I was diagnosed in December, after I almost couldn't walk.  I have osteoarthritis in my knees.  They both have it, but my left one is worse, you can already see the bone spurs on the X-rays.  I had a shot of cortisone in January and am getting ready to get another one tomorrow.  I also take 800 mg of Ibuprofen 3-4 times per day for pain and swelling.  My question is, when do I or do I go see a specialist and not have my primary care doctor take of this.

I am 31 years old, I have 4 boys ages 10 down to 2 1/2, and a wonderful husband, but I also have RA. I see a doctor, I don't have insurance, so I'm limited on treatments, but the thing is, is that I'm too SCARED to even take the medicines that she prescribes! I am supposed to be on methotrexate, but the side effects scare me sooo bad I just can't bring myself to take it. I am progressively getting worse, my last visit she said I would be in a wheelchair in 5 years if I didn't start treatment. I'm scared. Has anyone else developed extreme anxiety from this?? because I didn't really notice having anxiety until 2 years ago when I was diagnosed, now every little pain, I think this is it I'm dying. I HATE being this way, I pray daily, I pray for my husband & children that this affects, I'm very depressed most of the time, on medicine for that too, but I am just confused, I deal with the pain okay, but I'm not the mom or wife I used to be, and it makes me very sad to think it's just getting worse. Please if there is anyone out there to help me, please talk with me about this, does anyone else feel this way or have I just really lost it?

She is having surgery on Monday 3/23/09 on her thyroid to determine if Neoplasm(s) are benign or malignant. This is the last straw for us. Although I’m not an MD, I strongly suspect that the following medical “events” are somehow related to her RA OR the treatments she has had over 8 years) she has had them all). She currently is infused monthly with Orenicia..but has had others in the past including Remicade. She still takes oral RA pills, methotrexate etc.

 

My question to anyone out there is this: Have you or someone you know with RA experienced “odd medical events” as my wife has over the past 3 years..3 out 4 within the past 4 months?

 

1. Pulmonary Embolism (PE) September 2005 – admitted to critical care due to size and she almost died. No history of deep vein thrombosis, cancer, or recent surgery – all typical causes of a PE. They found no cause. So she has been on Coumadin (blood thinner since 9/2005) and will remain so for the rest of her life.
2. “TIA’ in late November 2008. Admitted for several days and w/o an official TIA diagnosis. I witnessed the “neurological event”. She had slurred speech. Did not know the year or where she was, the name of the president etc. etc. She did however recognize me and our family. The “neurological event” lasted 24 hours and she has been fine since. However, that day is a completely lost day in her life as she does not recall that day.
3. Bulging Lumbar Disc & Stenosis –March 2009: Admitted from ER after concerns it would have been another PE. Thank God not.
4. Thyroid Neoplasm(s) – March 2009: Will have surgery tomorrow (3/23) to determine benign or malignant. Then it will be a partial or full Thyroid removal.

 

After her thyroid surgery on 3/23/09, good or bad, I’m taking her to The Mayo Clinic in Jackson, FL anyway. We need a full “team” evaluation and hopefully these top MDs will perhaps “connect the dots”. I have now given up on my internet research trying to “connect those dots” for all the above.

 

Any and all comments/suggestions are welcome…Thanks…Mike

Hi everyone, I'm Liz and have just been diagnosed with RA & Lyme's Disease, together with my chronic Anemia I feel like the pain gets the best of me. I'm only 19 years old and have just seen a doctor but I've been suffering these pains for over a year and a half now, I'd been treating it with over the counter medications that no longer have any effect on my body. I have two jobs and work very hard and lately the pain is just too much. I don't know why this happened to me? I used to be a very active child and now I feel like I have the body of an eighty year old. I have suicidal tendencies, though I've never made an attempt against my life. The pain keeps me from walking, tossing or turning in bed, even clothing myself, my boyfriend helps me get dressed in  the morning. I'm scared because I don't know how to cope. I don't want to tell anyone how I feel because I don't want them to feel sorry for me. I'm afraid to speak my pain and I'm scared of the outcome. I don't know where to begin to treat this problem and besides, the painkillers give me horrid side effects.. Can anyone PLEASE, PLEASE, let me know what I should do to feel a little bit better?????? To ease the pain???? I can't even look into the future and not picture myself in bed having people care for me.. I have hopes and dreams and aspirations and I can't let this beat me, I refuse.

Hello, everyone.  I'm new to this site and have looked online for an answer to my question.

I'm fairly new to the osteoarthritis arena.  Had some miniscus removed in Sept. 08 and that's when the surgeon discovered lots of arthritis in my knee.  I actually feel I'm worse off since the surgery, but that could be my faulty memory.

I had one cortizone shot which was AMAZING and am scheduled for my second soon. 

What's keeping me awake now is the muscle pain.  I can't sleep at night due to pain and cramping.  My calf feels swollen and it is tender.   It is more painful than the actual bone crunching.

What causes this and what can I do to make it better.  It DOES go away with the cortizone shot, but I don't want to live on those and I know you can't do that forever.

 

Hi. I was just diagnosed with arthritis in my right knee yesterday. Two weeks ago I played racquetball, no problems, then woke up the next day with my knee swollen and stiff, but NO PAIN. I saw my primary dr, who told me to see a specialist, which I did yesterday. She did x-rays and said there was no damage done, I just have arthritis. So my two questions are:  can you have arthritis with NO PAIN?? and, is there any sort of medicine or herb that will keep my knee healthy? It just feels stiff and weak, and sometimes I'm afraid to use it in fear it will get worse. I am VERY active and would like to get back to normal, if that's at all possible. Any advice? Thank you!

My question is this: When you are so ill with RA it can be hard on your marriage. . Does anyone fill that their marriage is strained with one being so ill.  I hope it is my own insecurity. Sometimes I feel he gets so tired of me not feeling well. He doest touch me or hold me like he used to. (I think he is scared he will hurt me.)Please don't get me wrong I know he loves me. I am on Humira,Methotrexate,Placuenil,Lyrica and some pain meds. I have gained weight ,I don't feel very sexy.  I feel so weak and I am also anemic. Also on b12 and iron.  Does anyone feel  like me. I have had Ra since 2007,RSD and Fibromyoma since 1995. Thanks.

Does anyone have a history of a (+) TB test before taking biologics?  Did you take medicine for the latent TB before or after the biologic was administered?  Any info on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

My arthitis, which seems to be focused in my right knee has been helped with acupuncture and herbs. The pain is very, very managable and even non-existent at times. it has given me the chance to exercise a bit more each day and start to walk more again. Yes, it's costly (about $100-$130 every other week) but to be able to live without pain it is so worth it! Is has been like a miracle for me. Ii have been doing it for almost five months and the improvement is amazing.

My only issue is that while I am feeling fine and almost pain free, at the oddest moments my knee will just 'slip' or give out on me and the pain is over-the-top for a few minutes and I almost fall...and I mean 'see-the-stars' type of pain. The severe pain subsides but then my knee is very 'iffy' for the next few hours. Sometimes it happens when I am taking stairs and sometimes just standing still. No warning, no advanced pain rush or anything. Just SNAP! It almost feels like my leg just broke off from my knee.

Has this happened to anyone else and does anyone know why? I was told that I have a torn meniscus and I am wondering if this is part of the cause. The doctor I presently have unfortunately is useless to ask questions of. He spends 3 minutes with me and just says 'you need a knee replacement.' Gee, thanks for the world of information!!!

At any rate, this snap makes me feel very unsure of myself when walking and I don't seem to have the strength in my leg/knee when I drive anymore (I have never had an accident in my life and in the past year have had three that were not my fault but yet I feel I was not able to move fast enough to get out of harm's way). Anyone else?

Feedback, suggestions all appreciated. Especially about the snapping knee part. That is very upsetting to me.

My heart is heavy.   My daughter was diagnosed with RA on her 19th Birthday.  She had aches and pains throughout high school.  She was very active and in retrospect I now notice her athletic ability declined over her 4 years of high school.  Her father never saw his grandmother walk.  They called her "little grandma" and as long as he could remember she was in a w/c and could not straighten her body.  Immediately after her diagnosis she was put on Methotrexate. She did get really depressed and cried all the time (first year of college).  She then went on an Embrel Study for about 2-3years.  During the study she went off and decided she didn't want to be treated for RA anymore and didn't want to talk about it.  2 years ago I began to notice how disfigured her hands were becoming and now she can barely use them.  Her fingers are not functional but she rarely complains of pain.  She lives independently, holds down 2 jobs and is beautiful inside and out.  Except when it comes to talking about RA.  She will not talk about it, see her Rheumotologist (over 5 years), or research it.  I don't know how to approach it.  She will be 29 this summer.  Did anyone go through this?  Can you point me in a direction of some help?  Thank you!!

Okay, i'm starting to feel like I need to step out on my doctor, I love him, I don't want to leave him but he's not getting me "there"... we need to add someone else into the mix. Okay, thats fine except.. I am a needle phobe..really really.. so the pain management clinic he suggested is a spinal blocks only place. No! thankyou. so i've read that there are clinics that provide a multiple approach stratagy but money Is an issue and accupuncture is not going to happen unless i'm unconscious...unlikely.. so, I live in the Phoenix Az area does anybody have a recomendation?  Thanks

Hi out there!

I am looking to connect with anyone who has had JRA since their childhood and is around 30 years old now. My husband was diagnosed with JRA at 4 and has been dealing with pain his entire life. We've been together for 10 years and only really in the last year or so has JRA come back with a vengeance. In addition, my husband went off all pain medication because it was affecting his behavior and just because he had been on it for so long. He's tried everything and now we've had 3 doctors tell us that a knee joint replacement would significantly improve the quality of his life.

I guess I'm looking for several people...someone his age who's had a knee replacement, someone who is his age who's had JRA for their whole life and someone who can help me support him.

Thank you!

I work at a retirement campus and was asked by a resident about resources for accupuncturists to help manage her OA pain in her knees. She is already taking pain meds to help control it but has not tried outpatient physical therapy. In an effort to provide her with a well rounded list of therapeutic options I told her I would investigate accupuncture and get back to her. Has anyone tried this method and with what success (versus cost)? Many Thanks!

Hello, My name is Kathleen Harwood and I am hoping to find someone out there who may have the answer to an important question. A year ago I was diagnosed with RA and went through the usual rounds of trying different meds, learning what to do with flares, etc. We are still working towards good control with Methyltrexate and Naproxen. In the meanwhile, last September I ruptured a disk in my lower back (unbelievable pain!!) and began trying to recover with physical therapy and warm pool therapy. 6 months later the verdict is in : surgery is necessary to remove pain and get the feeling back in my right leg. Surgery is scheduled for the end of March and in 2 weeks I need to stop my RA meds in preparation for the surgery. I have looked all over and cannot seem to find any info on surgery for a person with RA that doesn't involve joint replacement. Does anyone have any clue on what to expect? Needless to say I am anxious about stopping the meds that help so much and then having surgery. I am trying to exercise every day and eating healthy to give my body the best advantage. If anyone has undergone any kind of surgery that might have advice or information I would be so grateful. Thanks and God Bless...