New and looking for support

Hi,

I am a 25 yr old female and I have RA, Lupus and Raynauds. I was diagnost a little over 6 months ago. Prior to my diagnosis I was a healthy young women taking zero meds!! I became ill with Pneumonia and was treated and over came that, but it was like something erupted inside of me or woke up some lurking diease and now I have been dealing with horrid pain and swollen fingers most of the time. I only had some relief when i was on 20mg of prednisone which was for a short time. I am taking a drug store full of meds. Low dose of Prednisone, Methotrexate, Folic Acid, Meloxicam, Plaquenil, Calcium with Vit. D and Nifedipine. NONE of these meds seem to be doing me any good!! Well, the nifedipine works for my Raynauds. I know a couple of these meds takes time to build up in your system. But in the mean time i am miserable! How could someone be taking all these meds and have so much pain? I can hardly sit up in my bed in the mornings without help and I can't get up and down easily. I just don't understand why i can't get some kind of relief. I never thought that i would be dealing with this at my age! Hopefully I can get some insights from this forum on how to face and deal with this.

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Hi Vannie,

Wow! you are really suffering from alot more than i am! yes, I guess patience is what i need. It is so hard to be patient though! With as many people that have this, you would think there would be a combination of drugs that would give people relief right away. Instead we're having to go through so many combination of drugs for a long time before the magic of relief happens. I guess i can't get my mind around why it takes so long to possibly get any relief. I appreciate your post and I am seeing my rheumatologist next week.

Thank you for the encouragement!!

Thanks momto3! I hope my meds start working...or my RA doc finds one that works!

So  I went and saw my RA doc today. He is having me take more of my Methotrexate...i was taking 6 once a week all at once..now i have to take 8 once a week. I am alittle worried...those who have taken this med. knows they have ppl with cancer take this. I know that taking these meds could make your risk higher to having cancer ....just on edge about it. I am still on the other same meds...nothing has changed...just this med.

Hello everyone! I am new and seeking advice. I am 26 yrs old and have RA throughout entire body. I was diagnosed 10 yrs ago after I had the flu and was so sick I couldn't move. For a while I had pain on and off but I just took my aleve and dealt. At 16, being healthy my whole life, I didn't really understand what RA was and how it would soon affect my life. I have never seen a rhuematologist and only just a few weeks ago was put on Meloxicam 15 mg. I have ovarian cysts that leak and rupture regularly during the last year and now believe I have a kidney infection due to a rupture within the last few days. I work full-time at a gas station on my feet all day and have to keep up with 2 elementary age children. Most days I don't even want to get out of bed all day. Takes a lot of motivation and force! I'm not really sure what questions to ask but I am in constant pain and I always feel sick. Whether it is irregular heart beat, nausea, extreme fatigue, migraines, etc. Just one thing after another and I would just like to go 1 whole day with some relief. I have gone 10 yrs untreated and am seeking any advice. Hats off to all of you who are suffering much more than I. Keep your chins up and God bless!

Hi Mally and Firechelly, until they get your RA under control you will get swelling. I get swollen knuckles rather than fingers, swollen knees, wrists, ankles, toe joints but I seem to have a particularly bad case of sero negative RA. If they can find the right combination of meds you can go into remission and be symptom free, the frustration is it takes time and believe me we all get sick of waiting.
Its my constant bug bear, we wait to see doctors, we wait for tests, for results, for new treatments to work, for treatments to get out of our systems, to see new rheumys, specialists, whatever. Then all the testing- bloods, bone density, , skin cancer checks, breast screening, etc etc I just want to be NORMAL. Every tme I get sick I get sooo sick, then its more doctors, more meds, more side effects.
But so many people seem to go into remission, so you may be one of them. Cross your fingers and hope that cocktail is the one that will work for you.
Hope I haven't depressed you, best wishes, golitho

Mally,
My local doc started me with Meloxicam 15mg and it worked for all of 2 days for me. I hope it works better for you. Because it is already an NSAID, they tell me not to take any OTC's with it. So...it kinda sucks! For some reason, my body generally becomes tolerant to medication within the first 2 weeks of taking it and no longer helps after that. I have and 7 and an 8 yr old so I too understand how exhausting it can be. Although you are dealing with much more than I am. I am beginning to wonder though if everything I am experiencing is only coming from RA or if there is another player in the field. Just doesn't seem to add up.
It has been one of those misty/drizzling cold weather days today and I have been absolutely miserable today. I definately feel the affects the weather has on me also. I really hope your new med combo works for you! :)

Mally,
I am currently looking for an RA doc. Never had one. I hope I find one soon! I hate needles and bloodwork! Neccessary though I guess. The last blood panel I did cost me 1/2 my paycheck that week. Not having any insurance sucks! My current constant problem is with ovarian cysts rupturing. It is very painful and then I get a kidney infection afterwards. I tried to cross-reference illness that could cause that but with no luck. All the more serious problems and pains I've had all started within this last year and is making it so difficult to keep up at work. I am getting written up because it has been so hard to get all of my duties done. There are just things that I can't do anymore. :( In this economy, I really need to keep my job! I hope I figure this out soon!

Mally,
They keep telling me there is nothing they can do but treat the infection when it occurs. That's one reason I am hesitant about methotrexate for me. I see everyone on here raving about how much it has helped them and I want to try it. But I also know that it lowers your immune system and increases your risk for infection. I already am insanely succeptable to infection and worry I might be sick all the time. Even my GP is extremely hard to get an appt with. I have been trying for the last 3 days to make an appt and they are ALWAYS booked. I don't know how much longer I can deal. I was up pacing and crying at 4 this morning because I couldn't sit/stand/lay in ANY position! My back froze up and it was soooo painful.

Mally,
With my local doc's office, they won't pre-schedule before the day of and you have to call at EXACTLY 8am in the morning to get an appt for that day. By 8:15 they are completely booked for the day. It really makes it hard, especially when it doesn't fit with my work schedule. :( I think it is because we are such a poor, small town, and way over-populated. It just sucks because they will be closed for the next 4 days and I only have 2 more days left of the scripts I have now. And no telling if I will even be able to get an appt on Mon or not!

Thanks Mally! You too!

Hi everyone,
Just curious, I too have RA and Fibro pretty pad and wondered how do you all work? LIke does it interfere with your job? I had to leave a career I loved after 25 years ( I was a hairstylist) and now have found it extremely difficult to find anything I can do, due to my hands being severly affected. Typing is even an issue , I write 3 sentences and I can't grip a pen anymore. I was wondering if you have any suggestions on types of jobs that are less demanding.
Thanks,
Flwrchild