RA and Fibro?

I'm new  here.  I have had Fibromyalgia for over 10 yrs.  But, with recurrent nodular epicleritis for years, eye dr. says I "will" have RA, Lupus, etc.  I have had onset RA symptoms for about 3 yrs in wrists, hands, feet and elbows, red, swollen, stiif and painful, can't find anything in work up.  Latest problem started end of June.  Had a small rash on my leg, thought it was a bug bite at first, (not a target rash)dr. said nothing to worry about, cellulitis, gave antibiotics.  1 week later, right wrist started hurting, within an hour it was horrific pain, and then my left wrist.  By next morning, both wrists,  both hands, feet, ankles, knees, and elbows.  Couldn't get into PCP for a week, even after my husband told them I can't walk, or use my hands.  "family" members insisted I go to ER.  When the nurse saw my hands 1st question was "have you been tested for RA?"  Told her yes several times.  She said "well u need to be tested again".  As soon as ER dr. heard Fibro. and RA said this is not an emergency, chronic condition, go to your pcp.  Told him we couldn't get in for  week.  He said he wouldn't do any testing, gave me darvocett and sent me home. (my husband was little more than mad)  Had to wait out the week, couldn't work, couldn't walk, pain was horrific.  The pain even went into my jaw, and eating was impossible except for jello for a couple days, my husband had to dress and undress me, it was humiliating.  Finally got to pcp,  (this is my first visit, after my lifelong pcp retired.)  Not sure I'm gonna keep this one.  Told him I couldn't straighten my left arm at all.  his response "Are you left handed?"  I said "no".  He said "then don't worry about it".  He ran tests for Lupus, RA and sed. rate, etc. He said if blood work come back o.k., it's still Fibro.  I assured him this is not the same as the Fibro pain, it's different, more severe, my joints are red and swollen, I can't use my hands at all by the end of the day. He told me I have to... calm down, and try to relax!(??)  I left there thinking I was overreacting, and second guessing myself, and maybe I was being a big baby.  So I tried to push myself, well I couldn't push very far, you can't push when you can't walk and can't use your hands.  (i'm really trying to give the short version) Well sed rate is not normal, need a rheumie, have to wait a month and a half to get in to her!  In this time, things have gotten a little better.  Stiff in morning, but as day moves on can do a little work around the house, but have to alter how I do things.  By late afternoon/early evening it hits like a ton of bricks.  Joints so stiff, and painful.  Hands, wrists, feet, elbows the worst, many nights spent with tears rolling down my cheeks from  frustation!  I have not been back to work, have an angel for a obss, who is holding my job until i get to rheumie! I no longer take showers at night, b/c I can't use a brush to do my hair.  I have learned to adjust things in my life living with Fibro., but "this" has been the toughest thing I have ever dealt with.  It's totally drained me emotionally, as well as physically.  I believe it's RA, don't have symptoms of anything else.  Have read everything I can on auto-immune diseases, people say i'm "too informed".  What would be your best advice for my rheumie visit?  What should I expect as far as testing, and would should I expect as far as treatment, if this is what I have.  I have read some posts and I am scared to death from things I've heard about the meds, and side effects.  If this is RA, where would I expect to begin with the meds?  What seems to work the best for RA onset.  How much should I stress I don't believe this is Fibro, it's a different pain?  When I did that with my pcp, he acted like I was a raving lunatic.  Here I go second guessing myself again, but I don't know how aggressive I should be if I don't feel they are "listening".  Any advice would be appreciated.....I have never dealt with anything like this before.  My daughter is leaving in 3 weeks for her first year in college, i'm so excited for her, but so afraid I won't be able to make the trip b/c of all this.  So it's a very emotional time for me, on top of all this. 

Thanks for letting me vent, words of wisdom eagerly accepted!

Thanks

connie

wow thanks for the quick reply! That is great.
No I don't have psoriasis.
I tried to keep my post as short as possible. My daughter saw our retired pcp, he asked how I was, she said not well at all. She explained the joint pain, and loss of movement, hands, wrists, elbows, etc. with a sudden and crushing onset. As soon as she said, "and it was even in her jaw". He said "Rheumatoid Arthritis". She answered "that's what she thinks". He had suspected it many times, but couldn't get enough criteria for the diagnosis. I'm really suspecting RA. My grandmother had it, she had very crippled/deformed hands and feet before she passed away. Her daughter/my aunt has arthritis in her hands, feet, ankles and knees. She has never been told a "type", just arthritis.
I guess my biggest "issue" other than not being able to walk or use my hands at night is the emotional toll this has taken. When I got the Fibro diagnosis, I learned everything i could, and dealt with it the best I could, adjusting and rearranging my life to accomodate the aches, pains, "fog", etc. But this, I'm really struggling dealing with this. It has knocked me down, and I keep struggling to get back up, but it knocks me down again. This is a tough one.
My husband is an absolute saint, he is so caring, loving, and attentive. But sometimes my frustration is aimed a him, and then I feel so guilty, and I cry and cry. He understands of course, he keeps saying "Hang in, just a little bit longer, we will find out what it is, and get you help". I know he's frustrated as well. It's just been a horribly emotional time my family. if "they" tell me one more time it's fibro, go home, there's nothing we can do, I'm going to pull my hair out, and maybe someone' elses as well! Maybe my pcp, I can show him how my right arm works!! lol
I can't thank you enough for the response....
I feel a little lighter now.
wishing you the best...
connie

Momo, welcome to HW. Sorry for the pain that you are having. I hope that you find relief from it soon. (like, yesterday):) Try to get in to see a rhuemetologist. They will be able to give you advice on the meds that will help you the most. Sorry that there is such a long wait for you to get in to see anyone. I wish that you could have been Dx years ago so as to have not gotten this bad. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Keep us posted on what is happening in your life.
Oreo

Thanks for your reply beth. I guess we are alot alike. With the worst flare of my Fibro. I had tried anti-inflammatories Naprosyn being one. I didn't get any relief. I was off work at that time too, with joint pain, severe muscle spasms, and severe fatigue. (I had to have 8 injections of muscle relaxers in my uppers back, multiple times for the spasms) They then gave me relefen, I took my first ambulance ride, when my son found me babbling on the floor in the bathroom. violent vomiting, soaked with sweat but cold, heart racing. I thought I was talking, and couldn't understand why noone could understand me. To me everyone was talking a thousand words a minute, and I was thinking, what the heck is wrong with THEM? I don't remember much after that. Got to the hospital, they thought gall bladder?, maybe a virus?, the EMT kept saying she took a new med. might be shock. They sent me home when my mind was clearer, and said see your pcp. Well, it happened again, same thing, but worse, the next time I took the med. But this time different ER, they said you were in anapholatic shock, NEVER take this med again. So, since then I'm very leery about taking "new" meds. I try to avoid pain meds for fear of addiction. And thru the years I have been able to cope, not to say it's easy, but I cope. Jacuzzi baths, vibrating heating body pad, knowing when to rest, and when to keep going, and I have done pretty well for the past 5 years. I only worked part time, another part of coping.
I have been to this rheumie before, but only to confirm Fibro. b/c my pcp wanted to be sure he wasn't missing something. That was 4 years ago, so I have to wait to get in, like a "new" patient. I was willing to wait, b/c she is supposedly the best in the area. But the day in and day out with all this, is getting a little harder than I thought it would be, to wait to get in. I really felt comfortable with her, she was very comforting, compassionate, and informative. She also suspected auto-immune in my future, she told me what to watch for. It's just I haven't had alot of luck when it comes to medical problems, don't get alot of relief. And of course a diagnosis makes all too real, so I'm getting scared of what my future holds. The mental and emotional part of this, is getting to me. I'm trying hard to cope, keep going and trying to be positive. But it's difficult sometimes.
I'm so glad I found this site though. It has given me a boost, b/c I feel like finally, someone knows what I'm going through. And I will have to check out the chat rooms.
I can't thank you ALL enough for your responses. It really has made a difference for me. Thank you!
wishing you the best
connie

Just a quick note to say welcome to the forum

It is always a relief to put a name to the pain you have, might not make pain better, but at least you know it is real to others as well.

You will find a lot of support from peeps suffering from various forms of arthritis and they are always ready to tell what has and has not worked for them.

We are glad you are here,
flopsie

Glad to hear such good news. Hooray for you. Hope it continues to go well for you.

Don't forget about us, keep us updated when you can,
flopsie

I read the symptoms of lyme, but i don't have many of them. I have a familial background of arthritis. Now, my mom tells me I was treated for it when I was very young, for my knees, the Dr. said "touch of arthritis" give her aspirin. I also had "colds in my eyes" all the time when I was young, they now wonder if it was episcleritis, undiagnosed. I have known for years, b/c of episcleritis that something was wrong, but nothing showed. The first severe bout of epi, requiring steroids, was when I was 21. Now, there are things that seem to make sense with the many different health issues I have had since I was a younggirl, things my sisters have never had. My Mom said every time she took me to the Dr. they never got real answers as to why these strange things were happening to me. The eyes, the joints, chronic swollen glands in my neck, etc. My sister's got colds, I got "weird" things that could never be explained. I remember my mom telling the Dr. "If you tell me this is a virus, I'm going to hit you." Because evertime I went to the Dr. he would say "I think it' "some kind"
of strange virus....." My Mom was frustrated by it after years. We
are talking 30-35 years ago.
Now, it seems to make sense to my Mom, a "little" after the fact. It was a "light bulb" moment for my Mom recently.
I have been feeling better lately with the meds. My energy is coming back, the joint involvement and joint pain aren't as severe.
So I'm going to stay the course for now, b/c it seems to be working.
But, thanks for your concern and post.

dear momo,

sending you lots of good thoughts in keeping strong willed in your treatment. keep in mind though, that with RA, many times a good rheummie will suggest treating it aggressively with DMARDS and biologics before it gets to a dibilitating point. many new wave approaches to RA are going straight to the Enbrel's and Humira's and all. in the earliest stages is the best time to really slow the disease process. just some stuff to keep in mind as you assess your progress with the plaquenil.
the muscle spasms were interesting what you mentioned. along with Fibro, i too had very bad localized spasms while on chemo for Lyme's. it was something called Tetany. and how it was treated by my neurologist was by a high calcium diet! cool huh? and it worked. something in the calcium electolyte calmed down the twitches.
RA is filled with endless ups and downs it seems doesn't it? i hate the unpredictableness of it and what i'm going through with it's uncontrollability.
glad you came to HW!! happy to have you!...and remember, we're having scheduled chat next week, so be on the look out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we're giving it our best go and need all the peeps we can get.
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ hugs }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
erin