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Posted 9/21/2007 11:25 PM (GMT 0)
I have been diagnosed with Lupus for almost a year now. The Rheumy has told me that some of my symptoms aren't always from my Lupus but from Arthritis. The arthritis diagnosis is new to me. I keep getting tired, feeling achy all over, low grade temperature, and joint pain. When all these symptoms start then the joint pain will get real sharp and very stiff. And it stays like only in my hands or my lately it's been in my lower spine (which is new). A couple of months ago it was in my cervical and thorasic spine and the Xray showed Arthritis. And the area is tender to touch and inflammed. My Rheumy says its arthritis and he hasn't said what kind yet. Does anyone else have these types of symptoms or this does this happen to anyone else? This is new to me and it has been hard to understand. Also my white count goes from 11.5-13.8 and is never normal. No one know why I have a high white count. My ANA is high. How do you know what kind of arthritis you have? Thank you fo helping me. This has been confusing. Oh and the Rheumy just changed me from Naproxen to Ralifen (I think thats how you spell it).

kitty

Posted 9/23/2007 12:31 PM (GMT 0)

I am new to forum too. I was hoping that someone would be willing to give me advice. Thank you.

Kitty

Posted 9/23/2007 1:24 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Kitty,

Welcome to the forum, you will find a lot of great support and info here, the people are wonderful!!  Don't get discouraged, the weekends can be kind of slow sometimes. Also several of the "regulars' are dealing with some issues of their own and haven't been on as much.  So, they will be here! A couple of the moderators, ( Erin and Ducky are the ones I know) have been godsends to me...Erin is like our very own "cyber-doc" she has a ton of medical knowledge. Ducky has also been at this a long time, and has been a terrific resource for me. Hang in there. I have RA, but am sort of new at this, but your symptoms sound very similar to mine.  I've read that a flare of RA can feel like the flu, fatigue, fever, elevated white blood cell count etc.  I had all of that, and now even on meds, my white blood cell count is still up a little,  so I think that is normal for this... As to the kind of arthritis, there are so many different types, seems it can take a while to pinpoint exactly which one you have.  If you feel good about your docs, trust them to work you through, patience has been the toughest thing for me.  There doesn't seem to be any "quick fixes" with this.  Have to run, but will check back in with you later..

Take care,

Jody

Posted 9/23/2007 1:29 PM (GMT 0)

Welcome to the Healingwell Family, Kitty!  So glad you found us.  I do not know anything about Lupus and I'm so sorry you have the dubious affliction of that with arthritis.  Auto-immune diseases are a strange bunch of ailments and so confusing for me to understand.  It seems if you have one you have a number of other things associated.  Not a professional opinion, just an observance.  You will hear from others who know much more on the subject than I.  The anti-inflammatory meds you've been given should help with the arthritis pain.  I know that if I don't take mine routinely, I suffer.  It does help.  I've had to try a few different ones over the years and I'm on Lodine (generic) right now with very little stomach upset (if taken with a meal).  If you don't get some relief don't hesitate to ask your doc to try something else.  There are so many meds on the market.  Just follow doctor's orders. 

Again, Welcome!    Boo    

Posted 9/23/2007 10:32 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you Jody and Boo. It's just nice to talk with someone that is going through some of the same things as I am. None of the doctors can explain to me why I have a high white count. I have been wondering if it's the arthritis that is causing it. Lupus doesn't cause a high WBC. I have been reading that RA can cause a high WBC. I'm going to ask my rheumy next time what is my RF and if maybe I could have RA. Or at least what kind of arthritis is it that I have. Maybe I need a different Rheumy. All he says is my xrays show arthritis. So frustrating.

Kitty

Posted 9/25/2007 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis about 5 years ago.  Had a sudden onset of what felt like flu, but no nausea and extreme joint pain in every joint my body.  It got so bad I could not turn on a light switch or even open an aspirin bottle or tie my own shoes.  Internist did blood work and told me my Sed Rate was 60 and normal is about 20.  Took three months to get in to see my Rheumy.  He told me it was agressive and made me throw the Viox away as what I have is systemic, he claimed.  Since that time, a recent MRI showed I have 3 spurs in my spine, and this comes from osteo arthritis.  So I have both forms.  On methotrexate, plaquenil, prednisone, folic acid and prn meds for pain.  Looking into humera and enbril, medications administered by injections I can do myself.  Pain becoming too hard to manage on the meds I am presently on.  All I know.  Hope this helped.

Posted 9/25/2007 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to you, arthurmary. I have that great spine stuff going on as well, with both forms of arthritis also. That's what comes with age I guess. Oh the joys of being a Wild Older Woman.
Again, welcome. I bless the day I stumbled onto this forum. So many understanding people who sometimes have trouble sleeping like I do. This is a haven in the middle of the night sometimes. BOO
Posted 9/26/2007 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
Wanted to add my welcome to you as well, arthurmary. Ditto to what Boo had to say about this forum, it's been such a blessing to me...the people here are so very, very special.
Kitty,
How are you doing? Wanted to let you know that I had my rheumy appt yesterday, and all my labs were in the normal range for the first time since diagnosis..yippee!! Even the white blood cell count was down in the normal range..so, don't be discouraged just takes time to find what will work for you. This may not last, but I'll take it for now! Remember, we're all here for you. If you look at the forum topic list, there is one right at the top called "arthritis resouces" I think. It has Ducky's name on it. Anyway, scroll through the posts and there is at least one in there by Erin that discusses test results, RF , etc. It's a great piece of info!
Hope you're doing well, Jody
Posted 9/26/2007 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
hi kitty & welcome to the forum! :-)

you've received some great words from Boo, Jody & Mary already...my hands are not great but i'll add as much as i can type.

 

the wbc count being elevated is actually typical of RA, not exclusive to just RA though.  an ANA, an RF and WBC kinda gears the doc into looking into an RA diagnoses.

i'll go find the posti wrote about the labs.

hang in there kitty!

sincerely,

erin 

Posted 9/26/2007 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
hey there,

i "bumped" 3 or so threads about RA and labs and a few discuss lupus and RA with multiple AI diseases together.

i hope they help.

erin :-)

Posted 9/30/2007 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
hello there,
I also have had the spine pain that was tender and painful to the touch. Have you had an x ray of your spine? They x rayed mine and told me it was something that looked like arthritis. Don't know why they make to go through these tests, only to get results that no one is "sure" what they mean. I'm also new to the forum, not really sure how this works. sorry
Posted 9/30/2007 6:50 AM (GMT 0)
Good moanin' and welcome to this beautiful autumnal morning in downtown Apsley particularly kitty, arthurmary and melaniemac. I can only repeat what the others have said before me that youwill find good information, shared experience and tons of support on this thread and not too little irrverence. I do not have AI issues such as RA but the more mundane form of OA but I wandered over from the the pd forum one day and like erin's stray cats, just stayed. I glaze over when RA peeps start talking about ANA, RF and WBC, not to mention sed rates and blood counts for I am a bear of very little brain just like my cousin Pooh but I am here for the craic, the warmth and the bonhomie that you don't find anywhere else in this or any other forum. You will be made to feel welcome like nowhere else and the only downside, and I really do mean DOWNSIDE, is you have to put up with me. Not a bad trade off is it?

How is everybody else feeling today?

Ducky your man is gonna come back safe and sound - the Bear has spoken and he feels it in those bones that haven't already been replaced:

Erin, thank you for plaaying pseudo doc to us all - words can not be enough and if a picture paints a thousand words you are one hell of a landscape.

Boo and camama take strength inthe fact that there are those of us who strive to be different from the perceived norm of the species.

Babybloo, babyspace, mom2howevermany, and how can I forget Yally my nemesis? How is the shoulder today?  

Hey Boo - you bakin today?

I am sure you are all going to have a wonderful day and I shall e visitingthe thread latr on to make sure you have.

Until then

stay weell

The Bear

The Cave

Downtown Apsley

Posted 9/30/2007 8:14 AM (GMT 0)
hey melanie
is it degenerative disc disease? like the cartiladge between the vertebrea is dwindling?
any herniated or bulging discs?
osteoarthritis is more the common arthritis to have to the spine. RA can effect the spine too of cours but significant damage visible on scans and xrays is typical for osteoarthritis (and osteoporosis too).
there's quite a few inflammatory arthritis' like ankylosings that effect the spine & lower back.

have you started any sort of med like Arthrotec or Celebrex? prednisone?
i'll be in touch again soon.
and welcome again!to healing well!
Posted 9/30/2007 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
hi erin!
They weren't specific about the type of arthritis but it was my general pc that found it not a rheumy. Because i have other joint pain (knees, horrible in ankles, fingers, feet) tested positive for ra factor, and have the morning stiffness and fatigue he referred me to a rheumy but can't get in untill jan. Oh and yes, I tried prednisone and the pain was gone in 2 days. Thankis again
Posted 9/30/2007 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
forgot to ask you could i have osteo if i am only 30?
Posted 9/30/2007 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
hi melaniemac, I had a serious sport injury on my left knee when 24, and when I had major ligament reconstruction at 32 I was warned then that there waas already signs of OA in the knee caused by ongoing friction that ground away most of the cartilege by that date. That was the begining and I am now 57 [nearly]. Hope this is useful.
Stay Well
The Bear
Posted 9/30/2007 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
hey there bear!
thanks for the info. Hopefully when i see the rheumy this big mess will begin to make sense. thanks again and take care!
melaniemac
Posted 10/1/2007 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
melaniemac i wish you well!  it's so stressful at the begining of this!  figuring out what in samhell is going on, all the variables, uncontrilled pain, eyes it's tough.  but it gets easier!  the more you learn, the more educated you become about RA, and the more you get to know how you're body reacts to meds...the easier this gets to deal with.

and that's the thing...it's all about dealing. for many it's a day to day adventure! for some, you gotta' take it hour by hour.  roll with the punches.

 

30! you're young, i'm 26. it is possible to have OA in some places like Bear said.  typical sometimes for athletes.  not so normal for anyone under 50 who doesn't suffer any sort of bone disease already (some congenital diseases can cause OA at early ages...but they'd be diagnosed already at a very young age).

 

from what you say, it sounds like RA or autoimmune arthritis.

keep a daily log of your joint pain, what helps the pain, what makes it worse, how it effects your daily life...have this ready for your 1st rheummy visit.

 

hang in there! :-)

erin

Posted 10/1/2007 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
erin, I can't believe your only 26! I have alot of respect for you, considering all your physical aliments you seem so positive and supportive to others. I do indeed intend to educate myself more on this subject before my rheumy appt. I've been to too many dr's that don't take me seriously, primarily because I'm a young women with two small children. One dr actually told me he thinks i'm in pain because no one appreiciates me at home (like a 5 and 1 yr old now what that means or has anything to do with ....ANYTHING) anyways thanks for the advice and encoragment, deep down inside I really feel like it's ra especially considering my family history(mom and aunt have MS, aunt and cousin RA and a bunch of other autoimmuners floating around as well)How is your rhuematic lung disease going? My cousin just got diagnosed with that and she's just beside herself.
Thanks again for the advise,
melaniemac
Posted 10/2/2007 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
hey melanie,

hmmm...well before your rheummy apointment, it helps to have your "I'M NOT CRAZY" certificate handy ready to present to the doc.  believe me it helps. LOL.

also, if you find the time...getting your "I'M NOT DEPRESSED" diploma helps move things along too.

truth is, can we really blame em'?  it's pretty much protocol for physicians today to really rule out depression.  why?  it's just "because".  they've gotta' make sure there's nothing emotional or psychological going on...

comes down to: they don't want anyone checking out early on there time.

 

 

i think we've all been through "the talk" (lol) with our docs when 1st going through the motions of RA.

it's easy to get P.O.'d & defensive, i know i did..in fact, i felt insulted when asked if i were depressed and "if anything at home" was the issue.

 

you'll see that they cut that out pretty quick, that is of course...if there's reason to.  be honest with your doc...if you are feeling overwhelmed, tell em'.  it's pretty much non-human to NEVER face a little depression when having a chronic disease...it doesn't always mean that you need antidepressants or a psychologist...but it's a NORMAL thing to feel despair, sadness, hopelessnes when dealing with a disease.

you're best asset is to KNOW when to ask for help.

 

my lungs? thanx 4 askin' they appreciate the concern.  in fact, i'm huffin' & puffin' as we speak...just did a flight of stairs (10 steps, :) )  and 1/2 hour later it feels like an hour done on the treadmill.

eh...i kinda' forget about it truthfully.  until i get really out of breath, chest pain, hurts to breath in...and i get pleurisy A LOT.

other than that?...the joint pain trumps the lung issues.

 

there's 2 other women here that have lung issues as well.  if they'd like to share their "nodule" and TB stories...i'm sure they'll come along.  it's some very interesting stuff.

 

it's really nice to have you!  know what?...maybe your 5 year old can play "bartender" you's can sit there & he can pour ya' a drink & you can spill your woes to em'. LOL....now THAT'S SUPPORT!

cheers.

erin

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