Hi to all the members on this board, my name is Stephen, age 56.
My story started back in October of 06 when I thought that I had sprained my wrist.
I kept working (Internal fixout in the housing industry) until the job was complete (two days),
but the wrist by now was quite swollen and the fingers very stiff and sore.
The following day my left hand started to suffer the same fate and the right, well I could not open a
vegimite jar nor hold a knife. Things only got worse from here with the same fate hitting my feet, knees,
and right shoulder, but I'm a bloke and things will right them selves, no need for a Doc.
At this stage I can hardly get out of bed let alone stand to have a pee, better to sit like the girls do,
Ahh, much more comfortable. After a week of this my groins started to act up and quickly spreading to
my lower adomin with a lot of pain and extreme discomfort, but still I'm a bloke, we'll get over this.
Three weeks down the track I had no more fight left in me, in tears and barely able to crawl, I succumbed
to the fact something was wrong (DOH). The only thing I could do without causing any pain was blink.
It's amazing how many muscle movements are thru the abdomen. Just moving a finger was felt down there.
The Doc took one look at me and said, well, whats the problem?.
Geezus, havent you been taking any notice of me over the past 3 and half weeks, then I remembered,
I'm a bloke.
The Doc prescribed prednsolone 3 x 25mg for three days tapering down after that, and off for blood tests.
Magic stuff that prednsolone, back to work at three days feeling as if nothing had happened.
I lasted 5 hours before having to pack it in, dizzy spells, cold sweats, shakes all over, and a brain that felt
like I had left half of it in bed that morning.
Back at the docs and he informs me that I have an RA Factor of 750 and ships me off to a specialist,
also stay on 3 x 5mg of prednsolone until you get into to see him.
Now I'm starting to hit the panic button, what the hell is this Rheumatoid Arthritis stuff.
A bit of reading on the internet that night and more panic, my bloody life is finished I thought.
Twelve months down the track and I'm still here and wont bore you with the journey in between.
Current status, unemployed, depression, Vertigo, Tachycardia, and last, Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Meds- Methotrexate 20 mg once a week, Leflunomide 20 mg daily, Folic acid twice weekly.
Medications are just holding, but over the past week have developed a deep throbbing type pain in
my right upper arm and shoulder blade, feels more muscular than RA.
Hope you are all feeling good today...
Beautiful photo, thanks for sharing.
I'm sorry you are having such trouble. I find it odd that it is in your abdomen too? Do you mean the ribs? Um, there are many types of arthritis. Some are infection based and others more common to men are the Anklyosing Spondylitis and it's "cousins". Or maybe polymyalgia rheumatica? I think I would go back to the rheumatologist have a talk with him about other possibilities since this seems to be attacking areas in which RA typically doesn't affect. Or a second opinion. Maybe it's RA and maybe it isn't. We all get affected a little differently with these diseases.
But if it were me, I'd look into this deeper. RA mimicks many other diseases and sometimes it's a very little nuance that differentiates it from another disease.
Hi and welcome Stephen, thanks for the beautiful picture to end my day. Your story is most of our stories.
Have you and your doctor discussed Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, all are biologics? Right now you're on only 2 DMARDS. Also, have you discussed any medications for depression? You still have a lot of options open to you. It doesn't sound like your RA is controlled. Uncontrolled RA causes damage to our joints that can't be reversed. A biologic might help in getting the disease under control and slow down or stop the damage. Once the disease has quieted you might be able to go back to work. Talk to your doctor about other options to get you under control and back to work. Keep us posted on how you're progressing. Lindy
[QUOTE=cheesehead]Beautiful photo, thanks for sharing.Welcome to AI, Stephen! Glad you found us, but sorry you needed to find us.
That is a lovely pic, thanks for sharing it.
I hope you can get your depression taken care of soon.
Please feel free to join in on any of the posts, we do not bite... but watch out there are a couple of people on here that like to nibble
Ok glad to hear you have something for the depression. As males with RA, have a higher suicide rate than women, because of depression not being treated. Did not want ya to become a statistic
Welcome Stephen...
So sorry you had to find us...but you'll be glad you did. There are a lot of people here with vasts amount of knowledge on RA and those other arthritis diseases. You might talk to you RD or PCP about Cymbalta for your depression. I take it and it seems to help quite a bit.
Good luck and keep us posted.
I've been having a lot of trouble with fatigue, seem to be able to go for a couple of hours and then I kinda hit a wall.
When out taking Photographs I just feel it coming on and know it's time to turn around and head for safety (time to rest). If I push it to far I then start to get the shakes, beyond that and I feel like exploding at nothing in particular.
If nothing else, this disease has forced me to slow right down and listen to the body.
Friends just do not understand when I say I've had enough, just look at me as if to say, what's the matter with you.
Try to explain and it's in one ear and out the other.
[QUOTE=Bodak]
Friends just do not understand when I say I've had enough, just look at me as if to say, what's the matter with you.
Try to explain and it's in one ear and out the other.
[/QUOTE]
That happens to all of us on here, well mostly all of us. Some of us even have family members & spouses that think the same thing of us.
It is hard to explain to people that do not have this disease. Most of us just feel like whats the use, others take it as a way to educate others, and some like me just nod and give a sarcastic smile. Welcome, you will find support here from people that understand.
Boy, that RA fatigue is the worst! That was a big symptom for me. My Grandmother had RA and Lupus. But I just thought the RA was just another stiff joint arthritis. I did not know it was an auto-imune (sp?) disease. She passed a year ago the 5th. I came down with symptoms beginning in Jan 07, and then dxd in April. She would have been fit to know that I had come down with it (I took after her on most everything) maybe that's one of the reasons the Lord took her. I miss her so dearly. She was like my mother...she raised me from a month and a half old.
Anyway...enough about me. I'm sorry your friends are having a difficult time understanding what your going through. Maybe people think like I did before dxd with RA, that it's just regular old arthritis.
I will keep you in my prayers.
I started on a medication called "provigil" several months ago. It is a drug used to treat sleep disorders like narcolepsy. Using that is what allowed me to keep working. It is not a stimulant, I can take a nap when I need to, but it really has helped.
Good luck on your quest! Now I do have to go off to bed, because 6:00 am comes early.
[QUOTE=maryblooms]
I started on a medication called "provigil" several months ago.
[/QUOTE]I'll keep this one in mind and ask the specialist on the 24th.
Thanks.
Stunning picture. Another issue with this nasty stuff is the "RA brain". You tend to have a lot of memory problems. Carry a tablet and pen and take notes. It's amazing how fast things are forgotten with RA. Notes for the next specialist appointment are very important since you don't get the chance to see them often.
No one really seems to understand RA until you come here. Come and feel free to share your good and your bad.
Hey Stephen -
Sorry you found us, but glad you're here. Does that make sense?
Did the stomach thing feel muscular? Or is it possible you had some sort of infection? Any antibiotics at the time?
Check out www.roadback.org.
Because LinB is right, you need to be on some DMARD's to prevent erosions.
Hugs,
Pip
Hi Stephen
Sorry to hear that this disease has got you too. It has many faces to it but coming to terms with it and dealing with the problems day to day is the first step to making your life better. I was in denial so long that even though i knew i had it i just put it to the back of my mind and ignored it, when it hit me hard i was devastated. It does make you depressed but its now about changing your life to adapting to living with the RA. First of all I would speak to your rheumy about the biologics again, its silly for him to wait until your RA is worse as it needs to be treated agresively now before it gets any worse.There are other therapies too that have helped other members on this board that you could talk to him about ( AP). Its about finding something you are comfortable with and that helps you get your life back to some sort of quality of life. RA can affect your muscles too, mine get inflammed as well. The fatigue can be more dibilitating than the pain but it is a combination of resting up, gentle exercise and talking about how you feel. We are all here to help and you will find a lot of people on here willing to give you lots of good advice.
Stephan~ Welcome to AI, though sorry that you have to be here. But this is a great place for information, support, and just a place to vent. We are a great group that always has an answer to anything you are wondering. At least one of us has gone through what you are going through, but most of the time its a good portion of us that have gone through it. I agree w/ the others, at your next appointment I would ask your Dr about biologics and treating this disese agressivly. You have a better chance on getting ahold of it the sooner you treat it. It would also be a good idea to bring up to the dr something for depression, you have a long road ahead of you and that is the last thing you would want to worry about. Antidepressives also help out w/ pain as well so is a 2 for 1 deal. It'll be good for us women to have another male on the board to give us some insight from that perspective. Hope you like it here, and dont be afraid to jump in...We dont bite......to hard
First let me say, this isn't really a problem. I couldn't open a vegemite jar before I had RA, mainly because I can't stand it
Welcome to the board. And I must add my appreciation for the fabulous photograph. Absolutely stunning
I agree with the others about the photo. Beautiful.
Hey Stephen, welcome to the gang!
Your photograph is beautiful! Have you considered photography as a new career? Sometimes out of pain and hardship, there comes a new eye and appreciation for simple beauty around us. Perhaps that is a new path for you to explore! You have a very sensitive nature - even if you are a "bloke"!
Hope to see you around a lot - the guys around here need some reinforcements for dealing with all the estrogen around here!
Hey Stephen~ My RA came on suddenly too, about 8 months ago. I'm pretty well managed now with the meds though. Hope it goes like that for you too.
Linda
**edited to add a comment on your beautiful picture. Seriously, it looks professional. If you're unemployed, I wonder if their is a future in photography for you?
Hi I loved your photo? Where did you take it?
Sorry you have this nasty disease, but glad you've found this very helpful board. It was interesting how yours began. That would make an interesting 'New Topic'.
My RA come to me when I was visiting in Carson City, Nevada one summer. It was hot there, and I'd try to get my shoes on but my feet were so swollen I couldn't get them on and then I couldn't walk!! I had a stiff clutch in my VW-GTI and I blamed the dang thing on the pain in my foot! Went to a foot doc and he said immediately 'you have arthritis', OH? I kept on treating it as a temporary thing, no RA meds for me!! Then got it in my hands also, so by then(5 yers) there was a lot of damage done. I've been treated for RA for 15 years, and am mostly doing okay. I'm glad you are taking the meds for this disease, because you don't want to put it off, and I'm sure in time, sorry it can take months, you will feel better.
I'm sorry you have been in so much pain, the prednisone will help you, but it may alllll slow you down a little. Take care of yourself as you are not superman (quite) Good luck, Lynda
Thank you all so very much for the warm welcome and to each and everyone, hope your RA is a little better today.