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...

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stenvikm 05/28/2009

Hi Friends

I have been on mtx for about 4 months started the injectables 2 months ago felt pretty good until acouple weeks ago, my right eye is so painfull I did get eye drops it helps, my hair is thining Im coughing all the time and sometimes I feel it hard to breath. My doc did call me todya and told me that my exrays on my feet and knees have alot of erosions on them and I need to see her asp in Anchorage which is 350 mile away,what should I except ?? what can they do about erosins bones? Thanks Marie

deleted_user 05/28/2009

Yes-if at all possible u should go. It's serious enough evidently or she wouldn't have suggested it. When u see her make sure u tell her about all the side effects the MTX is giving u.

pearl240 05/29/2009

Hi Marie, how is your eye doing today? Any more pain? You mentioned that you are coughing....have you told your doctor about that? Make sure to get chest x-rays.

Do you have like a primary that is close by that may be able to read the results of your feet and knee x-rays? You may be able to have your RA doc fax over the results to one that is closest to you.

Best to you

deleted_user 05/29/2009

If you are having eye pain you need to see an opthamologist ASAP. Arthritis can cause eye inflammation, which is both painful and dangerous. Or, it could be that you have inflammation of the tear ducts and that is causing your eye to be dry and painful. Either way, you likely need a round of pred forte drops for your eye.Please see an eye doctor. So sorry to hear you are feeling so bad...sounds like you may need more meds.

stenvikm 05/29/2009

Talked to my Dr today I driving down to see her next Tueday then my eye dr after that. My exrays of my feet should alot of bone erosion not sure what they can do about that?? my cough started 3 days after my first injection and at times my chest hurts do bad and between the middle of my shoulers. Is there anything that can be done to help my feet.?? Thanks for listening to me hopefully I will feel better next week after dr vist.
Thanks sooo much, your friend marie

Caspiana 05/29/2009

Hi Marie. Have a safe trip. I hope the doctors visit helps you feel better very soon. *hugs to you*

pearl240 05/30/2009

Hi Marie, the reason that I asked about your eye is because I have Scleritis which is another immune system disorder, and seen in people with RA. The pain is severe and in my case because I didn\'t get an early diagnosis, it causes damage to my eye.
I hope that you see an opthamologist that has experience with Scleritis or Uvitis. But I hope that the eye problem is resolved and that you are better.

Take care
Zeyda

JillyT 05/31/2009

You\'ll definitely need to see your dr about the xrays, if the problem is serious there are surgeries they can do to correct the problem but it may not be at that stage yet so don\'t worry about it ahead of time. Definitely let the dr know about the symptoms you\'ve had since starting MTX. I had hair thinning on top (no fun) from the MTX, but your other symptoms may be from something else or due to an allergy. Please let us know how your visit with the dr goes and in the meantime, warm and healing hugs to you...jilly

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