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...
Hey, all. I just wanted to report on my visit with the new rheumy yesterday. She is amazing! I can't be anymore pleased. When she walked into the room, she immediately noticed the problems with my feet. She tried to move my feet/ankles from side to side and couldn't. Neither could I. She said it looked like they were starting to fuse, which was a bad sign.
Luckily I'd sent a copy of an MRI of my entire spine that I had done over a year ago, when I was first searching for answers. She literally said, "ah, ha!" When she saw it. She said it showed inflammation, which meant I had ankylosing spondylitis. It's in the same family of autoimmune diseases such as RA, and from my research so far, it has many of the same symptoms. I asked her why the problem with my ankles, and she said it was a manifestation of the disease. So AS causes other joint inflammation and pain, plus of the tendons. That explains why the backs of my heels hurt me so much of the time.
She said that obviously my treatment of just MTX wasn't working, to which I agreed! That was one of my problems with my former doctor. So she immediately started me on humira. They even gave me my first shot yesterday. She was so excited and full of hope for me! It was contagious, I have to say. I left there feeling so encouraged and hopeful whereas with the other doctor I usually left in tears.
I checked out the AS group on DS, and it doesn't seem nearly as active as this one, so I'll probably still hang around here. After all, AS is in the same family as RA, and the symptoms are pretty much the same. I'm just so happy to finally have a definitive diagnosis. Btw, she also understands fibro, but I told her that was actually taking a back seat to the symptoms of the AS.
Thanks, everyone, for your advice and caring. We're all in this journey of chronic pain together. Hugs!
Luckily I'd sent a copy of an MRI of my entire spine that I had done over a year ago, when I was first searching for answers. She literally said, "ah, ha!" When she saw it. She said it showed inflammation, which meant I had ankylosing spondylitis. It's in the same family of autoimmune diseases such as RA, and from my research so far, it has many of the same symptoms. I asked her why the problem with my ankles, and she said it was a manifestation of the disease. So AS causes other joint inflammation and pain, plus of the tendons. That explains why the backs of my heels hurt me so much of the time.
She said that obviously my treatment of just MTX wasn't working, to which I agreed! That was one of my problems with my former doctor. So she immediately started me on humira. They even gave me my first shot yesterday. She was so excited and full of hope for me! It was contagious, I have to say. I left there feeling so encouraged and hopeful whereas with the other doctor I usually left in tears.
I checked out the AS group on DS, and it doesn't seem nearly as active as this one, so I'll probably still hang around here. After all, AS is in the same family as RA, and the symptoms are pretty much the same. I'm just so happy to finally have a definitive diagnosis. Btw, she also understands fibro, but I told her that was actually taking a back seat to the symptoms of the AS.
Thanks, everyone, for your advice and caring. We're all in this journey of chronic pain together. Hugs!
I'm more familiar with PsA than AS, although they are quite similar. One of the diagnostic criteria for PsA is normal lab work: even CRP and ESR are often low, even when someone is severely ill.
Can you have both? Oh yes! Twice the fun, all rolled into one crappy little package.
Thanks to FL for sharing, gave me food for thought.
Learned something here.
I'll tell ya some of these doctors are really misinforming & mistreating.
Prime example first appointment out lizzy gets answers after all this time.
So dang sad.
Sammy