Newbie Needs Help With Symptoms | Arthritis Information

Hello all, I am writing for some advice on my situation since I am at a loss for what to do, and just dont feel like i have anyone to talk to about this or relate with. I think I might have RA.

I am 31 years old and about 8 months ago I woke up with a sore wrist one day...I just thought I had slept on it wrong. It progressed and inflamed over the next few weeks and had a deformed, swollen bump above my wrist. It limited my motion in my wrist, felt like it was sprained and also sent a sharp pain up my arm when doing even slight movements. Annoying to say the least.

I went to my family doctor who looked it over and diagnosed it as a gangleon cyst (sp) and recommended me to a hand specialist and surgeon. He could not diagnose it, but I remember him asking me if anyone in my family had RA, "not that I know of" I responded. When weighing what could be done, I elected surgery to remove it and find out what it was since I do not have health insurance to go through x-rays and then have surgery.

After surgery the bump seemed to be going down, and eventually my wrist loosened to movement and felt better, however my pinkie remained swollen and hurt after surgery for the next month....wierd since he cut above my wrist on the backside of my hand I thought. The biopsy report couldnt conclude what it was and it couldnt rule out RA....my doctor couldnt tell me what it was which I found strange, but I was just relieved it was all over and hopefully life would go back to normal.

In my surgery hand my pinkie remains swollen 4 months after surgery. My ring finger next to it is even more swollen now, and cannot be bent all the way down. The side of my index finger is very tender when touched and feels like you are touching a bruised part of ur body. I've started waking up everyday sore in my back, and legs with my muscles feeling sore. My neck feels tight and its stiff when I look back in my car to change lanes I have to strain. My left heel hurts pretty much daily, and the right side of my jaw hurts as well. I get stiff and sore after sitting down for short periods of time.

Im really concerned. I dont have health insurance but I am waiting on some quotes to come back and plan to get some....I guess I have been waiting on this before I go get blood work done and get diagnosed if I indeed am going to.

Anyways, for anyone reading this far I appreciate it and let me know what you think of my symptoms and I would appreciate any advice on my situation....thanks-

Hi, and welcome to this forum, though I am sorry you're going through this.

You want to be careful how you handle this with a new insurance because of the "pre-existing conditions" clause in most policies.

You need a rheumatologist. I wouldn't hesitate to make an appointment now so that when your insurance comes through you're set to go without a long new patient waiting period.

There are well over a hundred different diseases in rheumatology. Maybe that's expanded to a couple hundred by now. It really takes a rheumatologist to make the correct diagnosis. I can tell you that I have, as of last count, about 5 different diseases. Luckily most are treated the same way.

Now here's where it gets sticky. I would cross my fingers behind my back and tell the doctor the problem with the fingers is something new. I have no experience personally with insurance companies denying payment for pre-existing conditions, but I have heard some people tell of pretty bad experiences.

If you feel you can't wait for the insurance to come through, then at the least you can expect the charges for a standard new patient office visit and then drugs, at the very least. You might be able to hold off for a little bit on any blood work - but that's probably ill-advised.

If you end up going before the insurance kicks in, ask the doctor for samples of whatever drug he recommends to alleviate the inflammation. Odds are s/he has a ton of it in his office. Too, better to take some samples instead of paying cash for drugs only to find out they don't agree with you after a few pills.

About your rheumatologist: sometimes it's not a good patient-doctor "fit" so don't hesitate to doctor shop. If you know of people who have rheumatologists, talk to them and get their input.

In the meantime, ice, ice, ice. Also, if this is the same hand you use your computer mouse, try forcing yourself to become ambidextrous or to use the touch-pad of the computer for a change. Repetitive motion causes inflammation.

I'm sure others can add a lot of pearls of wisdom.

Take care!

Sam

Well you would need to see a rheumatologist. Sometimes people can have RA or even other auto immune diseases and it does not always show up on the bloodwork. So a specialist is best. Even if it does show up on your bloodwork you would still need a specialist to diagnose and treat RA. Also you are right insurance would be nice.

I have had two ganglion cyst and the pathology reports confirmed that they were in fact ganglion cyst. Mine were in my foot and under my knee. Just it seems odd that they could not confirm that it was a ganglion cyst. I had to have one removed twice. Ganglion cyst attach to the tendon and they had to go back and cut more of the tendon out the second time for the one that was under my knee. The one in my foot I never had drained or removed it exploded on it's own in time.

Honestly mine did not hurt until they got really big. I attributed mine to taking ibuprofen. i just had happened both times to be taking ibuprofen prior to them developing. So I never took it again and have never had one again. So it was based on a hunch but seems to be holding true scince it has been about eight years now scince I have had one.

I wish you the best on your journey. I am glad you found this forum. I really truely hope you do not have RA. If you do or even if it turns out to be something else we are here for you. Welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the replies....I definetly need to see someone. I feel my symptoms closely align with RA, and I've been reading about Fibromyalgia as well....I have no idea about these things though, so I am just learning as much as I can. I've also made a lifestyle change, I quit smoking and have quit sodas, most sugar, caffeine etc. and just trying to eat healthy and get some light exercise where I can. My hand and fingers is bad enough to where I cannot do any push ups, lift weights, or even open a door or carry groceries with it very well, so walking and light jogging is it for now.... Something is going on with my entire body though and I am sore all over.

As far as the hand I felt it worth mentioning that the doctor said it was an inflamed tendon, and he was not sure what caused it. He wasnt very forthcoming with information, and it was my fault for not asking as much as I could have, I guess I thought that everything would be over. The bump is still there as well, however not as pronounced, and movement in my wrist is ok, however my fingers are weak, swollen, bruised, tender and hurt when moved. When I wake up in the morning the other hand repeats these symptoms, however they go away almost instantly after getting up.

Thanks to some good advice, I plan to get insurance asap and wait a period of time before scheduling an appointment with a rheumologist. May sound bad and deceptive, but I have to do what I have to do and I cannot afford all the tests, x-rays, appointments, medicine etc. if I cannot get some help. Therefore I need to find a plan of atack so this isnt listed as a previous condition. Something I feel a little guilty of since I am a very honest person, but cant afford the care I could potentially need self paying for all this.
PFunk,

I don't think anyone here on this website would criticize you for being a tad deceptive about when the current problem started [in terms of it being or not being a pre-existing condition]. I personally feel this "pre-existing condition" caveat in insurance policies is a ton of baloney. So you jump through whatever hoops you have to.

But a word of caution: don't let this wait. If it is arthritis then the sooner you get treated the better off you'll be and can halt the progress of the disease.

In the meantime, keep checking back here and read the posts. Never hurts to be armed with information provided by the people posting here.

Welcome to the forum, but I'm sorry for the reason that brought you here.

Don't feel the slightest bit deceptive because insurance companies are quite deceptive themselves. You're just taking care of yourself! But do be aware that getting into a rheumatologist can take three months or more.

As Sam pointed out, there are many diseases under the arthritis umbrella. Muscle soreness and heel pain doesn't sound like RA to me; yet the finger inflammation does. Best wishes to you.

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