Reactive Arthritis at 18

Hello to all that read this.
I'm typing this up because i feel the need to just vent out my thoughts.
I'm a 19 year old living with Reactive Arthritis.
This happened well over a year ago when i turned 18 in Nov.
Well fast forward a year later, and my body is still not back to normal.
I cannot walk 100% like before. I have this constant pain in my left ankle that just won't go away.
I have been on prednisone and naproxen along with infusions of Remicaide every 6 weeks.
I'm better now than I was a year ago because back then my left knee was swollen, leaving me unable to walk.
I was in crutches for months till my doc gave me a shot and took some fluid out of my knee.
I also developed inflammation in my left eye that caused temporary blindness but months after months of steroidal eye drops cleared that up.

But the thing that gets me the MOST, isn't the physical pain but rather the emotional.
I'm a senior in HS (I failed 1st grade and my b-day is late).
I should be having the time of my life right now.
But instead i stay home because of a disability and look in the mirror everyday to a face that I know isn't me.
I have "puffy cheecks" because of the long term prednisone and it is devastating.
My confidence has plummeted from where it once was and I just can't help but break down and cry sometimes.
I have this disease thats so rare to the common person and it just makes it that much harder to deal with because you seem so alone.
My life has completely changed over this.
I have strong support from my mom and girlfriend and I know i will get through this but darn i wouldn't wish this on anyone.
The damage isn't even the physical because that clears over time but rather the emotional.
You can never make up that lost time/ what-ifs/ etc...

Thanks^, and you are definitely right about the compassion. Also, i'll walk away with not taking little things for granted like simply walking.

Thank you so much! I will def check that out! And yea the Remicade seems to work but the process is soooo slow. Next time I see my ReA doc im gonna ask her of she can take some fluid out or something because it's like they don't beleive that someone is in super pain!

Hey man i actually have good news. I am going to the hospital tomorrow to get my Remicade infusion, and I think that will make this ankle pain go away for good. The last time I got the infusion, was the first time I got the full dose that my doc wanted to give me (i'm young and this is the most powerful drug out there for this), and wow what a difference it has made. I feel like the arthritis is now on the ropes and is about to get KO'd. I can FINALLY walk decently, although not 100% pain free. The pain has gone down, the morning pains aren't as bad either. I remember waking up, and I would have to hobble across my room to take my meds, and brush my teeth, etc..


Now, I can get up, walk to the bathroom, brush my teeth, etc.. with not nearly as much pain as before.
Also, the pred face can go away. My doc always told me that it would go away when I get off the steroids (prednisone), and since I have been walking at my usual pace (fast), people have been telling me my face is getting slimmer. I see that it has a bit, and I haven't even started tapering yet.

I see my Rheumatologist like a week or two after tomorrows infusion (have to check exact date), where she will gimme the ok to start tapering.
My last visit with her she told me that next time I come (which will be this month) she expects, and hopes that I'm pain free.
I guess she knows this Remicade would work or something lol.

Overall, things are finally looking better. I'm about to graduate in 3 months and hopefully I can walk across that stage without a limp, and have pictures where I'm not pred faced so I can keep them.

Post Edited (Gab) : 3/1/2012 1:27:58 PM (GMT-7)

if im not better im gonna try and get my doc to get me on this remicade hopefully they have it here in korea

Prednisone works wonders but when it wears off its mind over matter gotta block out the pain