My RH Visit Today | Arthritis Information

 

Just got home a little while ago. Spent a good bit of time discussing my illness with my doctor. He  said the plaq is not enough, I have swollen wrist, knuckles , fingers, knees and ankles. I told him I pushed myself very hard last week and weekend because of my son's wedding, he said regardless I have way to much inflammation and I am to start on Methotrexate 2.5 mg six pills once a week and 1MG folic acid a day. He also gave me Prednisone, I am to take 3 tabs every morning with food for 5 days, then 2 pills every morning for 5 days, then 1 tab every morning for 5 days. He gave me a refill on the pred. He said he believed wouldn't abuse it..(????)..I didn't quite understand that. I am afraid of the prednisone. he told me to keep it on hand for really bad times. He offered to refill my Vicodin but my family Doc takes care of that for me. I am also scheduling a MRI of my wrist, both wrist are swollen but my left wrist is worse. He said no erosions showed on the x-ray, but he wants to MRI and be sure they haven’t missed any. I also discussed with him that my ortho doctor has been wanting to scope my knees, I go back to him for more injections on March 11, I have refused the scope because I have read it really might not help and it could make things worse, he agreed to a point, he said a lot of people get scoped and probably shouldn't, he gave me two reasons why I should get mine done, he said pick a knee that hurts worse...they both equally hurt, you should hear them when I go down the steps. Anyhow I completely FORGOT his first reason for the doing the scope, but I remember his SECOND reason...It was to get fluid and tissue biopsy...I will discuss this further with my Ortho.. My RH is writing him a letter.....I know this is long...and I ramble...I am tired and really worn out this week...I will try to re-read this and hope it makes sense. I am really scared about all of this. I will be glad when my DH come home...he always makes me feel better...

Edited because I made so many errors:  TINKI had my knee scoped..which then led to a fairly big surgery that I wish I hadn't had (but that's another subject) The ortho was able to see a bunch of things that he hadn't seen on the MRI. The actual scoping wasn't that horrible, but the surgery that followed was. Since you have been getting injections, you will probably handle this procedure just fine.
I know what you mean about having noisy knees! No one will walk up the stairs with me! I've even had strangers look around and try to figure out where that sound is coming from. I go to my ortho this month. I'm afraid I'm getting awfully close to a replacement. Gees! Not yet 40, but already falling apart.Hi Tink, I went from having a crunchy knee with some cart. left to one year later with no cart. and a total knee replacement.  In that year I had Synvisc inj. and they kept me going.  My other knee is bone on bone but every 6 months I have Synvisc inj.  Since I'm in clinical remission  I don't want to go off my meds for 4-5 weeks to have the knee done and risk flaring and coming out of remission.  I wasn't a candidate for scoping the knees and even if I had been I'm not sure I would have had it done.  Done a lot of research and my RD didn't think it was worth it.  My orthopedic doctor didn't push one way or the other.  If you're bone on bone, talk to your RD or orthopod about Synvisc inj.  LindyHey Lin,

Are you more or less pain free with synvisc? My orthopod mentioned that it can really inflame the knee for a while, did you find this to be true? I am definitely giving the synvisc a try, just wondering about your experience. I know I had grade 3 chondromalacia 18mos ago BEFORE my knees started talking to strangers. I'm sure I'm bone on bone now. I don't want to go off the mtx for a replacement, so I'm not sure what the timing should be for this surgery that seems inevitable..Hi Leila, sorry about your knees, I completely understand.  My knees were stiff for several years which I attributed to RA.  By the time they were hurting I was grade 3 and a year later I had a TKR.  I personally love Synvisc.  I've never had a problem associated with the Synvisc and continue to get it in my bad leg.  Having a TKR was the best decision.  I'd have the other one done immediately if I weren't in clinical remission.  It's taken me so long to achieve it I'm afraid that coming off MXT and Humira for such a long time will set me back years.   I'll have to have the other knee done but with Synvisc and one good knee I can golf and get  around pretty well, so I'm going to wait.  I don't want to damage the joint so badly that they can't do a replacement, it's a juggling act.  Lindy

Wow - a lot to take in at one visit.  No wonder you're feeling a little overwhelmed and scared.   The good news is that he's adding more to your mix to help manage your RA.   Hope your DH is home and making you feel better.

Hang in there.

Cathy

Thanks Lin, I'll probably be asking more questions about the TKR and synvisc, but I don't want to totally hijack tinks thread.

Hang in there Tink! Hope your hubby is home making you feel better... I always feel better when mine is home..... well almost always... Tink.. why does your RD want to do a biopsy?  I can understand the fluid draw... but why a need for a biopsy?  thanks! I would just hate to see what all an orthopedic dr would think that needed to be "fixed" on me LOL! I know my right knee would be one of concern from the first visit.
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