Hi, my first visit here! Advice, etc. | Arthritis Information

Share
 

My boss should only know I spent most of today reading all the threads here, from the first! At one point I thought it was a bad thing to do. It made me so nervous and worried. But then I figured the more I know, the better off I will be in making decisions IF I have RA, which is still in question.

I have an appt. with a rheumatologist on Monday. I originally went to a hand specialist, because I was waking up with stiffness in both hands. This is only in the past few months. And, I might add, I am NOT a doctor person. I NEVER go. I can't remember my last physical...not that that's a good thing, just to prove a point...that since I went, I knew there was a big problem.
 
I am 48 years old, and have always been in good health, aside from scoliosis. Anyway, I had xrays of both hands, and he didn't see anything abnormal, except for some tissue damage in the left hand below the thumb, which he said was OA.  That, by the way, is my most painful spot.  He did, however, send me to a rheumatologist, and said "I think he will find something", whatever that means.
 
In the past few months, I have been awakened with shooting pains in my legs, sometimes my shoulders and hips and ankles. It comes and goes quickly. My hands are always very stiff in the morning, and my wrists and left thumb hurt all day long. Today, my foot was aching and there is a sore spot, like a bunion on my right foot.
 
I am really new to this, because like I said, I never go to doctors and truly have been healthy for 48 years!  After reading all of your posts, I related to so many of them! I am very very tired lately, especially in the afternoon. I yawn all day long, even when I get 8 hours sleep. I don't feel that I can't go on, however. I work as a legal secretary and do my job well, and so far this has not interefered. Actually, typing doesn't bother me much. Collating  and opening mail is more difficult.
 
After reading about all the side effects from the medications, I am really scared!! I am ready to cancel my appointment! But I won't. I want to know. But...I am thinking of going to an alternative physician, before using the medications that have so many side effects. If any of you have tried that route, I'd love to hear about it. But maybe I should wait til after my dr's appt Monday. If I don't have RA, I am even more frightened of what it might be. Bone cancer? Why all these pains in different places. No rhyme or reason. Every day is a new place. I call my pain a salesman....it travels a lot! :)
 
Thanks for reading, and any encouraging words and advice are much appreciated!
 
Lori
Definitely keep the doctor's appointment while you do research into alternative therapies. I'm and APer and we use antibiotics to manage this disease.  It's an approved DMARD (disease modifying drug).  Like you, I was afraid of the side effects...but...IF you have RA, you have to deal with it ASAP.  It's not like it will go away, know what I mean?  You need to avoid damage so you can live the rest of your life!
 
If you want more info on AP - www.roadback.org.  And ask questions.  It's what we're hear for.
 
Hugs and don't be scared,
 
Pip
Hi Lori, welcome.  Don't cancel your appointment, and that's an order ().  It sure sounds like you have something going on whether it turns out to be RA or not.  If it is, it's not something you'd want to just let go because it is a progressive disease.  The longer you wait to get treatment, the more damage it can be doing to your joints.
 
Side effects always sound scary, they have to tell you the worst to protect themselves.  And if you're really uncomfortable with the more traditional meds, theirs always alternatives such as AP therapy. 
 
Please keep us posted, and I'm glad you found us.
 
 
Oh, what a nice place! Already so many replies...I truly appreciate that. I feel better already. Thank you all! I will definitely be back, if not before, at least by Monday night with the doctor's words. I know this is hard to diagnose, even with the blood tests and especially if you are not showing flare ups (yeah..I read a lot about it!), but hopefully, he will have something concrete to tell me.Oh, and feel free to jump in on the silliness around here too.  Laughter is some of the best medicine available - prescription or not!!!! You are trying to make an awful lot of decsions without a diagnosis.   You are not at this point yet. 
 
Stop thinking..stop researching and find out what the heck is going on.  All you are doing at this point is scaring yourself. 
 
There are way too many possibilites to assume RA.  Besides seeing a rheumatologist you really should go see your primary care doctor and get a complete physical.
 
When you know what is going on then you and your doctor can discuss a treatment plan.  Then you can decide whether alternative is appropriate
 
Relax and take a deep breath.  things will be ok
 
Welcome to AI!
 
Do not be too afraid of the side effects that the meds can cause. If you get worse, the side effects would be the least of your worries. I am not a big doctor person either, and I HATE needles. But I had to suck up my fear of needles and start Humira, because I was so bad off at that point, that was my only option. I had went years and years trying to not go to Rheumatologists, and doctors... but after having my son I was bedridden and could not even take care of my newborn son. Which was a real blow to my self-esteem.
 
But I am on the road to doing better, and I am now on yet another med that requires a needle, Remicade. I like this one much better, only get stuck every 8 weeks, instead of every week.
 
Good Luck! And keep us posted!
 
Please let us know how that appointment goes for ya. As far as alternatives, there are several people here (as you can see) on AP therapy. They have tons of info! If you go the DMARD/biologics route, I'm here for ya. I currently take methotrexate and Enbrel. We've got a great mix of people here on all sorts of stuff, so someway, somehow we'll answer your questions. Hi Lori
Keep that appt - better to find out what's going on, than continue to wonder.  I was 48 when diagnosed last year and healthy up until that point as well.  Kind of sucked, but life does go on.   Sounds like you've been having symptoms for just a few months,  so the positive from this (sometimes you have to find the postives in life) is that if you do have RA, you'll be diagnosed early, and  that's important so you can start on treatment as quickly as possible to minimize damage.   Those of us newly diagnosed are lucky in that there are many more options now than in past years.  All medications have side effects and have to list any and all, so don't get too freaked out about it.   If you do have RA, just take a deep breath and take one step at a time. 
 
Take care
Cathy
Welcome Lori, you've been given some great advice...I agree you should get  your results before second guessing and scaring yourself. You may have Fibromyalgia, OA, gout or any number of AI conditions other than RA. Please let us know what you find out....sometimes it takes a while....feel free to ask any questions you have, there's always someone here more than willing to help. Hi Lori and welcome.
My advice is to cross that bridge when you come to it. Don't worry yourself. Get to the doc and see what's up. Find that out then go from there. We're here for ya and please let us know what the dr says.
You'll find lots of caring, knowledged people here, so come back often!
take care
Hi Lori and You know, Buckeye and Cordy are right - you really should get a physical and get other parts checked out too.  For example, the thyroid can cause a lot of this.  Make sure you see an endocrine and have them run all 4 thyroid tests.  I still wonder if all this could have been avoided if my PCP would have run those tests. 
 
Any way you could have Lyme?
 
Pip

Lot of good advice here. I have had RA almost a year now and still have a lot to learn. I was afraid of the side effects of the meds also. I have had a few but nothing to be concerned about. I thought of what could happen if I didn't take them. That outweighed the side effects. Please go to your appointment and don't worry yourself.

Welcome. I am in the same kind of situation as you. In pain and miserable and afraid of what the docs might say. I've learned here that it could be many things wrong with me and I've done lots of research and asking questions here. Everyone here is very helpful in answering questions. So ask away. I may not be able to contribute in the answering department, but I sure can relate.
Good luck with the doc. If it is RA, you want to get treatment right away to avoid damage.
Hi Lori...welcome!Thank you all SO much! You've given me a little bit of a wake up call, in that I am definitely jumping the gun. I know it could be other things and I will definitely be going on Monday. My grandmother had RA, so I think I just assumed I have it too, although the symptoms are all there.  What I dread is waiting for the test results. That's the worst part of going to doctors to me! Stick me a million times, fine. Make me wait and worry, not good.
 
Hope you all have a wonderful, pain-free, peaceful weekend. Thanks again for your kind welcome!
 
Lori I'm a little late to jump on the bandwagon and there's nothing I can add to the already excellent advice you've gotten.  So let me just say "WELCOME" and good luck with your appointment.  Let us know how you make out and if it's RA, you're already ahead of the game.  You found us and we're here for you!!!  Thank you, Jessie! I see this is a fabulous group of people! I do hope I won't have to "hang out" here, but if I do, I feel happy that everyone seems so helpful and nice. Will be back Monday night with the verdict, although from what I've been reading, sometimes said verdict takes some time. But at least I will get some professional feedback.
 
Have a good weekend, all!

Copyright ArthritisInsight.com