Could this be RA? | Arthritis Information

 

I have an appt. with a rheumatologist later this month. My oncologist referred me to an orthopedic and now he is sending me to a rehumy.

Symptoms:

-chest soreness with movement (for years)

-Lt. shoulder stiffness/pain with movement everyday, for a year. It's now spreading to my back

-MRI says possible marrow edema of spine and scapula and mild degenerative change of the acromioclavicular joint. As well as tendinosis subscapularis and long head of the bicep tendons

-armpit and shoulder swell out

-Orthopedic says polyarthralgia and inflammatory arthropathy

Here's some history: 21 yrs old, melanoma, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, acid refux disease w/ 2 esophagus dilations

Any comments would be greatly appreciated. I've been told arthritis but not sure what kind.

 

 

Do your joints hurt?

It could be and you're catching it really early.  Did any doc do blood tests?  What do they say?

Hugs,

Pip

Most of my joints that hurt only hurt when I move them. I'm really not having problems with my hands at all. The longer I stay still then try to move the worse it is. If I keep moving and moving the pain starts to go away. But once I start resting then try to move... pain. It's worse in the morning and it's stiff. I'm not sure what to think.

No blood tests except an my oncologist, they said my thyroid levels are a little high. I'm expecting more blood tests when I go to the rheumy.

Thomas39467.7207407407

Well, that sounds like one of us.  Sorry you might need us.  :-)

Your oncologist probably ran CBC's etc.  And if somebody knew enough to send you to a rheumy...they might have run some blood tests without telling you what they were for.  Docs are notorious for that.

Do you have any current copies of blood work?  If you do, see if you can see ESR, RF, CCP etc.

Pip

There are a couple people here on AI with melanoma - I hope they see this.

So, what happened?  You were like 16 and 'wham'?

Not trying to be mean - but how's your weight?  I'm asking because my hubby was overweight (a lot) and developed diabetes and supposedly is in line for just about everything you've listed.  Except, weirdly, he has NO cholesterol.  They take the test, then rerun it because combined he's under 90. 

Also - why the esophagus dilations?  Do you know what they were looking for?  And for us non-med types.  What kind of procedure is that?

Pip

the thyroid problem can account for many of those ache and pain problems so I hope you get treatment for that

there are many possibilties...RA being one..let the dr do his job

 

Hello, as others have said 'Welcome", sorry you are in distress.

If {BIG IF!)I remember correctly BME (bone marrow edema) is a reactive change rather than a definitive problem. Spinal BME is sometimes seen in osteoporotic vertebral fractures or osteoathritis of the spine-degenerative disk disease can cause transient BME.

A rheumatological evaluation certainly seems to be the next step in both care and diagnosis.

Best wishes: let us know how you are doing.

With courage, Happ

Poor guy freaked out and left us already.

:-(

Pip

I didn't leave. Thanks for the welcome.

My weight is good, I'm positive I'm not overweight, I'm like almost 6 foot at 157. The dilations are from an endoscopy to stretch the esophagus because it got too small supposedly from acid reflux. My thyroid wasn't that high but they still mentioned it to me. My temp. has been running a little low then it'll jump at little. Like 97.2 then a little later 99.4.

Thomas39468.5956481481Hi Thomas Welcome to AI.

Well, sounds like you and my hubby are similar.  Altho, to be fair, hubby was quite tubby when diagnosed.  They told him that he'd not be diabetic if he'd lost weight, which he IMMEDIATELY did, but he's still diabetic and really uncontrolled.  And now he's got DDD starting.

Anyway, does anything make your temp jump?  Like exercise?  Or is a weekly thing. 

I'm just throwing things out here.  When do you get to see the rheumy?  Is it a long wait?

Pip

 

My temp has been doing that everyday I've checked it. I don't know why. I get to see the rhemy the 31st, that's still a long wait, even though someone cancelled and I don't have to wait 6 weeks now. I wish it was today. What's DDD?

Thomas39469.413287037

Degenerative Disc Disease...

and Hello..

I dunno about RA specifically, if I understand correctly your shoulder symptoms are on one side only? Generally speaking the pattern for RA is usually to affect the small joints first before moving on to the larger joints and to affect both sides at the same time. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. I hope you get the answers you need and soon.

I cant believe you have had so much trouble from the reflux already, you are so young. I am so sorry you have had so much to bear at such a young age. I wish you all the best of luck.

Unless you're Palindromic - which is big joints first and one sided BUT coupled with crippling, on the floor pain.

Did you see the post from Buckeye to me about food bourne illnesses?  The gastro stuff is common for us...but you're kind of on the far side of the scale.  I think you have something else going on but for the life of me I can't figure out what. 

Not that I'm a doc or something....just it's nagging at me, like I should know.  Sorry if I'm pushy.

Hugs,

Pip

P.S.  Anyway you could have Lyme?

Pip is our resident "guess it girl"  Thanks for the welcome again. Well I never did mention it is starting to spread to my right shoulder. It's doing a counterclockwise attack- from the front of my chest and lt. shoulder around to my back and rt. shoulder. It's odd. Usually when I go to any doctor they immediately accuse me of being depressed and being a drug user. I will swear up and down that's not the case, otherwise I wouldn't even be on this forum. They've even drug tested me behind my back and I've always come back clear. I did even go back to an allergy doctor I had and I don't think she feels I need to continue allergy shots, which I quit several years ago. She even said no doctor off the street would ever believe me if I told them of all the things wrong with me. Thomas39469.7086342593Just wanted to pop in and say Welcome!

Thomas, Welcome!

I to am undiagnosed. I've had several different opinions from different docs, but I'm going to see a new Rheumy in a few weeks.

Everyone here has been helpful in the past for me, and I'm sure in the future. If you have any questions, ask away. These boards are a wealth of information.

Good luck to you.

Update: Thomas2008-02-01 14:54:44Hi, Thomas! Welcome to the boards.  Humm... well, sounds like they will find out what is wrong with ya one way or the other.