Hello everyone. I'm new to this site and have been dying to contact someone who has PA, I haven't found anyone outside medical community who has even heard of it.
I was diasgnosed in February, after several trips to various doctors. I'm on MTX, Naprosyn, Folic acid, Omeprazole(cuz naprosyn upsets my stomach), and started Humira 4 weeks ago. Still not much relief. My hands are very bad, getting worse, with 5 joints on each hand involved. My feet and back gives me problems at times, but my hands are the worst, and lots of fatigue.
I hope someone can give some hope to feeling better some day. Thanks for listening.
Hi gigi21,
Hi gigi21,
I am also newly diagnosed and new to the forum. I too have problems with my hands and feet and back. Yes, I can understand the fatigue issue. Do you have someone to support you at home? I just started Humira, and have not seen much of a difference yet either. In fact I started it when I was having a flare up of psoriasis, and it did not make a dimes bit of difference. I still hold out hope, because I have just had one shot.
Take care,
Hi and welcome to both of you. I'm one of the triples - RA/PA/OA. PA has been the most painful and has been the most difficult to control with DMARDS and biologics. I can't explain to you why, I just know that PA is by far the worse of the lot. I have PA in my hands, wrist, elbows, shoulders, feet, toes, ankles, and back. It has taken 3 years, and many meds before I was prescribed the right combination of meds. It wasn't because I had bad docs, it's just that I didn't respond or keep responding to the meds. I've now reached the point where I'm 75% better and it's like a new life. I'm facing knee replacements, with the first surgery next Monday. My goal is to be golfing in 3 months. 3 years ago I was homebound and on a really good day I used my cane. I've come a long way. There is hope
Both of you are newly diagnosed and please listen carefully to me and remember this......what will save you will be PATIENCE. You have to be patient. The meds don't work overnight. We're so used to popping a pill and feeling instant results. It's hard to take medications that can cause diseases, have severe side effects, and not expect to get overnight relief. I was on Remicade for 5 months before I felt any change and it still took 3 medication adjustments for me to reach this level of change. It can be a long journey. I have a feeling your journeys will be shorter because your disease was caught early. RA had been lingering around for about 3 years and I ignored it. When I finally couldn't get out bed I decided that something seriously was wrong with me. I went to the doctor and found out I had a blown disk in my lumbar region and a severe onset of RA. Pa was diagnosed 6 years later.
This is my PA story. The journey has been long and hard and I learned patience. Lack of patience will add stress, depression, and additional pain to an already stressed body and mind.
Take care and come on over to the RA posting site. You'll get much more feedback. Lindy
I am about to start using humira for the first time. I am awaiting approval from my insursance. I have Blue Cross. I have Pa, the worst is in my feet. The doctor said there is much degeneration in them.They hurt the worst. My hands and wrists are second runner ups. I have had this on and off most of my life. Now that I am older it is alot more painful.. Would like to know if anyone has had success with pain relief from using humira?????
Cathi, welcome and feel free to join in on the RA forum. Most of us hang out there, because there is more of them, and most have been through all of this stuff.
There are a lot of people that get relief from Humira. I did not get enough relief from it so I have gone on to Remicade. I did four shots of the Humira, and it just did not do enough. Repost your question on the RA forum sight and you will get a lot of answers.
Hi,