Hi. I am a 26 year old female. I was told that i had some arthritis in my hip about 8 months ago. Today, i went to the doctor with my knee hurting and being stuff sometimes. He toke an xray and told me that i have arthritis now in my knee. I go back to him in March. He says that he will then do blood work to look for some rare condition that would cause me get this at such a young age. Should i be worried? And, will the arthritis start showing up in other areas? I am so confused and scared. Please Help!! Thanks.
In this section there is a post (Or was; I'll see if I can bring it up) that list the criteria for dignosing RA. Look at it and see if it rings true for you.
OA is likely....but I didn't develope that until my 30ties. That doesn't mean that's not the case for you. It can happen.
Welcome guys. We're glad you're here.
http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=51 7&PN=1
Here's that post I referred to about the criteria for dignosing RA.
Lynn, None of us can say for sure either way; but you are kindof young for OA....unless you suffered some sort of injury to that particular area at some point.
I'm not trying to "talk you into" RA....but keep in mind that you only need 4 out of the 7 criteria for a doctor to dx'ed RA.
Did you doctor give you any kind of medication? When is your next appointment?
he put me on neproxen...i go back to him March 6th. He said that he would do some blood work then...but i seem to start having pain everywhere and i am tired...I hate waiting and not knowing what is wrong with me...Thank ya'll for the helpfull information. I dont know if i have all the symptoms of RA. I have started having some pain in my ankle and my other knee. The doctor said something about cartildge or muscle being gone. Do you think it could be degenerative arthritis? I dont know all the different kinds. I just know that it is painful and I cant get any sleep.I took neproxen when I was first dx'ed....along with predisone and sulfersalize. It's like aleve....be sure to have something on your stomach before you take it.
Hang in there. Sometimes it's a long process in the beginning while they determine what exactlys going on. Hopefully it won't take too long.
Try to rest when you can.
the doctor put me on naprosyn too.I sent away for it and it has not come yet.But in the mean time some lady told me to rub my pain parts in olive oil and take cod liver oil.If that works I will not be taking that "med"She is against it says it messes up your system.I am so interested to read about all of your experiences; it is so comforting to know that I am NOT going stark raving crazy! I was recently diagnosed, too - first symptom was a swollen toe a month before my wedding in the summer of '04. Docs told me it was a bunyon (ya, right!) and my fears about not being able to wear my fancy wedding shoes were quickly overtaken: suddenly it spread through feet, hands, shoulders and jaw (most excruciating), hips most recently and knees are starting. My first flare rendered me bedridden, it was all a mystery... still unraveling but I am really glad to read others' experiences are similar. Thank you, thank you...
I was 29 when DX with RA. Within a year my doctor told me if we didn't find something to control it I'd be completely crippled within 2 years at the rate the RA was progressing. Well I'm now 59 and I'm not crippled. I wasn't able to take the anit-imflammatory drugs so they put me on the myrochrisne injections(Gold Salts) I was on that for 5 years until it started affecting my liver. Since then I've been on a lot of different RA meds but the one that has stayed constant has been the placquinil(sp). At this time I get the Remicade Infusions, I also take Arava, Placquinil and Prednison every day. I had to start the whole thing over on the Remicade since I went 16 weeks without an infusion due to Hurricane Rita. I didn't realize how much it had been helping me but I sure found out fast. So right now I've just finished up my 3rd infusion since the 12th of Nov. At this time we are spreading it out to every 6 weeks and then hopefully it will be back to the every 8 wks. I get 5 vials of it at the time of infusion. I was on methro for awhile but it was making me really sick.
Every individual is different and every med works different for them.
I know what seems to be working for me.
Take care
Hi Lovie, Mary & all -
Welcome Fiona. Glad you're here.
What type of medication has your doctor started you on? Once you are on a proper treatment plan the need for pain medication will not be as great. You do need some sort of treatment though to help slow the progression. Once that's happened the pain will be much less.
Welcome again.
Well I enjoy making Drs. eat their words. I was told in 1977 that if we didn't find something to work for me I'd be completely crippled and in a wheel chair within two years. Well here it is almost 30 years later and I'm still getting around with my own two feet.
I even had a podiestrist who was testing the NEuropathy in my feet tell me that she figured I'd end up in a wheel chair within 2 years,
I was told that 4 years ago. So I really like it when it doesn't work out the way they think it will.
I've found that with this disease you need to stay as positive and upbeat as you can. I know it's hard to do when you're hurting like
H**L. But if we give in to this thing it will win. And I for one don not like to lose at anything.
I just noticed I'm going to my sausage fingers so i'm going to
sign off for now and head to lala land.
Later
Mary
I take MTX 25mg, Humira-Weekly, Folic Acid and a HRT (Can't remember the name right off). I went into menopause at age 32. I'm now 35.
I also take Tramadol and muscle relaxers for pain as needed. I just take those prescription pain meds at night or weekends when I'm not working. I just take Advil or IUB as needed during the day most of the time.
I've had a horrible time with my back; especially this past summer. X-Rays and MRI show several budging disks....one of which aggrevates a nerve at times and RA in the lower part of my back. That's been quite a struggle. Standing for even short periods can be hard at times.
I can't take any of the NASIDs because of all the damage they've done to my stomach and esopoghus. I also have the bulging discs and spurs in several areas of my back. The neurosurgeon said that at this time I still had plently of room around my spinal cord itself and that the spurs are facing outward whichis better, I guess.
I can certainly understand the standing causing problems.
Boy that was early to go into menapause. I had a partial at the age of 29 but wasn't able to take HRT's as they caused massive migraines.
I had my remicade infusion today and also got the doctor to reduce my prednisone another 2.5 mg. He's also spread out the remicade infusion to 7 wks this time. So I feel like the next time I go in I'll be back on schedule. I do know I am feeling so much better now. After we're sure I've leveled off then he wants me tostart decreasing the placqunil that I take. I can hardly wait.
Need to finish checking the rest of my mail.
MAry
Mary that sounds like great progress. To be able to decease instead of increase on any of the meds is a success in my book.
I'm still holding out for that day. I'll get there eventually. At this point I just get excited when things are working at all. I'm considering that successful for me right now.
Their not 100% sure what casued me to go into menopause so early. It was either the MTX or RA itself. They think both contributed....but hesitate to say for sure. You know doctors. They hate to be wrong about something....so they try not commit too often.
I've slowly but surely worked up to more and more medication over the years to control it. For me it's been fairly slow to progress in my opinion. Sounds as if you have had a simular experience.
How about your x-rays? Bone errosions? Every have any back problems?
As far as my x-rays go they show moderate errosion in the hands and feet. I do have degenerative in my cervical and lumbar regions of my back and neck.
The back pain at times is rough. I've had PT for both area's at different times and it helps some but not enough. I need to talk to my PCP about doing another round of PT this year. I have trouble standing for more than 10 or 15 mins without my back going into spasms.
Yes, it's been slow progressing at least as far as outward manifestations but the swelling I've had in my legs has injured the small blood vessels which in turn caused vasculitis and that in turn caused Neuorpathy. Then the prednisone I'm on at this time was enough to push me over the top for Type II diabetes and I've also noticed that my neuropathy is getting worse.
But good thing is coming out of all of this. I am losing some weight.
I've noticed that people are listing their meds under their names. I've got a question..is that all the meds you are on? Do you have other problems like hypertension, high cholestrol, GERDS, Barretts, Fibro, anything else?
Mary
RX: Placqunil, Arava, Prednisone, Remicade
Hi, Lynn!! I was dx'd with RA when I was 12 years old (41, now). I ran a very high fever for about a solid week, and they didn't know what was wrong, so they quarantined me in the hospital...and, then my knee swole up as big as my head!! With treatment, mine remained in remission for MANY years and I still just have "days" or flares. The comments I've read from others, here, are right...sometimes it takes time for the dx...but, then treatment can commence, and...hopefully, relief....both mentally and physically. At 12, I was totally scared outta my wits...but, I didn't grow an extra head [which probably wouldn't hurt me.. :)].
I pray some of your worries subside.
j*
I like the way ya think Mary. Positive thinking is key in dealing with a life of ups and downs such as this.
You obviously have much to share. Do you visit on the RA board at all? We have many members...especially what's referred to as "Newbies" (most of which as newly dx'ed) that would benifit from your attitide.
Lovie
No I really don't do boards of any kind all that much. I'm in a lot of yohaoo groups mainly dealing with machine embroidery and that takes a lot of my time.
I just ran across this one in surfing one day and thought I'd answer.
Later
Mary
Hi, I'm also new here.Fiona
I'm so sorry to hear that you've been hit with this disease. Yes mornings are bad for all of us but I've found a way that they're not so bad. I just stay up all night so I don't give my body a chance to get stiff. LOL
Seriously, I wish I knew of a way to ease both the morning stiffness and the flares. And yes it does sound like you are in a flare. When ever I have a flare I give in to it for one day and just lay around and give my body a rest. But on that second day I'm up and moving otherwise I think I'd end up in a wheel chair. You've got to keep moving with this disease and don't give in to it.
In May it will be 30 years since I was DX. I'm also one of the fortunate ones. I have very little outward deformity. I have a couple of fingers that are trying to turn on my but I work the and massage them in a straight position. don't know if that is why they haven't turned all the way or not but so far so good. Why don't you want to take any pain medication? Are you wrried about becoming addicted? Don't worry about that. The chances of becoming addicted are very slim. I also hate to take pain meds but believe me when I'm in a flare I take them.
As for shoes I wear mainly open toe sandles and I can get by with the Crocs. they are an ugly shoe and with pants they don't look too bad. I'll say this for them they are really comfortable and to clean them all you have to do is put them in the sink and wash them.
It is also important to have doctors that you can talk with and that listen to you. I had to go through two Rheumatoligist before I found mine and believe me if he retires I don't know what I'll do because I refuse to see the other 2 that practice around here. They're both quacks. When a doctor takes you by the shoulders that he knows are hurting and squeezes real hard and then gets in your face and tells you he'll put you back on a med you asked about but it's not going to do any good because I'm never going to get any better. That was the last time I saw that doctor. He didn't like me to ask him questions.
The other doctor after taking me off of all meds because he thought I'd been misdiagnosed. He then ran all kinds of tests and one month he thought I had this and the next month I had that and so on and so forth. Finally I told him I was tired of the emotional roller coater he had me on. I was still trying to get over the death of one of my sons earlier that year. Anyway we parted ways and about a month later his office calls and said that he thought I'd be a good candidate for the remicade Infusions. I told them I wasn't his patient any longer.
At the time my Rheumatoid Factor was around 225. It took me about 4 months to get in to see the doctor I have now and I wouldn't trade him for anything.
What part of the country do you live in? The Arthritis Foundation has lots of information that you can request. they also have support groups in some areas. I want to get one going here in S E Texas.
It's just having the stamina to do it. I've got so much on my plate right now. Oh well, whay is it they say if you need something done then give it to a busy person.
Good luck and it's nice to meet you.
My name is Mary and as you gathered I live in Texas along the Uppler Gulf coast. I'm 59 and married for 44 years.
Mary
Imsotired---I am interested in your dx of epstien-barr syndrome, can you tell me more about your symptoms and why you were dx.d with it? Thanks