newly diagnosed w/ra and not doing well

Hi Meshell, I'm 42 and was diagnosed last month with osteoarthritis in my hands and can I relate! I was put on a prescription that worked with the pain but I started getting real moody and depressed so went off it on Friday and today the pain is back! I enjoy(ed) painting by number, video games, and reading and all of those things HURT! I also drop things or don't feel I have the same strength in my hands/arms as I used to. I've also had problems with my left knee for years so that's been worse lately, too. (That pain didn't go away with the piroxicam.) It sucks when you can't do things you enjoy and even the things you don't really like to do, but must, are painful. I hope you get some relief on Tuesday! I'll be calling my rheumy back then, too, to see if there's something else I can try. It's tough on others to understand the concept of pain without seeing the physical symptoms (like blood or broken bones...lol) but hopefully your husband will learn more about your disease and be able to support and help you both physically and emotionally.

hi Meshell,

i am glad that you found this site, welcome to HealingWell!  it is unfortunate that we all meet THIS way.

yep, sure sounds how the way RA attacks the joints.

the first thing you want to tackle is stopping the progression of RA and pain relief.

DMARDs do take a while to work systemically, but they are needed.  talk about Enbrel & Humira as well whne you see the rehummy next.  you can even do a combination of say Enbrel & methotrexate (a TNF and a DMARD) to help slow the RA.  it is shown that more aggressive therapies & treatments done EARLIER is better than waiting it out. there is also a better chance of avoiding disibility & to hit a remission faster. so early diagnoses and early treatment are key.

for pain & inflammation...you may benefit from prednisone right now.  we all hate it...but it is a lifesaver.  NSAIDs & steroids are like the only thing that really handles the throbbing wretched pain of RA.  opioids for pain management are good to have as an adjunct if things like Advil or regular Tylenol are not working.

you could be experiencing what is called a flare.  it's an acute somtimes sudden increase in pain/swelling/stiffness and fatigue.  some flares are so bad that they really knock you to the ground for days.  but a good thing is, as you learn more about how the RA effects your body...you can prepare yourself for flares, know what precipitates them and know what aggrevates the joints.

i know all too well the feeling of having to give up almost everything because of mobility and pain issues related to RA. my case was tolerable up until mid 2004, but then the RA just progressed too rapidly & got out of control really fast. i'm 25 & had to stop working last May...one thing is for sure: this disease does not discriminate against age.

one hour at a time.

sincerely,

erin  

I'm kind-of the jerk around here, always with the same message.
Most of us (RA folk) have gone through months of Dr. appointments, tests, different drugs, different diagnosis ... I have always thought that it is because doctors would rather they find something else wrong with you than RA, that and typically the RA drugs like Enbrel, Methotrexate (MTX) and such take a long time to work.
Watch out for the trap many find themselves in, they get a few heavy duty hits of prednisone (sp?) and feel good for a week or so, then are real bummed because they slip right back to feeling poorly. For most, long term predinsone is not a solution, though there are some who have been on it for awhile.

Oh yeah, my message. It is your body, demand the attention you feel is fair. Docs are there to serve, be patient, but help them help you. You will get discouraged, but giving up is not an option (or maybe just a bad option). You must stay tough and fight the disease any way you can.

be patient but persistent ... Craig

I think you're absolutely correct. Especially when it comes to RA, for some reason it is very difficult for docs to settle a diagnosis.  And when they do...they WOULD rather pump a person full of roids only masking the problem further.  If not that...it's running through 1200 medications before being put on a TNF or DMARD.

The prednisone really is good for acute flares.

This also hits another aspect.  Like you said Craig, they are there to serve you...really they are!  It's a business! I'm finding that doctor's are begining to become more receptive to a patient that comes in already with information on what they want to do and together can be more pro-active.

I truly hope no one here has to go through years of bull**** when newly diagnosed.  Took my docs 5 years to get their act together & start the TNFs and DMARDs (actually treating the disease now, not just the symptoms).

Cheers!