Hello all, My GPdoc suspects I may be getting rotator cuff damage from the RA as my shoulders (right worse than left) have been very painful for a while now and she wants to get an MRI. I am going to the Mayo in Scottsdale to get some RA follow up soon. Has anyone else been thru this with shoulder problems, surgeries etc? If so, anything to suggest as far as therapy, drugs, lifestyle changes etc. Currently, the RA seems to be getting to my wrists/hands/shoulders the worst now, even thou it has been migrating around my body for the last two years and is in most all of my joints. I am on MTX now and have had problems with a few other drugs. I am trying to get a doc to get me on remicade or enbrel, but both the RD I have seen in my area want to work me up the "food chain" of traditional DMARD drugs before jumping into the biologics. It is very frustrating to try and wait for these docs to take their time while I am suffering joint damage and the current research indicates that the standard of care for erosive RA is to begin with MTX and a biologic to avoid future disability. I am new to this forum and really appreciate being able to get some input from others with RA as I live out in the mountains of SW colorado and there are not many with RA who stay here.
marcia
Hummm, it may not be your RA doc but your insurance company that insists you be worked up the 'food' chain. I do think 2 years is enough food chain. The MRI on the shoulder might be a big help in documenting damage - although MRI on hands usually show damage that can't be confused with a 'sports' injury.
We are all frustrated by the 'system' dragging its feet.
Marcia