Dear Tstarbuck & welcome to HW,
It's a long, hard road we travel. I hear you! RA is very difficult to diagnose & I believe that's why we get handed over from doctor to doctor. And it takes years sometimes, which is a real shame.
So you're newly diagnosed...when did you start to feel symptoms of RA? If this is a case where it's caught early...that's wonderful. Early treatment, the RIGHT treatment, prevents so many complications of this disease.
Some rheummies are using TNF and DMARDs earlier in the disease stages because it has better success rates, as to say waiting for the RA to get out of control & then start a more aggressive treatment.
Cox2's are great & if you feel a difference for the better, stick with it.
In the past 9 years, the RA has been at it's worst this last 2 years. Been in a flare since August! Awful.
Remission is possible! I'm still optomistic mine will be coming!
I understand, every joint hurting.
The Dupuytren of the hands...have you ever been on any medications containing phenytoin? or have any history of liver damage? that's just some causes of the hand contractures; the etiology is still written as unknown; but treatment for the contractures involves removing the tissue causing it.
Do your ring and little finger bend inward?
Does anyone else have that in your family? It's suggested that it is genetic and occurs middle age.
Keep track of the rashes.
I think some folks here are on Lyrica.
Wishing you well! Look forward to speaking with you soon.
Sincerely,
Erin