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Wife (55) 8 year history of RA treatment. Pulmonary Embolism, TIA, Bulging Lumbar Disc & Spinal Stenosis and Thyroid Neoplasm
Posted by:
Mike Murphy on
March 22, 2009 at
8:47PM EST
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?
- 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.
- “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.
- Bulging Lumbar Disc & Stenosis –March 2009: Admitted from ER after concerns it would have been another PE. Thank God not.
- 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
(4) Comments
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Posted by: Annie on March 23, 2009 7:00PM EST
Well, I have been on all her RA medications and several additional ones. I don't believe what you have mentioned is related to side effects but sometimes there isn't any way to answer it.
Her history, I have to ask if she went a long time without treatment? Was she treated for 8 years but suffered for years before that? Did she smoke? I use to, and smoking can cause the gene that influences RA to start. Smoking can cause embolisms and not being active (side effect of RA) can too.
My friend had a TIA, but only one and 5 years ago and none since. She is my age, 53 so she would have been 48,49? She does not have RA.
Buldging discs? Many people have them for years with no symptoms. Sometimes we move differently when we have pain, and we can cause other mechanical problems because of it. I was favoring my knees which made my hips worse and spine is easily effected by all our changes. The stenosis? Is it arthritis?
Thyroid. I know hypothyroidism (I have it), is a common auto immune disease. Usually when you have that, the odds are quite high you will get another auto immune disease--be it MS, RA etc. I have lumps that come and go but ultra sound confirmed just that problem. I did not need any surgery.
So I guess what I am saying is, RA is a serious illness much worse not treated, but there are risks with treatment too. It is easy to get into the blame game, but usually that doesn't help the situation. Mayo Clinic sounds like a great idea. Good for you for caring for her. I am sending prayers.
Anna
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Posted by: Mike Murphy on March 23, 2009 10:06PM EST
Thanks Anna for your response and especially your prayers. Let me add a little more history here on my wife. She never smoked in her life, eats a healthy diet, is not oveweight and does not drink. She exercises as often as posssible and is in such great shape, no one would believe this woman is suffering so much nor that she is even 55. Her 1st diagnosis about 9 yeras ago was fibromyalgia, then the rheumalogist added RA. She did not suffer pain for years and then wait to seek mediial advice. We raised 3 chidren and she never had experienced these medcial issue until her late forties.
Mike
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Posted by: Annaart on March 25, 2009 7:25AM EST
Good, unfortunately, it is what makes it so shocking for all us. Totally normal and then bang, this terrible monster hits.
Auto immune diseases rarely live alone. If you have one, like hypo thyroidism you most likely will have at least another one. There is even an embolism disease that is auto immune. The Mayo should help pin point the problems but unfortunately, there isn't any cure yet.
Keep being the good husband you are, she really appreciates your support.
Anna
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Posted by: Georgia on April 20, 2009 3:05AM EST
I have had RA for about 20 some years, at the time I had 2 girls going off to college and a 10 year old very active son . I started with Methotrexate and did well for about 15-17 years and then I developed T-Cell LYMPHOMA, they took me off all RA Meds. It took 10 months to find out that what I had, it was very rare, and gave me 5-10 years to live. The doctors said less than 1 per cent of the people in the world has this type of cancer and they do not know how to treat it. But by the grace God, all the lesion has been on the outside of my body and radation has taken care of them for the third time in three years.
I go to Emory Cliniic in Atlanta, If I have to have Chemo. they are not sure what will happen next. Due to the Cancer, RA is taking over my body, if things do not change soon, I don't think I will be walking. Emory did not know if the Meds caused the cancer, but they seem to think that the white blood cells may be keeping the cancer a bay. Pain Meds. help some but it is still there.
Thank God I have a wonderful and understanding husband, like you seem to be. Just remember if she gets a little short. it is not you and it is not her it is the disease.
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