Hello newbie

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeanne--welcome

Blessings to you! I can't tell you what a lifesaver this group has been for me.

I'm one of those people with a wad of symptoms from the fibro arena and another

wad from RA with normal labs all around. I've been to a dozen docs and my

current rheum. says " fibro " but my neurologist says " RA " . I get better when

they treat it like RA so the rheum is going along with it for now, but he really

thinks I'm just nuts. This group is a place where we all believe you when you

say, " I'm not a wimp " because we know how hard it is to just get out of bed in

the morning sometimes. I've gotten lifesaving advice, warmth and a lot of

laughs here.

I'd love to hear more about you. Your job must be very interesting because

people really open when they're getting a massage. I bet you're wise beyond

your years from hearing people pour their hearts out to you while you work.

As for where to begin, you really want to get into a rheumatologist a.s.a.p., I

guess, because they are the ones in a position to prescribe the meds you really

need. Don't be surprised, though, if you leave the office more confused than

when you arrived. I've been to four different ones and the information I've

gotten from one often completely contradicts the information I got from the

others. My rheumatologist even admitted that there's a saying that if you have

two rheumatologists in the same room you have three different opinions. Still,

the other specialists are too chicken to deal with drugs like prednisone and

methotrexate. Remember, though, this is only one person's viewpoint. Your

experience might be totally different.

Best wishes, laura

jeanne <oceangypsey@...> wrote:

Hi ALL i HAVE BEEN LURKING for awhile...just wanted to make sure i

fit in here...i have thyroid disease,and my current doc is convinced

i also have RA or lupus, was told i had fibro myalgia a number of

years ago...do not know where to start...my endo told me to see a

rheumy...but , i have not done it yet....i am in chronic pain all the

time...have the swollen joints(two )in my finger...also have joint

and bone pain thru out my body...i am not a wimp,(as i am sure none

of you are either)i have been a marthon runner for many years, and a

mountain biker....so, you see this hitting home for me too...i am a

licensed massage therapist by profession,and my job so far has not

been affected,(i have just figured out ways to adjust)--i have been

on vioxx,bextra,relafen,celebrex,etc...none of them even took the

edge off really,try really hard not to take narcotics very often,but

sometimes i have to in order to sleep at all.--oh, and i had iriditis

this summer too,anyone had that yet?--please tell me where to

begin...thanx, jeanne

[Guest guest]

I've been dealing with a number of autoimmune issues all my life

(hoshimotos, raynauds, Rhematoid) and quite a bit recently. A few

weeks ago I was hospitalized and diagnosed with ITP, idopathic

thrompocytopenia Purpura, " Idiopathic " means that the cause is

unknown. " Thrombocytopenic " means the blood doesn't have enough

platelets. " Purpura " means a person has excessive bruising.

In people with ITP, all of the blood cells are normal except for the

blood platelets. Platelets are the tiny cells that seal minor cuts

and wounds and form blood clots. A person with too few platelets

bruises easily and bleeds for a long time after being injured.

And now they think i amy also have Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome

is a very rare blood disorder characterized by recurring blood clots.

In the Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, the body recognizes

phospholipids, (part of a cell's membrane), as foreign and produces

antibodies against them. In young women, it may be associated with

spontaneous abortions for no apparent reason.

I have started a webpage www.miseryandmirth.com where i discuss my

autoimmune problems, treatments options and such. I would greatly

appreciate people looking it over, sharing it with others and leaving

me comments/feed back. The page is in reveres chronological order

with newest entry on the top, so not to get too confused, scroll down

to the entry titled ITP and reading up would be wise.

THANK YOU, Angel