RA and Fibro

I'm sorry that you have another diagnosis added to your list. I also have RA as part of
Mixed Connective tissue disease... an overlap of lupus, scleroderma and RA. I am taking
Methotrexate for it and it has helped with slowing down the progression of the disease.
It is possible to have a seronegative rheumatoid factor and have RA. My joints become
red, swollen and are warm to the touch when it is flaring.

It isn't uncommon to have fibro with autoimmune diseases and there are others on the forum
who do have RA and fibro or other autoimmune disease. Good luck to you!

Hugs, Robin

The arthritis started when I was 7 and I'm now 56, with the fibro being diagnosed about 10 or so years ago. I have a lot of
stiffness and pain and found another lump (lipoma) in my wrist and knee. The new idiot drs with lets take an x-ray....well
geez, lumps do NOT show on x-rays so it's more money wasted. I've been waiting for an appt for an MRI on the wrist for 2
weeks now and still have not heard from them. I went asking why I can barely bend my knee with shooting pains down the
back of the leg and the lower half dr took x-rays and said arthritis....well, tell me something I don't know!!! I tried to explain
that it felt like the other knee did when it blew out but I got prescription painkillers which were horrible (I scratched myself raw)
so I called his office and the new one has even worse side effects. So I called them back and said it stated NO direct sunlight,
again I told them that I push mow for about 8 hours a week and was told to use sunscreen. Maybe I'm missing something here
as I sure don't understand.

Lipoma are fatty tumors. Seems I'm very prone to them. Sometimes getting hit just right starts them instantly and other times it
takes years to grow and surface. They're going to have to cut this one out too. Last time I asked if they could install zippers to
make it easier.

Relafen is a new synthetic anti-inflamatory for the arthritis/fibro pain. The side effects are horrendous, with many like the
cymbalta, etc even causing heart, nerve and brain disorders as well as "various types of cancer". The Arthritis Today has
a lot of the side effects that we as the unsuspecting public never hear about.