Hi and back pain question :) | Arthritis Information

 

Hi everyone!
I've been reading stuff about RA a lot recently as I suspected I might have it. The more I read it and the more Scared I feel! It's like the future becomes such a scary and unpredictable thing.
Started having discomfort with my right knee 3 month ago and the discomfort is more of a discomfort and muscle soreness instead of pain. Hard to describe. 1 week ago back starts hurting a bit. It feels like I pulled a muscle or something. Anyway i will see the blood test result this week.
I've circled where the discomfort/pain came from on the pic and I was wondering if any of you have the same problem in this area. Besides I am bad at anatomy so I think this is the back area although my friend said it's the shoulder blade.
hmm, here is the link to the pic
http://img81.imageshack.us/my.php?image=backwb1.jpg

Hi CoolBreezeSorry I can't tell ya anything about the back pain. I haven't really had any. My knee does hurt a lot, but it is a shooting pain and I can actually feel where it hurts in the joint. Maybe you should go see a rheumatologist. You don't want to mess around.I haven't indeed. I think in Canada I need a referral. I will wait after the blood test result to ask for a referral. Thanks guys for the quick response. Yeah the family doctors so far just said it might be some muscle infection and one even said he suspected torn ligament. Somehow I don't really trust that. One of coworkers got RA a few weeks ago and he is even younger than me (only 23). I will definitely insist on seeing one after the blood test result. I remember someone said here that it's important to find it early if it is RA. That's true CB...the earlier it is dx'd, the better chance of avoidiing permanant damage to your joints.  Please check back in and let us now how your blood tests turn out, K?

Cool breeze,

I understand how you feel, I think I'm in about the same place.  My knee started acting up about a month ago, and now my other knee has joined in.  I went to the doctor today and had blood drawn for a Rheumatoid factor test.  Is that the blood test that you had done?  I too am scared.  I know that this would be a life changing dianosis and I'm just not quite prepared to deal with it yet.  I wish you the best of results on your test. 

Hey Special. Yes the blood test has the Rheumatoid factor in it. I also wish you the best of results.
Life is interesting in a way that when a person faces the potential of a life-changing event, all of a sudden it makes one realize how lucky he/she has been and what is the most important thing in life.
I do feel scared but I think we have to teach us no matter what happens, we just have to learn how to cope with it and become stronger. I've been browsing ppl's stories on this site and I am deeply touched by them.

Cool, let's hope you don't have RA.  But if you do, you'll figure out how to keep going on with a happy life.  Probably have to make some changes here and there, still, it's not the worst thing that can happen.  Especially nowadays.  It hasn't been too long that meds were made available that would stop joint damge, or at least slow it waaaaay down.  People being dx'd these days have a much brighter prognosis than some of our friends here that have had it for decades.

I'm also amazed by the stories of the people on this site.  They are so strong in the face of adversity.  I have a new respect for the benefits I've been given in life. 

while I was doing research on the web, I bumped into this website:
http://goldberg.getwebspace.com/rheumatism.html
Has anyone had any experience with Dr. Goldberg?

I was wondering if anyone suffering RA also has bowel problem. I was diagnosed with Proctitis (a mild form of Ulcerative Colitis) in July and the knee discomfort started in August. Not sure if they are related.

cool, I have similar myofascial pain with the muscles below the shoulder.  For me, it is not related to RA, but it is unfortunately a chronic problem. Trigger point therapy can sometimes help.  Below is a link to one of many sites that tell you about the different muscles and possible "trigger points" (spots when stimulated will cause or release pain in other areas).  Most importantly it may help you figure out exactly where your pain is.

http://www.fenixstopspain.com/shoulder-arm-pain/

Another possibility to consider is that your symptoms could be related to fibromyalgia instead.  I hope your blood work gives you some answers with regard to RA.

cool - you may want to research "Leaky Gut" or "Leaky Gut Syndrome".  Best of luck and take care ~~ Cathy
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