Walking is paramount in both working and keeping your strength up for everything else.
Keep an eye on your kidney function while on Methotrexate. I went into kidney failure from that. Had to see a kidney doc for at least three years. He got me back on track.
I have said here a few times before that diet never seemed to make any difference in my condition. For some people it does. I will say, however, that losing weight in general is a very good idea. Any extra weight makes it all the harder on your joints.
The rest of us cant tell you what meds might work good for you. You will have to try a variety, like we all have, to find the best one for you. Sometimes, its a combination that works best.
Sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Its nothing any of us would have chosen. But, taken day by day, it can be manageable. Just stick up for yourself in the docs office.