My appt with the Rheumy went great. I'm definately going to keep going to him. He says he doesn't want to label me as RA yet. They did more bloodwork and about 14 x rays. According to him, out of all that get treatment for inflammatory arthritis, about 50% will improve with the meds to the point where they can get off the meds and not have anymore issues, of the other 50%, 30% end up with lupus and the other 20% go on to have RA. He went ahead and wrote me prescriptions for Predisone (3mg) and Methretrxate (2.5 mg) to start off with. I have to take folic acid with the methotrexate. He also wrote me one for Plaquenil (200mg) which I think is more for Lupus if that is what it turns out to be. My next appt is Oct 4th, should know something by then. The bloodwork and x ray results will be a couple of weeks. He kept me on 500 mg Naproxen twice a day also. All and all I am feeling a lot more positive. Even if it turns out to be RA the doctor sounded positive about my future. The Methotraxate (yea I know I am horrible with spelling this medical stuff) is suppose to help alot in slowing the progression of RA down. Too bad my Mom got on it too late. My R factor was positive but it was a low positive. Now I guess I will just take it day by day and see what happens with the meds and the results of the x rays and additional bloodwork. Glad you finally got to see the Rd and get meds Shelli. Hope you get to feeling better fast. Let us know how the next visit goes.Shelli that's great that your doc is doing something for you, hopefully you'll be feeling good soon.
Mina
That is GREAT shelli! Glad you found a good RD! Hope you improve and back to your old self soon!
June
plaquenil is commonly used to treat RA as well. first DMARD I was ever on. course i may as well have not been on it...but..that was me. my mom is helped by it.((((((Shelli)))))
Just wanted to offer up some hugs
I'm glad that you had a positive appointment!!
Jenn Thanks for the hugs Pam! I will take all I can get!!!
Jenn, I'm not quite sure. I should of asked more questions. That is the way I took it though. They have never found out what really triggers inflammatory arthritis so I took it as he was meaning not all inflammatory arthritis actually leads to RA. It confused me at first. I always thought if you had it in multiple joints it was RA and it was not going away but I have read where it is possible that people go into remission with RA. I hope I am that 50%. Wednesday I felt like I had been ran over with a truck but the last two days I have felt a lot better.
Mike
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