Hi,
I was just diagnosed with RA and have a couple of questions. I've been having hand, wrist and foot pain on and off for about 15months. But all the bloodwork done on me has come back negative - I look perfectly normal, except I hurt. I saw a rheumatologist on Friday and he said that I also don't have any visible inflammation, but the pain is enough to diagnose. I'm now on hydroxychloroquine... I want to know if there's anyone else out there whose been diagnosed this way. I really WANT the doc to be wrong 'cause I'm pretty scared about all this. This is also the first message board for anything I've ever been on - so I hope I'm doing this right.
Hi Eileen! WELCOME!
Yes, I have been dianosed the same way - pretty much. It's not that unusual; and the sooner you slow down or stop the disease -the better it is for you. You didn't mention if the RD took xrays or mri's? They can help dianose too - but early on you won't have any erosions.
Your RD has put you on Plaquenil (your on the generic, hydroxychloroquine); it is the mildest drug you can be on for RA. I hope it works for you - it takes along time to take effect in most people - a good 4 months or so. Are you on anything else for pain or inflammation, like prednisone or a NSAID? If not and you are in alot of pain - you can always call your RD and ask him for something to help you. With plaquenil you should have your eyes tested (dialated and throughly checked) every 6 months. It can (rare) leave deposits on your cornea - should be reversible if the drug is stopped. I've not heard of anyone getting these...my Mother (has RA too) has been on plaquenil for 15 years straight - no problems at all!
Your lucky you have a RD that doesn't drag his feet. There is NO reversing damage from RA - you can only slow it down and try to prevent it. Read up on RA...go to www.arthritis.org, webmd, just search ra on yahoo or whatever search engine you use...after educating yourself - you probably won't be so scared. These sites are GREAT too!! You get to interact with others - and it helps tremendously! A couple other sites you might want to check out are www.rheumamisfits.com and www.vf11/rasushi.com and www.vf11/autoimmunedisea/autoimmundisea.html and www.4ratalk.com
Feel positive that you have a diagnosis - feel good that you obviously have a pro-active RD and that you are on a DMARD early!
And again, welcome!! Were a friendly bunch here!
Oh, you might want to make your font size bigger...hard to read the small print on your post
Have a good night!
Definately enlarge your font. I can't read it.....my eyes are really getting bad!
Sorry about the font size - I'm a novice with message boards... Thank you so much for the links - I'm sitting at work waiting for students to come in for advising so it's a perfect time to surf through this material. I'm on a NSAID, relafen, which helps a lot...my pain thus far isn't too bad, thank goodness, just really annoying and frustrating, and the relafen works pretty well.
I also have more questions about pain and when it's worst. Since early August I've been having this pain all the time after about 9 months of hardly any pain, but it's kinda weird...sometimes my joints hurt, but other times my hands and feet just sort of ache all over. Mainly my joints hurt when I use them (put pressure of some sort on them) but the pain doesn't stay with me when I stop doing the thing that hurt them. Is this what you all get? I can't really get anything out of my doctor...he's content to have diagnosed me and gotten my on appropriate drugs (thank goodness!), but he's not one to explain what I might/should/could be feeling, which is a bit frustrating.
Eileen
Welcome first off... You've come to a wonderful place. You mentioned that you don't understand days with or without the pain etc. Keep a daily blank calendar near by and write in it what is hurting and pain level. See if there is a link to the weather, stress (good or bad), over working yourself or drinking. It's amazing once you place it on paper how often you can find a trigger of some sort sometimes. Good luck and be sure to keep us posted on your progress. Hi Eileen Welcome. I sure understand you not accepting the RA dx. I'm still trying to deny it... 27 years later. I keep asking my doc 'Are you sure?'. He smiles at me, rolls his eyes and shakes his head. After 5 years it has gotten to be a little game with us... Except I'm not 100% kidding. Every body is different. You sound like your RA is mild - with treatment you should do very well. Don't worry about the label!
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