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! I'm newly diagnosed, but have doubts about my RA diagnosis bc I don't present like a typical RA patient. Joint pain for the last 8 years (remissions during pregnancies), pain in feet sometimes goes away after 30 min or stays all day, hand pain never goes away fully. No obvious swollen, red or hot joints. I do have raynaud's when I get chills (every few months), and had a low positive RF. All other labs were normal. Even sed rate. My rheumatologist is pretty convinced it's inflammatory arthritis and wanted to start prednisone and plaquenil. I'm breastfeeding and quite frankly freaked out by using such heavy meds that I opted to not treat it right now. Follow up in 4 weeks. Does this sound like RA to you?
if it was me, again? screw the meds. breastfeed the baby. you have ra in some form until death at age 85. you have this one year to feed the baby your mama milk. i nursed mine (gee can you tell??? laughing) until toddlerhood. none of that delicious nestle can stuff (I support every mother's decision to feed her baby exactly as she chooses nothing PC here - no tree hugging no birks, I promise just being sarcastic, sorry).
on another personal note only (ask your doctor) prednisone is NOT a treatment for me or a requirement for me (except for my lungs when in pneumonia).
I was given prednisone when my function wicked waned at work while waiting for other meds to kick in (as a bridge) and it masked my symptoms. It did not treat me.
for my ra predisone is like palliative. Therefore I consider it optional to my ra treatment and I am a pred refuser. My rheumatologist never bats an eye when I refuse pred. My pulmonologist, does.
How is your function? are you walking the same? taking care of the kids the same? driving to work the same? working the same? going to daycare the same? sleeping the same? taking care of the house at night the same?
If your function is not suffering - can't you ask if you can just nurse your baby? Bring the baby to the next rheumatology appointment. and congratulations.
I say if you feel great, then just go with that. chicken little has plenty of time to have the sky fall in after you are done birthing and nursing.
If you were in a wheelchair or you could not take care of the baby or hold him/her I am sure you would all spring into action with another plan.
congratulations again!
depot
Just something to consider! Best of luck to you !
BUT going full throttle after the disease is absolutely critical. Be aggressive. There are so many reasons to preserve your health as best you can. I know it's hard but it's harder NOT to address.
It sounds like you have already waited longer than is ideal.
Good luck. Multijo