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...
I met with my new rheumy about two and a half weeks ago. He mentioned 'arthritis in the spine' and made me nervous, but ordered tons of tests which I like. I had NINE vials of blood drawn, urinalysis, ultrasounds of my hands, and will have a bunch of X-rays today just before meeting with him again. He prescribed 15mg meloxicam daily, which I've been taking almost daily (I sometimes forget my morning vitamin/supplement regimen on Sundays) but I don't see much improvement at all.
I'm pretty nervous about the appointment today. I don't know what the doctor is going to say. I read through my blood work and I don't see any abnormalities as far as the things we usually look for (c-reactive protein, ESR particularly). I have some of my old results that I'm going to bring with me. I've lived with the pain this long, I think I could continue plodding along but I'd love love LOVE some relief. My main concern now is the lasting damage that could be occurring to my joints and organs. Ugh.
I'm pretty nervous about the appointment today. I don't know what the doctor is going to say. I read through my blood work and I don't see any abnormalities as far as the things we usually look for (c-reactive protein, ESR particularly). I have some of my old results that I'm going to bring with me. I've lived with the pain this long, I think I could continue plodding along but I'd love love LOVE some relief. My main concern now is the lasting damage that could be occurring to my joints and organs. Ugh.
Just the other day, my heart doc called and left a message for me to call ASAP. I called - worried of course. Little lady on the phone apologized for calling the wrong number.
I got sick to my stomach. Too much worry. Get the information and make a plan is what we do.
Again, Good Luck
Peace
Bluedogs2
X-rays show normal joints in my feet, hands, ankles, SI. He said the cushioning in my knees is thinning a bit and that my hips are narrowing but that has nothing to do with the RA. He does not see any damage in my hands by ultrasound and seems confident that my RA has not caused any damage. My blood work was mostly normal except for ESR, slightly elevated - very slight - but he said that was concerning for someone my age. I'll start Plaquenil, have blood work in about a month, and see him in six weeks.
I'm glad to know there is no lasting damage. But I feel kind of bad - this is MILD RA? My life has been so dramatically affected and this is MILD RA? I also wonder about my immune system - I don't heal the way I did before I was on mtx/Enbrel/Humira. My tattoos heal different - MUCH different - cat scratches take forever to scab, even pimples on my face take weeks to fully disappear. I guess we'll see what happens.
I cleaned the apartment yesterday. I'm going to power through and go food shopping today. I can still work. When I think about what other people have to go through, people are on disability and practically bed ridden from RA, I think my RA is probably mild compared to them. I can do what I need to do, but it's not often easy. One little thing I noticed is getting ready to leave the house. Putting on makeup and blowdrying my hair are very hard! Holding eyeliner pens or the brush who blowdrying are painful.
This rhuemy's office came highly recommended by my cousin, who was diagnosed with RA probably 7-8 years ago around age 24. She's found very good relief with Orencia infusions. I just hope the Plaquenil helps like the doctor said it would.