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...
Well, last Friday I went to NC for a family reunion, scared to death as to how I was going to handle a ride and getting around. Somehow I rose to the occasion. The ride down was not bad and we only stopped three times, walked very slowly to the rest room but had my 92 year old mother in law with me so we walked slow. I got around ok, even went for a boat ride. Took the elevator in the hotel and hurt the day after coming home. But this week has been better. I actually washed the kitchen floor and cleaned and washed.
Maybe the medicine in now getting into my system, has been a month or just coincidental. I have been trying also to do some stretches and even went for a very short walk down the street with my dog. Mind over matter?
This has given me some hope but I know I still feel a little feeble. I know I am still feeling that uncomfortable pain and going slow but I am trying to come to grips with it. It does help when you stay at home in your own surroundings but I felt like I made strides this week.
I also know this could be a mind game. I wait for the bottom to drop out. I know you can have good days and bad. I cry every day, depression, but this week I cried less. While these good days come you know you will have bad come again and emotionally that up and down will be devasting.
I do still have a couple of questions that have popped in my head.
1. How do you know that you are getting the best care, you like to trust your dr. but if you start with these lighter end drugs how do you know its best to go slow and see what happens over taking a stronger drug to really nip it.
2. Are you all given tests to see if this drug regimen is hurting your organs?
3. If you wear a brace on your wrists does it help your mobility in your hands. I only have one hand that gives me trouble but it is my right hand and I am right handed so it really limits me.
Thanks for listening.
Renee
Maybe the medicine in now getting into my system, has been a month or just coincidental. I have been trying also to do some stretches and even went for a very short walk down the street with my dog. Mind over matter?
This has given me some hope but I know I still feel a little feeble. I know I am still feeling that uncomfortable pain and going slow but I am trying to come to grips with it. It does help when you stay at home in your own surroundings but I felt like I made strides this week.
I also know this could be a mind game. I wait for the bottom to drop out. I know you can have good days and bad. I cry every day, depression, but this week I cried less. While these good days come you know you will have bad come again and emotionally that up and down will be devasting.
I do still have a couple of questions that have popped in my head.
1. How do you know that you are getting the best care, you like to trust your dr. but if you start with these lighter end drugs how do you know its best to go slow and see what happens over taking a stronger drug to really nip it.
2. Are you all given tests to see if this drug regimen is hurting your organs?
3. If you wear a brace on your wrists does it help your mobility in your hands. I only have one hand that gives me trouble but it is my right hand and I am right handed so it really limits me.
Thanks for listening.
Renee
Your ??s:
1. Trust is good. For me, though, I have a general distrust that anyone anywhere is involved enough with ME to just let my guard down and let it rip. If you look on the main RA page on here, up top you will see "recommendations". On there, I posted a link to treatment guidelines. It may help to read that to get an idea of what to expect depending on the severity of your RA.
2. I get bloodwork done every 4 to 8 weeks, depending on how I am doing.
3. I have two types of braces for both my wrists. And yes, wearing a brace does help in that it allows the supporting structures to rest and heal. You can buy one at the drugstore and try it out. The ones I have have steel braces top and bottom for support. My prescription splints include a thumb support; the ones I got at the drugstore do not support my thumb, just my wrist. I use them a lot to protect my wrists. The rx ones I use when my hands and tendons are flaring. I also have supportive gloves...kinda like thick pantyhose material with a velcro wrap around the wrist. These are great when my hands feel swollen and achy.
tess
In response to your questions, I think the first one is probably most important. If you like and trust your doctor and can talk to him/her about how you are feeling, then I would say that you are getting good care. If the treatments are simply not working for you, then you need to discuss that with the doctor. If you have questions regarding different meds, ask the doctor. Or, if your doctor is not a Rheumatologist, you might want to get a referral to one.
#2 - I get bloodwork done every 3 to 4 months, other tests as needed.
#3 - I wear wrist/thumb braces, with metal stays for the thumb. These do help me. I also wear them at night when I sleep which relieves pain then as well too.
Good Luck, hope you feel better!
All he said ( no offense, but he was foreign, almost like he did not know the english language) was here -- he pointed to his lap top, is where \'your levels are\' - whatever that meant. He says you have RA, do you know what that it? I said "well, I believe it is the more serious arthritis" and then he wrote me a script, sent his nurse in and she said he had changed it, and never saw him again that day. A total of maybe five minutes-- and this was the second appointment -- the first appointment he just said, you need to get these blood test done and see me in two weeks.
He didn\'t even look at my hands, or ask me any questions, nothing- zilch! My feet have something wrong with them as well, but he said "oh, that\'s just the fibro" - bull.
I also get blood work every 3 months, more often if my Dr sees any concerns. As an aside on that, during summer months, I have to especially watch and drink lots. Getting dehydrated can cause problems.
I also sleep in a wrist brace. I have two and sometimes have to wear them on both hands. It is just one that I picked up at a drugstore. My Dr. did caution me not to wear it all the time, as it can cause weakness, but I wear it at night.
Take care!
Sandy
igi
1. I started out with just MTX. My doctor wanted to see if that would be enough. I was on just MTX for about three months. After three months he decided that it wasn\'t quite enough and wanted me to start on enbrel. To be honest I couldn\'t say either way because I felt better when on MTX but according to him I would feel even better once I started on enbrel as well. This has proved to be correct. So in a way I had to trust him. I also asked people here about enbrel when I was just about to start on it, so I felt alot more confident that what I was doing was okay.
2. I get a blood test everytime I go to see him that\'s once a month to make sure the drugs are not hurting my organs.
3. If I have alot of pain in my hand I do wear a brace. It seems to help me not to strain my hand too much. It doesn\'t do too much for my mobility.
I hope this helps a little. P.S. Please try not to overdo it with the cleaning. I am exactly the same, when I feel better I want to clean everything and when I do I pay for it later.
Thanks for all your replys.
Renee