I am fairly new here, and I am going for my follow up appointment with my RA specialist at the first of the month.
I started my battle last year, I was experiencing pain in my hip and knees. I went to one doctor he said I had osteoarthritis in my hip and my need a replacement before long.
I went to my regular physician and he took my bood to find my RA counts abnormal. I went on to see a specialist, when I got there he looked and me and said that I looked very healthy, my hands were in good shape, and I had good color. I started thinking, gosh I am wasting my time. I asked him about my hip and explained that my mom had Osteoporosis, he said, well lets do a bone scan. He did the bone scan and much to his amazement I had extreme bone loss in my hip. He prescirbed fosomax, which I did not take. I have heard nothing but bad things about osteoporosis medications. He said that he would call if my blood work was abnormal. Well, again much to his amazement my RA count was high they tested it twice.
I guess my question is does everyone take prescribed medication? That is just something that I want to put off as long as I can. Are there any natural ways to treat this disease?
Also, does anyone ever experience pain in the breast bone area? I have had pain in my right shoulder that radiates through my breast bone. I think I might have pulled something last week exercising. It just frightens me because it is in the breast bone area.
Sorry for the long post!
and thanks for any input!!
Kimmey
let your rheumatologist know about the new pain as it could help aid in diagnosis. Breastbone pain can be costochrondritis but you mentioned it radiating from the shoulder so your pain could be referred.
The rheumatoid factor can be positive in other rheumatological conditions and those obviously need to be ruled in or out. You really aren't presenting typically for RA but that doesn't always happen, but it should widen the net as to possible diagnoses
You do need to put together a treatment plan for the osteoporsis..the last thing you want or need is a fractured hip and an osteoporitic hip is not a great candidate for a replacement due to the fragile bone stock.
I take prescribed medicne with the hope of eventually weaning off and maintaining naturally. This is a big debate in many circles. I do know of people doing this totally naturally but I was unwilling to take that chance in the beginning. Frankly there is WAY too much learning to do with this disease and you need knowledge first so healing will follow. Unfortunately, with this disease, the time it takes you to learn is also time you are getting damage.
I might suggest starting some of the meds and using the time that buys you to start learning.
Hugs,
Pip
I started meds as soon as I was DXed. I was too young to remember pain, but I don't remember feeling pain when they told me I should have. I had terrible range of motion. I was on plaquinil and naproxen and had lots of PT. After about 2 years of that I went off the meds completely. Like nothing ever happened. That was from age 11-13? around there. I didn't take meds all through HS or college. I Just started taking sulfasalazine, I was on enbrel for about 2 months before that. I am the type of person who goes to meds as last resort. I stopped taking my sulfa recently, and just take motrins which seem to do the trick. The problem is I know I am doing damage to my body. When things start to REALLy hurt I will start the meds again.
I am going to try probiotics though.
cah14182008-02-15 10:26:32Welcome to the board Kimmey. The decision to treat this disease with meds versus not medicating is a very personal one and one that we really must put much thought into. It is very scarey starting some of these meds. I have read many many posts on this board and the sad reality seems to be that most need to medicate to keep this disease at bay. There are some, like me, with what I feel is mild disease and I don't have to take alot of meds but there are others here who really need many DMARDS to be able to enjoy their lives. I go on the theory of less is more but then, I am able to work full time and others here can't work at all. I agree with Buckeye that you really need to keep an eye on your osteoporosis as this can be an uphill battle for most with the disease. You are fairly young and have many years left and need to keep your bone density at its best, even if you don't have RA. I would bet that you have some degree of osteoporosis in some of your other bones also. There are some members on here that manage their disease totally med free, not many but I hope they are able to offer some advice to you. I, take Plaquinil which I have been able to wean to a daily dose. I will not take Prednisone as it wreaks havoc on bone density. I hope you find some answers. This is a good site to get some questions answered. Thanks everyone for all the info! I appreciate it very much.
I get breast bone pain from my RA. I have a rare form that effects my heart, lungs, kidneys and bronchial tubes. When my heart or bronchial tubes flair up, i get the chest pain where it feels like my bones are flaired up.
My doctor said bones in the chest can't flair, so i found an article a long time ago that said it is possible that the surrounding material around the ribs etc. can flair up. But not the bones unless you have a bone disease, bone cancer etc.
RA is nasty, but let it be known that the drugs work for most people without horrible side effects attacking them. The ones it doesn't work for are few compared to those it does. And you will find the ones that stuff usually doesn't work for here in the forums.
We need a place to chat and complain, we want to be like most other people and forget to visit the forum cuz we feel so good :)
The only reason that I'm NOT on anything, is simply because we're trying to figure out what's REALLY going on (is my pain from active RA, or left over from so many years, etc etc) I don't show a lot of swelling, so it's hard to tell without a little work, if I'm in need of anything.
So I'm not the norm. LoL
Oh, and about the possible radiating pain - it could even be from your NECK, if you can believe it. Pain has a strange way of traveling, so def mention it to your doctor.
I didn't get put on any meds until almost 6 months after i was diagnosed and that was far too long.
I went to a family doctor by calling them first and asking "do you give drugs for RA". She said yes and i made an appointment. The family doctor started me on prednisone until i could get to a rhummy.
Almost 3 years later, rhummy doctors are still playing, trying to find the right meds. They weren't giving me pred, so i made sure my family doctor still does. I don't like having to do that, but my rhummy doesn't care much and my family doctor cares a lot, so he is helping me on the side to make sure everything stays ok.
I am a rare person though. Don't let my way of getting treatment scare you, because most people find something that works from the start.
But, if i got pred when diagnosed, who knows where i would be. I started with just the hip when diagnosed. By the time i got on prednisone i had it in both knees, both hips (hips do better now), one wrist, one finger, one toe, shoulders and internal organs.
Just makes me wonder.
ok, I'm blunt and bc i care, i say GET ON MEDS ASAP!!!!!
This IS a degenerative disease!!!!... I've got a Great Rhem Dr, and this stuff progresses fast!!! I've had it 2 and a half looooooooooong yrs and no I don't work. Man, did it affect me fast and after a yr, my dr was like are you finally getting it?
Yes, i was taking meds, but missing some major dr appts..
and yeah, i am, i'm going to my drs appts, doing all that i can.
I'm already using wheelchairs at the supermarkets and walmart.
I was lucky, i was already on disability bc I"m also bipolar.. so I'd already gone thru the meds discussion, lol.. and I know its hard.. bc we all think we can be superhero's or
"strong" enough to defeat anything, but thats NOT True.. wish it were, but its not.
And just bc you look fine on the outside, doesn't mean your body is and esp it sounds like it w/ your bone scan, why do you wish to get sicker.. and what do you have to lose by being on meds.??? those are the big ?'s to ask yourself..
to me, you lose a whole lot more , Not being on meds!!
The way I look at is, that in order NOT to get worse, I stay on Meds, listen to my dr, etc
and try different things. I really don't want to end up in a wheelchair, full time, ...do you?
Its quite possible, that one can within 5 yrs, if you don't take meds..Reality..
am i trying to scare you.. yeah a little bit.. bc I've been sick a looooooong time... the bipolar stuff, and now the RA... and have the progress and difference meds make.
So, I'm pro meds, shrug, for a better life, I just want to walk a couple a blocks, even miles, just down the road!!!! again, would be great... right now, just going to the mailbox, means i might not be able to go back outside for a couple of days.. its a drag, but the way it is..
This is a fast disease.. I'm being honest and forthright..and its not fun.. i really haven't much side effects, beside w/ pred, which i'm off of now.. and yeah, i'm still working on find something that will work.
2 yrs ago, i could walk a couple miles, do my own housework, i now have someone who cleans my house, takes me on errands, my life has totally changed and no, i'm not that happy about it..
(rough day)...some days, it hurts just to pull the blankets up or pick up the remote.. (its in my wrists and knees).. and nothing sucks more when you end up in pain, Just from walking around your own apt..
good luck and blessings ..and joy~
Whispered2008-02-15 21:34:39Take the meds. they are there to PREVENT the disease from geting worse and doing damage.
Taking meds is not a sign of weakness.
Enduring pain doesn't get you brownie points, and when you die St. Peter isn't going to ask, "how much prednisone did you take?"
I too strongly believe in taking the meds.
They work for many; and have put many people in medication-induced remission.
It is a debilitating illness, and we have to do all we can to hold back the disease from putting us in a wheelchair. Years ago, that's what happened. Today, that happens less because of the development of the biologics.
Kathy is right. Taking meds is not a sign of weakness; it is like putting in Norton Anti-Virus in your computer.
Best wishes with your decision.
~~~~~~~~~Diane~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Nes2008-02-16 09:59:33Kimmey,
I have to ask. Why are you "on the fence" about taking treatment? Is it because of the one doctor who told you that you looked good and had good color? Are you questioning the RA because of his comment?
I would say if you already had major bone loss in your hip, you are only looking at more of the same if you don't start on medication. I understand that the drugs sound scary, and it can take some time to find the right combination. But in taking them, you COULD feel better and you COULD have less worry about severe damage (which could happen really quickly without treatment) - isn't that more important?
I say, take the meds.
Kimmey, TAKE THE MEDS! I'm a perfect example of denial and not taking meds and then spending the last 10 years trying to find a combo that works. I'm finally in clinical remission. It was exactly one year to the day from diagnosis of osteoarthritis to having my knee replaced. Osteoarthitis and porosis can move quickly, especially if there's RA involved. Believe me when I state that I'm more afraid of RA/PA/OA than I am the drugs. Lindy
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