Should I be concerned? | Arthritis Information
Hi everybody,
I ve noticed little bumps on my left hand and right foot, they are small in size and i think they are nodules but I m not sure ( I m new to RA ..:(
anyways I had two little bumps (they are small a few millimeter in size) on my foot when i visted my RD two months ago and he didnt make any comments on that ( I m not sure that he saw them and at that time i had no idea about RA and i thought they are nothing to worry ..) but now i have another small one on my hand ..I m so scared I dont know if that s a bad sign ..I have my next appointment on Apr 19, should i call my RD and tell him about this..
I take 15mg MTX per a week..
Appreciate your help
Hi and welcome to the board!
I'd say no, they'll still be there when you see him.
Did he run tests at your last appointment?
Hugs,
Pip
Hi Ashi..welcome!
I've had quite a few noldules over the 16 yrs I've had RA....I never worry about them....but let your doctor take a look at them the next time u see him.
Thanks Pip and Kelstev,
Pip
I m my last appointment he had my blood and x-ray results back and from them he decided to put me on MTX ..I hope this time he do some more tests to see if the medications really helped about..
Kelstev
did you have them (nodules) all these years or they come and go ..I want to know if having noldules means I have sever form of RA or if it shows RA is active now..I am on MTX i was hopind they will disapear but it seems they are increasing in number :(
I've had nodules come and go over the years. The ones I have now have been around for a while now and one of them has become rather large. So I think I'm going to mention it to my doctor when I see her this month.
I'm not really sure if having nodules means anything as far as how severe your RA is....I've never really asked that question and have never read anything about it either, so I can't help u there.
Maybe someone else who knows will come along with an answer to that.
I wouldn't worry too much as long as they don't change in size or hurt. If that happens, call your dr. I have had two, one on thumb and one of finger and they never have gotten any bigger over the last few years I have had ra.
I have had numerous nodules during the 15 years I have had rheumatoid arthritis. They are usually harmless. Mine come and go with disease activity. Nodules usually develop on bony protrusions, such as, elbows, heels and knuckles. Although I have also had them occur on tendons. They are not like bumps you would have from a rash, because nodules are under the skin. Years ago, I had several removed from my feet because they became painful and irritated from my shoes. Usually they are benign and cause no symptoms. I have a stubborn one on my right ear. It developed from the friction of holding the phone to my ear.
Nodules usually occur in individuals who are positive for rheumatoid factor and they are a sign of a more severe disease. However, please do not get hung up on how severe your disease is going to be. I have one of the highest levels of RA factor that my doctor has ever seen and I still do not have much deformity. If you see your doctor regularly and take your meds you most likely will have a life that is not drastically affected by your RA. Some people with severe disease respond really well to RA meds while others who are supposed to have a milder form do not respond very well or can not tolerate the drug's side effects. After 15 years, I recently went on disability, because I cannot take methotrexate, enbrel, remicaide, orencia or arava. I am stuck with Humira and I do not respond very well to it. ( I also have asthma and a herniated disc). There are lots of meds out there and each is a new opportunity for you to keep your RA under control. If you have to have a crappy disease like RA this is a good time to have it!!
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