I am 33 and was diagnosed with JRA at age 5. I took all of the meds they gave then; 18 baby aspirin a day, naproxen, etc. It started in only my knees and ankles. When I was 15, it spread throughout my body and I started getting cortisone shots and taking lots of meds.
When I got to college, I threw the meds away and just lived with the pain. For the past 13 years or so I have had relatively calm periods and some major flare ups. I am not currently taking any meds other than ibuprofen when I hurt. I did have a cyst drained and a cortisone shot about a year ago.
My question, though, is about intestinal pain. It started when I was 22 or so and got increasingly worse as I got older. Basically, whenever I do any sort of exercise in the abdominal area or any exercise that uses those muscles too much, I end up with massive intestinal cramping. I have been to several Docs and they all say that is really weird. It sounds sort of like IBS, but they have never heard of "exercise induced IBS". I went to a rheumatologist who said it could be related to the arthritis. She said there is a form that attacks internal organs and that exercise could theoretically induce swelling interanally like it can in the joints. I have also had bladder pain all of my life.
I am just wondering if anyone out there experiences the same kinds of things. I have wondered if these things were from all the meds as a child also. Thanks
Dear gwendolyna, so sorry to hear when you do something you love and it is good for you that you must suffer afterwards. Other people have written that they love to garden--but that makes them hurt afterwards, etc. This disease is very strange and people all over the country are in pain--agony really. so, we need young people to advocate for more research, more meds that work but aren't so bothersome, more attention to this RA 'stuff'. I'm sorry you are hurting and hope your doc can figure it out. I've never had that but 'trust me' I've had a lot of suffering because of this RA!! Best of luck sorting this all out.....let us know.
sarah
I wish I knew that too. I have had abdominal pain for years and it is worse when I walk or exercise. I was diagnosed with IBS but the meds did nothing for the pain. Then diverticulosis and given meds that did not help again. Later a gastroenterologist told me my pain could not be from that. Then dx with endometriosis, adhesions, pelvic congestion and a severely enlarged abdominal vein - had a hysterectomy - guess what! I still have the pain. The surgeon told me I have a damaged nerve that might be the problem. My neuro thinks not. I am looking forward to seeing what others may know about this. I have given up. Very sorry you suffer with this though and I hope you find an answer.
Laker