New Diagnosis - am I crazy? | Arthritis Information
I have always been a hard working gal - ready to scare up a job, cleaning houses, lawn & landscaping, caterer, stall mucker, lots of farm work etc. All that translates into someone who is use to doing for themselves.
5 years back I pulled corn from the garde b/c I wanted the stalks to decorate the porch. By nightfall my hand didn't work. By morning hand all the way to the shoulder didn't work, was swollen, and hurt like the dickens.
Went to Doc - he did an MRI and told me it was Bursitis.
Long and short of everything
3 years ago I went in for female surgery - in out back to work in 5 days deal. Didn't go that way. Original surgery was fine, but along the way they found a kidney stone the size of my fist. Oncall doc blasts is and it all gets stuck coming down. His vacation doc puts tube in me and sends me home. After a month of pain, being so sick etc. I fired them and found my doc now. He took it out immediately.
That let to me blowing out my back - had to have back surgery.
After being off work for 6 months went back to work. Following summer 2nd kidney stone 8cm - had to come out.
Jan this year 3rd stone - yup big one.
Feb. of this year nerve pocket in back finally collapsed. I had bought myself 18 yrs w/ therapy, but it was done. Had a level 3 fusion in April.
By end of July was starting to feel like me - yipee - no drugs etc. Then last week of August my right hand swells and doesn't want to move. Next day in arm. Next day other hand.
I have the low grade fever that makes you feel off, fatigue, and body parts that I don't know if they will work when I wake.
I took some antiinflamitories while I traveled south and when I got back saw my doctor.
I told him all the symptoms and I felt like my body was attacking me.
He took blood work and when I went back in said my R factor was 35 - which is still in the normal range but over the usual # of 15.
He gave me sulunac and told me to come back in 2 weeks.
THe next 2 weeks were like being in a nut house. A day didn't go by that something else didn't work. He redid bloodwork and R factor had risen to 41.
He believes by my symptoms etc that I have RA and is trying to get it under control w/ sulunac or Celebrex.
What R- factor number would say - yes you have this?
Do you see a specialist or can my primary physician take care of treatment?
The straw that broke the camels back was last week I woke up on TUes and my left ankle was so sore and swollen it felt like I had broken it. Also my right hand was swollen and immovable.
If this isn't RA I wouldn't have a clue to what else it can be.
Anyone else feel like maybe you are crazy?
Welcome to the board wizardrose. Sounds to me like you have RA...or at least something inflammatory going on and the fact that your RF is rising is a good indicator. Now it is time to see a specialist so that you can get started on medication to get your disease under control. Have your primary refer you so that you can get in and be seen ASAP. The sooner the better. Sorry to hear about all your problems. I second what Lorster wrote. Sounds like it to me too. You need a referrel to a rheumatologist and soon!
take care and keep us posted
yes, you need to be seen by a rheumatologist ASAP. The RA factor is only one test in many for the disease -- and many people have RA with a perfectly normal Rheumatoid Factor. Let us hope it isn't RA -- but I agree, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck.... Your family doctor is not the doctor to treat this disease -- you will require a specialist.
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