back to some early symptoms question | Arthritis Information

Did any of you get headaches? (I could just be fighting off the head cold thing that's going around).

What about symptoms that come and go?

I see my 2nd rheumy this Friday. I am so much more afraid of him not finding anything than I am about what he could find.

Thanks!

Doxigal only one migrane but a lot of sinus headaches. I read on the Arthritis Foundation Board that people with RA get more sinus headaches. I also know that inflamation at the cellular level is not obvious. This time you are going through was the hardest for me, even harder than the disease has gotten. I was told that I was just depressed and it was all in my head. All of my labs as of a year ago have been negative so the Dr's would say nothing's wrong.

I wanted to mention that when I had obvious symptoms I took pics of them. The Dr's had to pay attention then. Just a suggestion for you that may help. I now have a great medical team but it took a while and now I am working on med cocktails to try to get it under some control.

I hope Friday goes well for you and the Dr pays attention to what you are saying. Let us know how it goes.

Headaches were never a problem for me (before or now) - be sure and add this to list to talk to the doc about. I'll be thinking of you Friday. Hugs and good vibes.

Just got a call from fam. doc clinic. My labs were negative

I am 2nd guessing everything. Do I really have these fevers? Maybe it is my thermometer. Maybe I don't really have pain, feel flu-ish. UGh...I am sorry, I am really having a down day. Dreading tomorrow.

And to give credit to the last rheumy that suggested my diet due to cholesterol..those tests came back 226 and 135. Without fasting first. So I guess she was right about that.

Bonny~

what do you mean by "cellular level"? I would love to hear everything you have to say.

Thanks!

Labs don't mean /everything/.

I get fluish symptoms with my RA and have had the odd headache. Have you started meds yet? MTX and some others have been known to cause them in the early stages while the body gets used to the drug. I just make sure I drink plenty of water.

Hello my name is dave. I am a veteran from the first gulf war and have been told by my doctor that I have a significant amount of degeneraation due to arthritis in my back. But I have had some pretty mean headaches. But I cannot say it is due to the RA or the effects of the war. I have been complaining for the last ten years or so but they never found anything before. Well I did not take the meds and in pain for a week so the MRI would show that I wasn't just crazy. now that I know I just want to cry but the tears don't come. but the headaches do. If anyone has some info on this please share and as I find out more I will post that. I am glad I found this site.

Inflammation at the cellular level is just inflammation invisible to the eye. You may have enough inflammation to cause pain but it is not obvious. This is one of the characteristics of Palinfromic Rheumatism.

PR can be accompanied by a fever also. Regarding the lab results I have negative results but bone erosion from RA so personally I don't put much emphasis on labs.

Be sure to check out the palindromicrheumatism.org site. When I had just PR my rheumy had forgotten PR exists since it is rare rheumys don't see it often and sometimes not at all.

Hello Dave,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing severe headaches.

I'm glad they're doing an MRI to check for any compression in your spine. I don't think it's necessary to go off your meds for the MRI. If there's something there ie disc compression, the scan should show it.

The headaches could also be cluster migraines. My brother has them and is has to take meds daily to keep them at bay.

In my early 20's I had 2 headaches that would be classed as migraines. I had the auras, light sensitivity, and tunnel vision for both episodes. After that I was free of migraines until 10 years ago. This time I had no auras, just a slight flickering in the corner of my right eye and about 15 minutes later my head would start to pound. I was referred to a neurologist who diagnosed me as having atypical migraines. My triggers are exertion ( lifting heavy things), flickering flourescent lighting, and bright sunlight and salty foods. I also had an MRI to check for possible aneurysms.

As you can see, migraines run in my family. My daughter has them and often they're severe enough that she needs an intravenous infusion of a migraine med. I've even had to go the infusion route when 2 doses of Zomig don't touch the headache.

I hope you find some answers soon. It would be wonderful for you to be headache free. Good luck with the MRI

I have had headaches since eary childhood. I gone a day without a head of some kind, but I don't think I've ever gone a whole week without one. Most are not severe any more but tend to linger. Had a very bad time with migraines in teens and 20's but that has really slowed down.

Thanks Bonny, I will check that site. I have now seen 2 rheumys (one did blood work, 1st one did not) and neither thinks RA. Please check my new post "What now?".

Thanks again.

My migraines were getting worse and more frequent....until I started Plaquenil and MTX. They completely went away. I am now on Arava and Plaquenil and have no migraines whatsoever. Does anyone have an explanation for this?Doxi - Have you considered fibromyalgia? Hard to get a diagnosis but a very real disease. No blood test for it.

I am just so tired of this ALL. Today I managed to ride around with DH in the tractor (all I did was ride along) moving snow for about 45 min. I was able to iron 1 pair of pants and 5 shirts (all while sitting down). My fever is 99.5 and I am just wiped out. I didn't think my back/hip hurt today but when DH reached over to give me a little rub on the thigh it hurts. My hands have hurt all day and felt weak.

doxigal39144.7233449074Hi,
I don't have any magic answers; but just wanted to tell you to hang
in there! I can well imagine the frustration you are feeling.

I can't believe the rheumy you saw believes fibro is "fictitious". What
a crock!! That was one of the first things my rheumy tested me for.
(tender point test).

Please hang in there. You will get answers.

Doxi:

If it is of any help, only about 30% of RA folks test positive for the RA factor. That leaves the vast majority of us that fall into the negative group. Also, there are many, many autoimmune diseases and types of arthritis. Not all signs and symptoms are the same.

If I'm reading you correctly, I think you've got it turned around, IslandWoman.

I think about 70-80% of people that have RA have elevated rheumatoid factor with others being seronegative.

Doxigal, my RA started out as daily headaches and flu symptoms. This went
on for five years and many dollars later in health care costs related to
figuring out what was going on. I think the doctors thought I was a nut
case. I am sero positive. My headaches went away somewhat when I was
put on nadolol, a beta blocker. They never really went away but were not as
bad and I just lived with a dull ache. Then, the miracle pill, Plaquiinil came
into my life and wala, headaches were gone. That is the part that I love. I
have no side effects and my headaches have totally disappeared. My joints
still have some issues but I can deal with that...today. I hope this helps. My
rheumy told me that he did not think the headaches are related to RA at all.
I don't agree. They are common with Lupus, why not RA. I'm not convinced
of his opinion on that.

Thanks so much you guys. I really don't know what I have, if I even belong on this website. If my RF was negative, I am not sure why my symptoms do not point to RA or some other autoimmune? 2 rheumys now.

My fever is really my worst enemy and no doctor seems to know what it is from. NONE of y'all had a fever that continued?

I am really getting depressed over this

I am still, just out of curiosity, looking for sameness. I haven't seen it. Keep some hope stashed somewhere if you can. It sure helps if you can do it...(my little opinion there..)

Peace

Thank you Jen.

It is just so hard to stay positive. Especially some days. I feel like they are not finding anything so I must not be sick.

Hard to buy it myself tho...today I feel soooo crappy. Hands hurt, feet hurt. Cannot wait to go home.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Doxigal keep on searching. A rheumy that considers Fibro not a real disease probably will not be a very good one for you. I am still lab test negative and it took 3 rheumys and 2 PCPs before I found a team of Dr's that believed me. Now of course I present with their "proper" symptoms but it took a long time. While the Dr's were telling me that it was all in my head etc. I was having bone erosion going on so please keep on going.

Take care.

Everyone is different, drugs use are many and different but pain and suffering always hurt and present. Because the disease is in control

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