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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Things that go with RA

JillyT
JillyT
Hi all, since I started taking Humira I have been receiving lots of information about RA from my insurance company, the drug company and my med provider. I just received a booklet that describes the common illnesses that may accompany RA. They are Sjogren's Syndrome, Fibromyalgia (which brings along it's own group including IBS and Chronic Fatigue), Osteo Arthritis, and Osteoporosis (sp). I have everything except the last item, lol! This is the first time I have seen a publication linking them together. It has been helpful because now I can hand it to family members who I just recently found out thought I was crazy or attention seeking all these years and can say, here's some information you might like to know...:)
So I was wondering, how many of you have any of these other things that "go" with RA. Oh, there are also other auto immune illness that may go with or follow, but I guess they are not as common...?

hugs jilly
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have osteo arthritis in my hands and knees. I also have IBS. Don't have any other auto immune diseases that I am aware of. I try my darndest to keep out the rhuemies office unless I have to go to be able to continue to get my drugs!lol Very interesting info you have shared. It doesn't surprise me that all these things are linked to one another. So many of the auto immune diseases have overlapping symptoms. Thanks for the thread!!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have celiac disease which is linked but not caused by RA. I also have osteoporosis at 26 which is irreversible due to the celiac, and will probably not be happy with the RA. I have some neuropathy, and Raynauds as well.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have RA and Sjogren's syndrome. I also have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. i think its interesting how they link together like that.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have severe osteoporosis (at age 46), IBS, fibro, and OA. I have symptoms of Sjogren's, but no diagnosis yet. Good topic Jilly!
deleted_user
deleted_user
Jilly,

I get the same publications from the drug company for Humira (Amigen I believe). I found it interesting as well. I have all the classic symptoms of fibromyalgia and will be talking to my rheumy about it Thursday if I remember to LOL. I don't know, for some reason having the RA diagnosis kind of makes me look at all the other possible things that are going on as "oh well, just another side of RA (or in my case Hep C).

Mouse
P.S. I DO NOT like feeling llike I'm 107 when I'm only 47
JillyT
JillyT
Missy you're right, once I acquired RA everything else took a backseat at least in my mind. The sjogren's is a pain in the - I was going to say but - but that's not really appropriate, lol. The dryness in my mouth and eyes is getting worse. There are drugs I can take for that, but it's another 3 pills a day - so I am resisting so far, don't know how much longer I can hold out, lol.

The Fibro is interesting, I have had that and IBS since I was a kid. For FM I take Elavil at night to help me sleep, because disturbed sleep is one of the biggest contributors to FM pain and I also take Relafen, an antiinflammatory. If you need any info or just a shoulder to whine on, you know where to find me, LOL. hugs jilly
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have fibro, sjorns, osteo, and of course now RA.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I take Evoxac for the mouth/eye dryness. I only take it twice a day, and its very helpful
deleted_user
deleted_user
ummm, I have diabetes, and glaucoma but I don't think that is connected. Oh and OA, and my eyues are really dry ! Thank you my dear for the thread!
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