New..Possible RA w/ Thyroid Issue | Arthritis Information

Hello Everyone,

New here. Looks like a great site.

I'll try to give you my story in the shortest version possible. Please bear with me. It does have to do with RA.

I was seen by a family doc in MD for what appeared to be symptoms of someone that is Hypothyroid. My tests results came back okay but he refused to treat me based on a lab value and put me on Synthroid. I felt great. Started to be my old self, all symptoms went away. Moved to a new state. docs here refused to renew my scrips for Synthroid saying my lab values did not reflect a thyroid issue. They went about treating me for other stuff with others meds to no avail. I became very sick all over again. After too long of feeling this way, I saw another doc in the practice, she ordered an U/S of my thyroid. Yep, came back enlarged and with multi goiters. Went to an Endocrine Doc. The TOP expert in the state. He did nothing for me except run one blood test and said "re-eval in 6 mos". I stayed on them for the lab results, nothing. They pretty much blew me off.

Went back to my primary doc, she showed me a letter the Endocrine doc wrote that merely said "She sufferes from Thyroiditis and re eval in 6 mos". Yeah right. I became even MORE sick but my PCP went along with the Endo guy, since he was the expert. Fast forward 6 mos. I end up in the E.R. with low blood sugar and dangerously low potassium level which I had been having for a month. Treated for that. They said I was near heart failure that it was so bad.

Go back to the PCP. She wants me to see Endo again. I said "NO WAY. The same people that blew me off". She then ordered more tests. Gave me some Imitrix for migraines and Altace for an all of a sudden elevated BP. I had the episodes of elevated BP, Fever, Low Blood Sugar, Low Potassium for another month. I made the appt at the Endocrine doc, I show up, wait 2 hours only to be told they gave me the wrong date on the phone. I left in tears and by the time I got home was so angry, I ordered ALL my medical records from Maryland and down here. Once I recieved them all, I did my OWN homework.

What I found out was awful. The good thing is I had proof for the docs here that I was given Synthroid before, they didn't believe me. Then I also found lab results in both my PCP's records and worse yet, the Endocrine records that showed abnormal results but where there was NO patient notification made, in fact, there were 4 small notes in there. One said I was a New Patient Consult. 2nd note said I had Thyroiditis and re-eval in 6 mos then the only other two notes were just recently when I ordered my records. Mind you, this is the office if the EXPERT! I could not believe what I found in my records that was never addressed. My Antibodies test was off the charts in terms of being bad.

I typed a 5 page letter, with copies of the Maryland records and abnormal lab results from down here and sent them certified mail to the docs last week.

I cried for 2 hours. I am not one to go to a doctor unless I am really sick. I feel like I totally fell through the cracks.

Now, my reason for being here is that in all this and in getting sicker, I have developed night blindness and what I think is RA, only because I seem to fit the symptoms of it.

In the last few weeks I have horrible joint pain and stiffness/swelling in my hands and feet. I am not retaining any water, it's just terrible pain when I wake up. It hurts to even lay down and sleep. I'm suffering alot. I am trying to use whatever over the counter stuff I can but it's not helping.

I'm going to have to go back to the doctor but right now I'm in the process of talking to an attorney. I am not a sue happy person. I would never do that. I wrote my letter to them to give them a chance to respond to me for what they did but someone is going to have to pay for ruining the quality of my life for so long. I trusted them and they failed me.

Does this sound like RA to you. The pain is so terrible and only in selected area's and the stiffness is almost to the point I cannot hold anything. If I let a few hours pass in the morning, it's possible but this is really causing me alot of problems.

What causes the weight loss in RA patients?

Sorry to make this so long. I have an awesome husband for support but I really want to hear from folks in my shoes.

Also your thoughs on my case? What do you think? Do you think this is negligent behavoir? Do you think I should have sent that letter to them or just went straight to a lawyer. I was trying to give them a chance but now I'm really upset and someone will pay for these criticals erros that according to the ER doc, could have killed me at any time. I'm still suffering from the Hypothyroid, I've also developed night blindness. I can no longer drive after dark.

I'm 32. No kids. Just husband and I.

Thank you for your help! I greatly appreciate it.

TT8938669.7368055556Wow that is horrible, I am sorry to hear that.
When I firsted started having symptoms of RA, I was tired, and
every morning my joints hurt terrible and I could barely move
and get out of bed, my husband had to help me on several
occasions. I cried some mornings it hurt so much. It affected
every almost every joint in my body. I could barely squeeze the
toothpaste out of the tube. I couldnt open jars, or doors. I
suffered for 6 months waiting for my appointment with a
rheumotogists. I was glad to go to my first appointment. I was
diagnosised with Ra in Feb 2005, they started me on
methotraxate and today I feel 90% better, I have days were a
joint will hurt but nothing like before. I lost 20 lbs. in 3 months
with my flare up. My rheumotogist said it is common for people
to lose weight with RA that is not yet under control. I have
since gained back 15 lbs. I finally feel like 37 again, I felt like
100 years old during my flare.
I hope you get a diagnosis and help. Please take care.

Thanks Jean.

I'm doing the best I can. Since I mailed my letters, they are now ignoring me so it looks like I may need to find a new primary care doctor. I think they didn't like that I caught the mistake and pointed it out. I did not do it in a mean way, I was very respectful and asked for an explanation. Now I'm being totally ignored. Very disheartening.

I'm happy you feel better. That's awesome! Good to hear that. Thanks for your concern. I appreciate it

Just curious what your initial symptoms were ???? The Thyroid stuff TT89,

Welcome! I am new to this site as well. I just joined the other night! I was diagnosed with RA back in fall of 2002.
My symptoms began in my left hand, middle finger. It was painful but mostly concentrated on that finger. One morning, I woke up and my whole middle finger was curled and I could barely extend it. It was the scariest thing to say the least! The breaking point was when I couldn't lift my arm to comb my hair. That's when I knew something was definitely wrong with me. I told my PCP and she ordered some x-rays although I wanted some blood tests taken. She insisted that x-rays were the first step in finding out what was wrong. Of course, with x-rays, they could not diagnose RA. Then I was finally sent to a rheumatologist and he ran the neccessary tests to see what I had which of course, now I know is RA.
I know in the past, it took doctors a lot longer to make the correct diagnosis with RA, etc. This happened to actress Kathleen Turner who has RA. The pain, I believe started in her feet, she went to a pediatrist (sp), pain elsewhere in her body, then she was seen for that part, etc, etc.
I am sorry, you had to go through what you did and I can not say if you are doing the right thing, hiring a lawyer, etc. Hopefully, in the end things will work out in your favor. I do understand your frustration with going back and forth with these doctors and so forth.
BTW, I am wondering if I have an under active thyroid problem that is contributing to my RA? I am planning on asking my RA doctor (which BTW am thinking of changing) or PCP.

Sorry, for this long response. I guess I need to vent as well. I am even older than you (41), married for 2 years and no children but hoping to have at least one child someday. But that's a whole other story....:) Hope we talk again. Good luck!

Hello there. Sorry for the delay in getting back. Long day. The physician that actually made the mistake received my leter and LOW AND BEHOLD, tried to call me 5 times today. Before my letter he would not call, nor would his Nurse, except to leave me a bogus message once saying "My labs were normal" As you know, they were anything but normal. Critical mistake on their end. I actually am not the sue type person, and I hate to even think of a lawyer but everyone I know close to me feels it's justified because now for the rest of my life I have to live with stuff that was totally preventable. They did try to stuff depression meds down me for a long time. I threw them all away. I was not clinically depressed. I was so out of it from that thyroid. I also had bad loss of concentration and just well...a big ole mess!

6t5frlane

My initial symptoms of the thyroid issue were that I was extremely lethargic, always tired, unable to lose weight, hair falling out, freezing cold in 90 degree weather, low grade fever, neck felt swollen and hard to swallow, and much more. The first doctor I saw in Maryland was awesome. My TSH came back ok but he refused to go by just a lab, and treated me as a person with the symptoms. Soon as I was on Synthroid I started to feel so much better and was doing great. Just a low dose helped me in so many ways. I moved and the docs here would not hear of it and I became sicker by the month. The one that messed up was the Endo Doc by failing to report I had an highly abnormal lab. I didn't find out until a year later when I got a copy of my records. So having a diseased thyroid opened up many very dangerous problems, some I'm stuck with forever now. They blew me off till they got my letter, now they are calling me nonstop but I'm not even sure what to say to them at this point I'm so upset! Are you having a thyroid issue too?....Thanks for writing to me ;-)

hatehavingRA- Thanks for your response to my thread. For me they are saying the RA is directly related to a diseased thyroid that was not treated but I am waiting for an official diagnosis. This can come on from a bad thyroid and bad immune system along with the night blindness I have that now has me as a prisinor after the sun goes down unless my husband takes me somewhere. He's awesome though I'm very lucky. It's just hard to feel trapped like this. I had alot of pain last night. It was awful.

What I was telling 6t5, is I hate the lawyer thing. If this doctor would just admit his mistake, and help me, AT HIS COST, fine with me but I'm stuck now in this boat and I doubt they will do it and also how can he repair damage that cannot be undone. I'm so angry I could scream.

Can I ask you both is there anything OTC I can use for this pain until I get something for it. I'm in so much pain. I cannot walk up stairs to well. My hands are the worst in the morning, feet and knees too. It's awful. We got some B-1 tonight as I heard that is suppose to help.

THANKS FOR RESPONDING

TT8938671.803125Unfortunatly most OTC do not help much if your RA is very active. DMARDS are the only choice for us. We all hate having RA. I have had it for 16 years soon after my 34th birhday. It chnages your life and it takes awhile to adjust. Having a good DR is foremost. Good Luck I too have had under active thryoid for 11 years - on a high dose of 200mg thryoxine - I also have pernicious anemia which i get monthly injections for of vitamin b12 and I have the dreaded RA which im on medication for also. In total thats 3 autoimmune diseases. In a book I bought it says that if you suffer from 1 of these diseases the chances of you having more is 99%. Just seems to go on and on to be honest. Im wondering ehat il be struck with next! chelybel38672.2997453704

Thanks 6t5 and Chelybel.

It's frustrating for certain. The pain and feeling like you got hit by a truck is awful. Some days are better than others but what gets me is the worst is the morning time and when I lay down at night. Wonder why that is. It's just plain awful. The pain is the worst at those two times.

I thank GOD for this site and you guys!

*T*