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Mimi68123
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 9:47 AM


 

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Hi, I'm hispanic female 42 yrs old, was recently diagnosed with RA. I'm taking Plaquenil and Prednison. Back in May I started having hoarseness. I asked my rheumy and she sent me to an ENT doctor. after a few weeks of GERD medicine I still had the hoarseness this time more frequent. He ordered a biopsy which came back negative for cancer. Diagnosis was inflamed vocal cord possibly due to arthritis.
Does anyone have this problem?

I think I may have something else besides RA. My liver enzymes are very high, plurisy in the lungs, losing my hair, hoarseness, extreme fatigue and weight gain, rash on my elbows and sometimes redness on my face over my nose, forehead and cheeks, blurred vision.

My primary says I need to exercise and diet, then again he said I should ask my husband for a massage when I told him about my hands and feet being stiff!

My rheumy said I need to go back to my primary, now my primary wants me to have a colonoscopy done??

Needless to say I need a new primary but does anyone have these symptoms?
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Gramma
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 10:15 AM


 

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Hi Mimi,

Welcome to the boards.

Many of us have the hoarseness in our throats. It's part of RA, but sometimes it is caused by chronic heartburn which also seems to go hand-in-hand with all the medications we take. You may also notice a dry mouth and throat, and occasional swollen glands in your neck.

The hair loss could be from prednisone, but it's not common. Are you on a very high dose? It could cause the facial rash. Plaquenil can affect your eyes, so I hope you are seeing an opthalmologist at least once a year. And a dermatologist could check your face and let you know what is causing the problem. There is a slight chance you could have the beginnings of lupus, but you'd need a blood test to confirm it. It causes a butterfly shaped rash on the cheeks and nose.

Why your primary doctor ordered a colonoscopy is a puzzle. Have you had any symptoms or pain?

Please keep posting and let us know how you're doing. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Hugs,
Gramma Ellie
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Polly Sue
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 10:15 AM


 

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Mimi,

Sorry you are feeling so bad, glad you are here...you will find alot of information, compassion and kindness.

As to your symptoms: I can relate to some of them, definately the sorness, fatigue and weight gain, lung problems, rashes and hair loss and sometimes I think I have more going on than RA, I am currently taking Humeria, Mtx, folic acid, ibuprofin, hydrocodone, celexa and xanax... I am not completely pain/symptom free but I am in much better shape than I was three months ago.

Has your rhumey talked to you about any of the biologic medications like Remicade, Enbrel, Humeria or Orencia? Mtx is also something that most Rhumey's use but it can cause hair loss. Is your hair loss more like thinning or is it coming out in clumps? I had allopecia in my 20's due to stress.

Auto immune disease is so very different in everyone, I would suggest that you get a new PCP immediately, ask around freinds co-workers etc. I always like to listen to what others have to say and there is always the internet you can get information on a doctors education years of experience etc., some even have patient ratings on thier web sites. That's how I found my second rhumey, I fired the first one he was an idiot.

I love my PCP he has been my "well" doctor for more than 20 years now but he is not very agressive and I am contemplating a change myself.

I hope that this will help you in some way.

Susan (Pollysue)
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Mimi68123
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 10:59 AM


 

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Hi, Gramma Ellie,

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Sometimes I feel like I'm all alone even though autoimmune dissorders have plagued my family for years. My brother has scleroderma, my mother RA, my sister Sjogrens. My rheumy thinks I may have sjogrens too as secondary to RA.

I have an appointment nest week with a Gastroenterologist for my liver maybe he'll have some answers.

Hugs,
Mimi
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Mimi68123
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 11:20 AM


 

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Susan,

Thank you also for responding,

It does sound like you have most of the same symptoms. I can only take Plaquenil because of my liver. I was on Mtx and my liver went crazy but I was on it only 2 months. My hair loss is more like thinning specially in the front. My biggest problem right now is my voice I have hoarseness everyday some days severe. My throat feels like someone is chocking me. Also my liver, after I eat I feel extreme fatigue have to fight to stay awake. I’m scared that I will lose my voice completely.

Where you just diagnosed or have you had RA for a long time? How do you cope specially with the fatigue and lung problems, its sooo bothersome to have pain when you breathe!

Hugs,
Mimi
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WarmSocks
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 11:47 AM


 

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior's blog recently had some information about Cricoarytenoid Arthritis in RA (part 1 and part 2).


An Amer­i­can Col­lege of Rheuma­tol­ogy report found that 7 out of 8 RA patients showed histopatho­logic changes post­mortem. They stated, “Arthri­tis of the cricoary­tenoid joint occurs much more fre­quently in patients with rheuma­toid dis­ease than has gen­er­ally been suspected.”


You might find some useful information in the linked articles and have a starting point for your next discussion with your rheumatologist. Good luck.

 

+WarmSocks
______________________________________________________
Aiming for NED
  Plaquenil, Sulfasalazine, Methotrexate, Folic Acid, Feldene, Prilosec, Verapamil, Maxalt, Diclofenac Gel, vitamins

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Mimi68123
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 12:50 PM


 

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Thanks WarmSocks.
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Captex
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 1:29 PM


 

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Mimi, I'm so very sorry to read the details about your hoarseness. You're describing the way that I felt two years ago with I was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Pneumonia. GERD, hoarseness, plurisy, losing hair(because of Prednisone), fatigue, weight loss(for me), rashes and blurred vision. Add to your list a constant fever. I didn't have the liver enzyme issue and can't offer any support to you on that one.

A colonoscopy is always a good idea if your health plan covers it at 42 years of age.

I suggest that you ask your PCP for a referral to a Pulmonologist. Once my lungs were involved, everything else popped up at the same time and my condition rotated between chronic and acute. I'm still dealing with all of that plus more two years later. I will add that I had no idea of what to do until recently.

Don't become alarmed. My case is just that. Yours is yours. I've learned alot here at the forum and I suggest that you evaluate all that you read here and talk to your doctors.


captex

I'm off Prednisone! and off Bactrim, currently taking Atenenol, Albuterol, Glipizide, Lozol, NOMORE NSAIDS and trying to lose the 30+lbs that I gained recently from Prednisone. Just added Arava. Diagnosed with RA in 1982. Fighting ILD. I'm dealing with my Diabetes and I've only begun to truely understand RA.
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Grandpavan
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 2:10 PM


 

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I tend to agree with Rachel (Warm Socks) and I think that if your rheumatologist does not agree then you should seek a second opinion from a different rheumatologist. I hope you get the problem resolved. God bless.

Age 82, diagnosed RA 12/2001, married since 1952, 4 sons no daughters, 4 grandsons 1 granddaughter.  Doing well on Methotrexate and Remicade.
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Bekah M
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 2:51 PM


 

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Hi Mimi,

I had a "flap" in my throat that was affected by both my lupus and my RA the first three or four months I was diagnosed. I don't seem to have it anymore, but it was annoying. I had the hoarseness and also had pain with mine. The symptoms you have listed sound a lot like Lupus too. Have they mentioned that possibility to you?

You stated in your post :"I think I may have something else besides RA. My liver enzymes are very high, plurisy in the lungs, losing my hair, hoarseness, extreme fatigue and weight gain, rash on my elbows and sometimes redness on my face over my nose, forehead and cheeks, blurred vision."

This sounds exactly like my own symptoms and I have been told that the LUPUS is primary for me. The rash and pleurisy, liver enzymes and the weight gain sound exactly like what I have...

I wish the best for you...Sorry you are having to go through all of this..I will keep you in my prayers...

BEKAH


Plaquenil 600mg., Metoprolol 200mg.,, Hydrocodone 10/500, Elavil 100mg, Lisinopril 20mg,Ativan, Omega Complex, Milk Thistle
Primary Lupus and SecondaryRA, Fibromyalgia/CFS, Raynauds, Sjogrens...
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mammakc
Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 4:36 PM


 

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oh I hope you get some real answers and treatment soon! And welcome to the board , these guys are great and have a wealth of information.




*STOP THE WORLD NOW, IM READY TO GET OFF!*
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Mimi68123
Posted Monday, November 02, 2009 9:59 AM


 

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Hi Bekah,

Thanks so much for contacting me. It means so much to me to have someone else I can talk to that knows what I'm talking about. My husband is very loving but he doesn't understand. He thinks I need lot of love and attention! because, he thinks "I find more symptoms because I need lots of attention!

I haven't discussed Lupus with my rheumy. I had shown her the elbow rash but she said she didn't know what that was, then I noticed the rash over my face and told her but she has only seen it once during an appointment and she said it was a bit flushed. One day I was feeling pain in my lungs and with my throat being so tight it scared me and I went to the Emergency room. The doctor there said everything was normal just Plurasy in the lungs and said was nothing to worry about that anyone can get it. My rheumy doesn't know about that yet. My PCP says I just need to lose weight and my liver will get better and I will lose weight. I thought people lose weight when they have Lupus?

Did you have all your symptoms slowly or did everything come at once where there was no doubt for you and your doctor that you have Lupus?

I was just diagnosed with RA in March of this year so all this is still new to me.

When were you diagnosed with Lupus?
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