RD appointment today | Arthritis Information

It was generally positive. I have been on MTX for one month now, at 10 mg. I have gotten some mouth sores, so they upped my folic acid to 2 mg, and apparently my hematocrit is down to 11.9 (slightly anemic). But I just stopped breastfeeding in January and started having cycles again, so that may be the reason. But RD wants me to go on iron supplement. More prune juice, anyone?

He is increasing my MTX to 15 mg. There is just no change at all, my wrist is still swollen. He wants me to stay on the Mobic for now, which helps with the pain.

I had AWFUL hip pain after I went swimming a few weeks ago that hasn't gone away entirely. He thinks it may be tendons, rather than joints. I am going to try to stretch better and see what happens. I am worried about sacroiliac involvement but I didn't tell him this, and it could be I'm just in horrrible shape (athletically) and not acknowledging the same, and doing appropriate stretches, warm up, etc.

I also have some swelling in my left ankle, and a red spot, that have been there at least a month. He just ignores that for now, as I am officially dx "monoarthritis." He even started to write "polyarthritis" and changed to "mono." It looks nice on my chart, even though my ankle is involved, I think my feet have been affeted years now, and my left wrist is showing some minor swelling.

Because of my ankle, I was worried about the joint at the base of my big toe, which is red and swollen. Unfortunately (his words), it is not RA, but a bunion/OA. I even have a vagus deformity or something. Time to shop for some better shoes! I have to wear suits at work but I can certainly find more comfortable shoes. I knew I had some OA in my right big toe from a previous x-ray, but it's even worse on the left. My left foot is bigger than my right, so I bet shoes have a lot to do with it.

No plaquenil or anything else for now, and I go back in 6 weeks. Overall, a pretty positive appointment (although the wait was long).

KatieG2008-04-23 12:46:48Glad you had a good appointment!

hope the increase in MTX will help you greatly.

Sorry about the hip pain, that is the pits! I am going thru that right now, actually since last October... mine was/is from inflammation in sacroiliac joint as well.

Well, that's positive! I would keep an eye on that sacroiliac joint, you maybe looking at undiff spondilyarthripathy or AS. Also, I had a bit of pain there and it turned out to be an ovarian cyst, have you had any problems there?

_popupControl(); I worry about AS (esp. b/c I don't have symmetrical involvement of my hands) but also ovarian cysts. When I was pregnant this last time, I had an ultrasound at the OBGYN, and the tech measured and marked a cyst, or made some reference to it. Then, I switched OB's, and had another scan right after, and they said they didn't see anything. I've always wondered...Well if you go to your GP and say that you've been having problems with lower back pain and a history of cysts, they should schedule an ultrasound for you, if anything to keep an eye on it to make sure there is nothing sinister going on. I've had a cyst the size of a tennis ball for over a year now, and when it first came up, it felt like sacroiliac pain, so I told my rheumy and he freaked out and thought it was AS, and I was the first girl with AS he'd treated, but nothing showed up on the xray. We eventually found out what it was!

_popupControl(); Thanks for posting that. I always feel like such a hypochondriac, but I've been having lower abdominal pain for a while now, and I've had these horrible issues with constipation since I was pregnant, and I keep wondering if something is going on. I think I'll schedule an appointment, just to be sure, right? I appreciate your encouragement.So sorry to hear you're dealing with such pain! Keep pushing those doctors for a dx.
*Gentle Hugs*
Katie~I had a horrible time with that joint at the base of my big toe on both feet before being dx'ed with RA. The GP I was seeing said it was bunions and I'd have to have them sugerically removed once they got too bad. I said "I've never heard of a bunion swelling up out the bottom of your foot; just the side" She said yep...that's what it is.

When I finally started seeing an RD she laughed at that and said it was RA and once I got on the right treatment I'd see a huge improvement. Sure enough it wasn't long before it was about 90% better. I haven't had any problems with either foot until the last few months when my meds weren't adjusted right. I'm starting to get my meds straighened out and guess what? It's not bothering me anymore.

^ Yeah, do it, just to be sure. Lower back pain and constipation are hallmarks of cysts. You aren't a hypochondriac! Seriously, the amount of times a doctor has palmed me off as "just depressed" when I have something wrong with me is too horrible to mention. Like the time I had blood in my urine, and I had a kidney infection, apparently that was just me "being depressed." And the pain from my cyst, too, was caused by "being depressed." Doctors see a young woman who is complaining of pain and nothing on the labs and automatically suspect depression or malingering. It sucks, but it is worth it when you find out that it is not all in your head. I can't wait to go to that Dr who said I was "depressed" all the time and tell him, "No. I have RA, actually, you were wrong."

_popupControl(); sounds like that was a pretty positive appointment!!

About the cysts... All my "fertile" life I had ovarian cysts. They would come and they would go... once I had a major issue when one ruptured. Over all I have found that they develop and they leave of their own accord. So, the fact that it was seen in one U/S and not in another is pretty much my history with them as well.

Sac pain can be from your recent delivery. I always had issues there after giving birth until I got myself back "in shape"

Good luck to you!!!

sounds like that was a pretty positive appointment!!

Sac pain can be from your recent delivery. I always had issues there after giving birth until I got myself back "in shape"

Good luck to you!!!