I got diagnosed with RA last year. Out of blue two of my fingers(ring and pinky) would not bend and then came swelling on the wrist and hand. Doctors were debating it is carpel tunnel because of lot of computer usuage at work. After the MRI doctor send me to rheumtologist. I was told that I am seronegative and my RA factor was 12. But in blood work showed hardly any iron in the body. (I do have chronic anemia and betathalsmia). I got the problem only in one hand (nothing in right) then I started having problems with my feet ( right side again).
I was diagnosed with plantar fascitis. I could not put my feet down, some swelling on ankle. Pain was unbearable. Dr. put me on Naproxyn and then suggested MTX. First day on Mtx (I took it before going to sleep)- I fell in the washroom. doctor gave me folic acid. I never felt good on MTX, taste change, excessive body odour but slowly I got better with symptoms but no change in my pain.
After 6 months doctor send me for kidney test. everything was fine and suddenly i started to have bad pain in the upper part of my stomach. doctor gave me nexium. But pain persisted. i went to doctor again. This time I was sent to Gastro guy. He did the endoscopy. He told me every thing is fine. I
In the mean time with out any medication, I was doing fine till I joined fitness group at my work. Right foot again starting giving me trouble. I kept on doing exercises (free weights, lunges and squats). This time it was worse than last time. Ultrasound showed lots of inflamation and diagnosis is Achilles tendon and thickened plantar fascitis.
Ultrasound abdomen came out all right. I was send to rheumy again she gave me naproxyn again. She gave me Pantoprazole 40 mg for my stomach. Right now that's all I am on now medicatin wise. What should be my next step?
I have gone to rheumy and asked for the RA medication. She told me to go for physiothearapy for 6 weeks and then come back to her. Physio helped a little but I still have problem walking especially if i have to go to washroom in night. I have read many posts at this forum. I think you guys are great. I think you will give me honest and tested advice.
I want to know what medication you will advice? Pros and cons of different medications. Any body out there tried other holistic approaches or homeopathy?
What sort of doctor is a physiothearapy....or what sort of theropy is it? Like Physical Theropy?
Is MTX the only medication you had tried for the treatment of RA? Anthing like plaquinel or sulfersalizine? I personally don't understand doctors that don't try some of the older, milder DMARDS to treat early cases of RA or suspected RA.
I've had RA for 15 years and in most recent years been on MTX & Humira which are fairly common....but in my opinion much stronger treatments. That being said; I spent close to 10 years using things like Sulfersalalizine and plaquinel with fairly good success. After many years those medications pretty much ran their coarse....or burnt out; but they did pretty good for a long time and with much less side effects.
Hope things level out for you soon. Hang in there.....and hope to see more of you here.
Physio thearapy is where therapist strectches some muscles, gives you exercises to do like towel stretch. He also used ultra sound machine to break scar tissues. I am not well versed with all the medical terms.
I was also reading Topic on Apers. What are the cons if i ask my rheumy for Antibiotic protocol. How it is taken? weekly? every day? Plaquenil would be a good place to start.Planquil ? what are the side effects? will it upset the stomach?
Is it a injectible?
Is it a DMARD or biologic?
Is there a site I can go to research it?
Sorry I am asking too many questions, but I think I should take a informed decision based on all of your experiences.
Thanks for prompt replies
My husband has both achilles tendonitis and plantar fascitis but not RA. His foot is bothering him again right now so he will go back to physical therapy. His 2 sisters get the same thing.
Hi Veenu...welcome!
Here's some info on plaquenil
I've been on plaquenil for about 17 years now. It's pretty mild and for me, it did nothing on it's own.
There's also sulfasalazine....I've been taking that for a few yes now and to be honest, I don't think it does much for me (it could for others, though)
Methotrexate is what's really helped me...but it seems to also work better for me when the plaquenil is added to the mix.
What about celebrex? Would that be an option for you?
I've really had no problems with any of the meds I've taken so far. So I can't really get into any really bad side effects.
Hope you find something that helps soon
Hey Veenu -
AP comes in 2 varieties. The Brown Protocol is MWF 200 mgs (1 pill in AM and PM). The Harvard Protocol is daily.
I had plantar fascitis - it went away pretty fast - like in 4 months on AP. It still shows up on Xrays tho so I don't know if it is 'permanent' or what. What I mean is - it doesn't hurt anymore and I can't feel it.
I don't like medication either but... I like the idea of damage even less. LOL It's a trade off. You need something so you have to decide what's going to do it for you.
The cons to AP are upset stomach, nausea, dizziness that goes away in the first few months. There is a really rare side effect of Minocin Induced Lupus which will go away after stopping the med. You can switch to doxycyline if that happens. Rheumies neglect to mention that part. Another really rare side effect is a blue tint to your skin. My mom got that on her feet but is not willing to stop the med because it really lowered her back pain and she can sleep at night (OA).
If you decide to do AP you HAVE TO USE PROBIOTICS. Seriously, nothing is more important.
Hopefully I wasn't too abrupt - have a killer day tomorrow topped off with a hot date with my hubby as my baby's aunt is going to baby sit and I'm trying to get to bed tonight.
Hugs,
Pip
Veenu... welcome. I only discovered this forum a month ago... great people!
I've had RA for 7 years. I'm still seropositive, but methotrexate has stabilized me to a challenging but at a not-getting-worse level. I was on Plaquenil for about 18months at first and had really improved. But then, as can happen with these drugs, it stopped working and I got really bad again, needing help with dressing, eating, my hair, toothpast, doorknobs & faucet handles had to be changed... Methotrexate helped get me to the level I'm at now... still challenging, but manageable.
What I wanted to answer here was your question if anybody has plantar fascitis. .... I do, in fact since October, I'm suffering from a severe reoccurance of it, left foot worse. It took me 2 years to recover from it the last time in 1999 and never really went away. Ever since then all I can wear is sturdy athletic shoes with orthotics. I no longer even own a pair of pretty shoes. This episode is harder; I also have RA and a new severe allergy to all anti-inflammatories so I can't be given the cortisone shots like before. The ligament on the underside of the feet (plantar) pulled so hard on the heel bone it caused a bone spur on each foot. Doc says that does not cause pain, it is the fascitis. Then, I got painful Achilles tendonitis too. That big tendon pulled so hard, it caused bone spurs(Xrays). Doc says that is very painful as it's closer to surface. Even putting shoes on, hurts. One day, I caught myself walking funny, on outer side of foot, unconsciously, to ease some of the pain. Doc said that I probably was doing that a lot, and it explains the Achilles tendonitis. But it's just so hard to walk! I'm walking like on eggs and trying not to break them; I look 100 years old. What I mostly do this time is foot exercises, ice, walk slowly, use a cane, ride a motor scooter in stores, use my handicapped parking placard, and stay off my feet as much as possible. Unfortunately, in the long seige last time I gained 20lbs from inactivity. I'm trying hard to prevent that this time and so far, since Oct, I've only gained 5 lbs, though I'm not happy about going in that direction at all. Luckily, in between these episodes, I did lose that previous 20lbs, so even with the 5lbs, I'm technically not overweight, though I believe I should be 15lbs less for my height. I have very high arches so am predisposed to this. For most people, it is a sports injury.
I'm sure your husband already knows all the efforts to help recover....
---ice-ice-ice
---Advil or Celebrex
---cortisone shots
---walk slowly to avoid long strides which hurts heel more
---walk normally to prevent other problems, like ankle twisting, like I did
---foot,ankle exercises at home or at physical therapy
---foot straightener braces when sleeping-for the fascitis
---ankle braces for the A-tendonitis
---staying off his feet as-much-as-possible
---using a cane and the store scooter...stay off feet whenever possible
Does this help at all? Everybody else here can help with RA more than me.
CathyMarie
Some doctors won't even discuss AP; but if you research it and feel like that's an option you want to try that is your right as a patient. If your doctor won't help you explore this option find another who will.
Use your google search engine. Just type in the subject you want more information about and go at it. The WWW is your best option for information. You're lucky. When I was dx'ed I had to use the public library for information and most of it (even then) was out dated. The web had up to date info....and tons of options. What might be right for some might not be right for others.
I think that's one thing that's great about this site. We have a diverse group here. Many different diseases....many different treatment plans.....many different success stories; and some not so successful. It's a lot to weed through; but the effort will prove worth it in the end. Knowledge is power.
hello veenu....... sorry you needed ot find us.. but glad that you did.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you were DX'd w/ RA last year yet have NO meds to prevent destruction and deformity. RA is a diseaseo f opportunity.and your RD is giving it the opportunity to hurt you further.
Sorry if I seem so abrupt or terse...but I get angry about RD's who we put our trust in, not giving assistance immediately as needed.
I would be looking for a new RD.... Yours doesn't seem to have a clue or wish to help you.
Thanks a million to all who reponded
Thank you Cathy
I am walking exactly the way you described. I can't fit in any shoes. I am wearing open back sandals. I found that if I wear sandals with heels then pressure on heel is less. I am rolling a frozen bottle under my feet. And you are right i am walking funny. I have a pain in my calf muscles up to my bum which is driving me nuts. I have a corn on the outside of my right feet which is a size of a kidney bean. I never noticed it before.
Even with naproxyn my swelling is not going away.
I have to go to rheumy and ask for RA medication. I have tried MTX. It takes off the edge but walking was still a problem. Should i ask her to add something else with it?
I have mild to moderate RA.
Cathy do you have any problem in toes or ball of feet? Can you wear little heel shoes/sandals? Try may be it will help.
Hi Veenu,
Regarding your suggestion, I cannot wear sandals or slippers or anything unless it has a back that hugs the back of my foot. When I had it last time, I was wearing shoes 1/2 size bigger, thinking it was more comfortable. Foot doc said to wear a snugger shoe and surprisingly, he was right, it is more comfortable. I think a little heel is OK but I've tried all kinds of brands and the closest to a "pretty" and regular shoe is loafer style and only for an hour or so, then I'm hobbling so bad.
Since I cannot take any anti-inflammatories from Advil-Celebrex-Prednisone-cortisone shots, all I can do is wear good support shoes, with orthotics, ice my foot (water bottle works well), exercises that I learned in PT for foot and ankle, the aid of cane, scooter, handicapped placard and staying off feet as much as possible. I have very high arches so am predisposed to plantar fascitis and like I said, I caused the achilles tendonitis by walking funny to decrease pain. I don't take any pain meds for this specifically or along with all my RA stuff, I'd be on it all the time. I try to limit myself to 1 or 2 per day.
This feet problems have nothing to do with RA as far as I know. I had it the first time a few years before my RA even started.
CathyMarie
oh CathyMarie.. I'm so sorry.
I like form fitting shoes too... I like adjustable sandals best... I can let them in or out as needed.. (as long as the weather cooperates!!!
veenu.. how long did you take MTX? takes awhile before it really works.. and taking the edge off is a good thing, no?
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