New RA guy - saying hello | Arthritis Information

 

Hello all,

Well, last Monday I finally went to the family Dr.  He referred to Rheumatologist, got to see her last Wednesday.  She said looks like you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, without knowing what she said, the family Dr. called back that evening with the same news.

I've been having pains for the last year or so, I put it in the category of "you're getting old", and "you gotta restart some exercise".  I work at a computer, so I thought my hands were just some form of "darn mouse" disease.  However during the last 6 weeks, my hands (not just fingers) and whole feet were seriously swollen and I couldn't do much, just sat around.  Walking is painful and awkward.  I also have about 3-5 of these nodules on my fingers, started about a year or 1.5 years ago.  I am 56.  And of course have pain, sometimes wake up at night rolling over and scream a bit, wakes up my wife.  A couple of toes feel and look like they are doing their own thing and don't obey my control anymore.

The Rheumy ordered more blood tests (Hepatitis for example) and some xrays; results unknown, have follow up appt. next week.  I've been studying lots of information.  Currently only thing I am doing is Iboprofen, and a blend of activity (home chores and stuff) and feet up rest.

But I got a little scared.  Some of my favorite things to do include working in the garden, fixing up my cars, and going on walks / mountain hiking.  Yikes, are these things over with now!!

Anyway, I'll be reading the back posts and archives here but wanted to say hello.  And will study anything I can get my hands on so I am as informed as possible.  I chose the user name "Ramen" since that food got me through college, and it sounds like "RA Men", I read that fewer men get this RA stuff, so I sounded kinda cute -- trying to keep a sense of humor.

Roland

welcome.. sorry you need to be here..

Hi Roland...welcome! Hi Roland, sounds as if we both got this rotten thing around the same age and our thoughts were very similar.

When I first came down with it my whole body was affected to the point that I could not move without much pain. At that stage I did not know what was wrong with me other than I am in deep trouble.

I persisted for five or six weeks before venturing to the docs to find out that I had RA of the severe type.
The first thing that needs to be done is to get the disease under control (usually with drugs). This can take up to six months or even twelve.

After you gain some control I think you will find that you can return to your interests, all be it in a moderated form.
Exercise is important but over doings things can lead to what they call flare ups.
Do some research on the "spoon theory" to find out a little more.

Your life is not over, your new life has just begun.
Being a bloke can bring on some challenges because we like to be able to fix things.
My experience is that I can not fix the RA, but I can ride and live with it.

Keep the chin up.
Hi, thanks all for the welcome.  Really, very much appreciate the message that this thing can be managed.  In the studying I've done, that message wasn't so obvious.  It just sound like "progressive disease", chronic, try this and that drug.   Lots of xray pictures that illustrate what can happen to the joints/bones.  So, yes, I intend to do my best with it, learn all I can, be an involved patient.  One thing I also already started, which was needed anyway, was a renewed attention to proper diet / nutrition.  These types of circumstances sure have a way of making one wake up a bit.   I'll keep writing as I learn more about what is going on.

Welcome Roland!  I am sure that you new doctor will put you on the right path.  You will meet lots of nice people on here with lots of information to share.  Best of luck and keep us posted.   Welcome Roland!

I'm still pretty new here myself but I can tell you that this forum helped me out of the "shadow of darkness." I was terrified of the meds, that progressive disease term and a lot of other things.

It was only about 6 weeks ago that my husband and son had to help me out of bed. I couldn't do a lot of the basic activities of daily living such as comb my hair, zip my pants, open a bottle of water, and barely could bathe. I would get in the bathtub and it would take me over 30 minutes to figure out how I was going to get out. After seeing a rheumatologist and getting on some prednisone, Celebrex, and methotrexate, I would say that I am about 75% better. I feel so much better and doing all the previously mentioned things easily. In the beginning, it feels like your old life is a thing of the past but it's not. You'll feel better once you're taking the right medications.

Keep checking back here for lots of great info. Good luck to youbfils2010-07-19 22:47:59Welcome!  This is a great place for info and to ask real life questions from fellow sufferers. Welcome Roland, sorry you are here.  I too was diagnosed late (61) and being a male the odds were certainly against that, but here it is.  Your explanation sounds like mine were.  The meds that the doc gave me took away all of that stuff.  I still have flares from time to time, sometimes they last a week or more, but all in all things are ok.  I guess we have to make peace with this disease and get on as best we can Roland,
Welcome and sorry that your here. I have taken a different track on this and am taking Apitherapy for the RA and hope to be over it in 3 months. I have taken 2 months of treatments so far and been able to cut the meds down to 2.5 mg Pred on the days I don't have treatments. I choose to not let this get the best of me being only 54 I still have a lot of living left to do.
Cheers
Laserman56


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