Re: Thanks for your ears and support

[Guest guest]

Roxanna, if your physicians make the RA diagnosis, then you should request

DMARDs (methotrexate and Enbrel are DMARDs; for further info see a's

site:

http://rheumatoid.arthritis.freehosting.net/drugs.html).

Rheumatoid factor (RF) isn't necessary for the diagnosis. Some people with

RA are never RF-positive. There is another test you can ask for: the

anti-CCP. Is your sed rate elevated? Have they taken x-rays of your feet

and/or hands to see if there have been any changes consistent with RA?

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Thanks for your ears and support

> Hi all,

> Kathe, Beth, Tawny, Babs, , and . Thanks so much for your

> replies. I'm 46, Grandmother twice, married and living in the

> So.CA. desert with my hubby who is trying hard to help me right

> now. I have a doc I like alot and the other doc in the rural clinic

> is great also. I've been having problems with my tail bone for

> about a year now and exersise just seems to aggravate it more but I

> have been on pain medicine, lost about 15 pounds over the course of

> a year and my pain was getting worse, my doc raised the strenght, I

> had the most normal painfree 5weeks in I don't know how long and

> then this hit me right when I was really starting to look up. May

> 12th I awoke with swollen hands , knees and anckles, put ice on them

> over the weekend and had dug up a few samples of mobic I had

> leftover, started taking them and Naproxene when that ran out. Went

> to the doc after the weekend had blood work and he had me stop the

> Naproxene a few days come back have another round of blood work. I

> couldn't stand the pain on pain meds! so now I have strong pain

> meds, Nap 500mg twice a day. I knock myself out at night to sleep

> through the pain with sleeping pills and the RH doc added a muscle

> relaxer at bed and I've seen him once over a week and a half ago-I

> was scheduled back in 4 weeks and bring back with me another batch

> of blood tests. I have had maybe 4 not so bad days since this

> started but I have gradually got worse since that day over 6 weeks

> ago. Is this sudden change in lifestyle common? It hurts to squeeze

> a sponge out and dig through my purse. I'm afraid I will be

> crippled at this pace before long. Should I request DMARDS? Do's

> RA factor show up in blood right away? My bloodwork has not as of

> onset.

> I read on some site that the first 3 months are vital to start

> DMARDS to prevent further damage. Over the weekend my anckles were

> weak and my heal came out from under me on my cement steps (nice

> cushion huh!)

>

> I started phy therapy for my back recently but don't no what to do

> for the other symptoms and I wonder if they are related. Extreme

> fatique at times to. Stiff sore shoulders and sharp pains in the

> hands. Is Methotrexate and enbel DMARDS? So much to learn. Thanks

> for advice.

>

> Roxanna

[Guest guest]

Roxanna, if your physicians make the RA diagnosis, then you should request

DMARDs (methotrexate and Enbrel are DMARDs; for further info see a's

site:

http://rheumatoid.arthritis.freehosting.net/drugs.html).

Rheumatoid factor (RF) isn't necessary for the diagnosis. Some people with

RA are never RF-positive. There is another test you can ask for: the

anti-CCP. Is your sed rate elevated? Have they taken x-rays of your feet

and/or hands to see if there have been any changes consistent with RA?

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Thanks for your ears and support

> Hi all,

> Kathe, Beth, Tawny, Babs, , and . Thanks so much for your

> replies. I'm 46, Grandmother twice, married and living in the

> So.CA. desert with my hubby who is trying hard to help me right

> now. I have a doc I like alot and the other doc in the rural clinic

> is great also. I've been having problems with my tail bone for

> about a year now and exersise just seems to aggravate it more but I

> have been on pain medicine, lost about 15 pounds over the course of

> a year and my pain was getting worse, my doc raised the strenght, I

> had the most normal painfree 5weeks in I don't know how long and

> then this hit me right when I was really starting to look up. May

> 12th I awoke with swollen hands , knees and anckles, put ice on them

> over the weekend and had dug up a few samples of mobic I had

> leftover, started taking them and Naproxene when that ran out. Went

> to the doc after the weekend had blood work and he had me stop the

> Naproxene a few days come back have another round of blood work. I

> couldn't stand the pain on pain meds! so now I have strong pain

> meds, Nap 500mg twice a day. I knock myself out at night to sleep

> through the pain with sleeping pills and the RH doc added a muscle

> relaxer at bed and I've seen him once over a week and a half ago-I

> was scheduled back in 4 weeks and bring back with me another batch

> of blood tests. I have had maybe 4 not so bad days since this

> started but I have gradually got worse since that day over 6 weeks

> ago. Is this sudden change in lifestyle common? It hurts to squeeze

> a sponge out and dig through my purse. I'm afraid I will be

> crippled at this pace before long. Should I request DMARDS? Do's

> RA factor show up in blood right away? My bloodwork has not as of

> onset.

> I read on some site that the first 3 months are vital to start

> DMARDS to prevent further damage. Over the weekend my anckles were

> weak and my heal came out from under me on my cement steps (nice

> cushion huh!)

>

> I started phy therapy for my back recently but don't no what to do

> for the other symptoms and I wonder if they are related. Extreme

> fatique at times to. Stiff sore shoulders and sharp pains in the

> hands. Is Methotrexate and enbel DMARDS? So much to learn. Thanks

> for advice.

>

> Roxanna

[Guest guest]

> Roxanna, if your physicians make the RA diagnosis, then you should

request

> DMARDs (methotrexate and Enbrel are DMARDs; for further info see

a's

> site:

> http://rheumatoid.arthritis.freehosting.net/drugs.html).

>

> Rheumatoid factor (RF) isn't necessary for the diagnosis. Some

people with

> RA are never RF-positive. There is another test you can ask for:

the

> anti-CCP. Is your sed rate elevated? Have they taken x-rays of

your feet

> and/or hands to see if there have been any changes consistent with

RA?

> ,

They ran some lab work the first couple weeks of symptoms, and the

doc said he believes its RA and referral said RA serum-DX? or

something in that order (greek to me) The RH doc said I have

Fibrommyalgia and gave me a lab sheet to have back with me at next

appt. It says ICD-9 codes PuD? (hard to read) below that a check

mark on 714.0 Rheumatiod Arthritis then checked under panels

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and under Tests is checked CBC and

ESR. I took the first two copies of lab and gave them to the RH doc

as instructed by my doc along with the presciption referral but I

don't think the RA factor was positive. I'm a bit confused on this

stuff but the booklet on fibromy has a body outline with areas of

pain and my visit was interupted twice and I didn't get all I hoped

for from the visit but when I go back in two weeks I am taking a

list of all that has been happening and it's been progressing and I

highlighted areas on the body outlines of the booklet just where I

have pain and stiffness- it feels joints to me-with raidating pain

and stiffness and I plan to list all the things that has changed in

my life so quickly like having a hard time lifting my arms to change

my shirt, how I can no longer get out of bed to answer the phone-it

takes much longer in the mourn, I now have to get my morning meds

out in the evening because latley I struggle opening them in

mourning and alot of other things and in such a short period of

time. No x-rays ordered for hands, feet, shoulders , knees or such

as of yet but if this is RA as I suspect I don't think DMARDS would

be a bad idea. I did request a lyme disease test just to rule it

out as my sister has had it and she had alot of arthritis stuff

going on with her, I'll find out today, it's probley negative since

I haven't recieved a call. Thanks for the info, I will ask my RH

about the anti CCP and x-rays. Or should that be asked to my primary

who I will see today and live alot closer to him anyway. Please

forgive my spelling and I'll become used to these terms in time.

Thank so much.

Roxanna

>

>

> Not an MD

>

> I'll tell you where to go!

>

> Mayo Clinic in Rochester

> http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

>

> s Hopkins Medicine

> http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

>

>

> [ ] Thanks for your ears and support

>

>

> > Hi all,

> > Kathe, Beth, Tawny, Babs, , and . Thanks so much for

your

> > replies. I'm 46, Grandmother twice, married and living in the

> > So.CA. desert with my hubby who is trying hard to help me right

> > now. I have a doc I like alot and the other doc in the rural

clinic

> > is great also. I've been having problems with my tail bone for

> > about a year now and exersise just seems to aggravate it more

but I

> > have been on pain medicine, lost about 15 pounds over the course

of

> > a year and my pain was getting worse, my doc raised the

strenght, I

> > had the most normal painfree 5weeks in I don't know how long and

> > then this hit me right when I was really starting to look up.

May

> > 12th I awoke with swollen hands , knees and anckles, put ice on

them

> > over the weekend and had dug up a few samples of mobic I had

> > leftover, started taking them and Naproxene when that ran out.

Went

> > to the doc after the weekend had blood work and he had me stop

the

> > Naproxene a few days come back have another round of blood

work. I

> > couldn't stand the pain on pain meds! so now I have strong pain

> > meds, Nap 500mg twice a day. I knock myself out at night to sleep

> > through the pain with sleeping pills and the RH doc added a

muscle

> > relaxer at bed and I've seen him once over a week and a half ago-

I

> > was scheduled back in 4 weeks and bring back with me another

batch

> > of blood tests. I have had maybe 4 not so bad days since this

> > started but I have gradually got worse since that day over 6

weeks

> > ago. Is this sudden change in lifestyle common? It hurts to

squeeze

> > a sponge out and dig through my purse. I'm afraid I will be

> > crippled at this pace before long. Should I request DMARDS?

Do's

> > RA factor show up in blood right away? My bloodwork has not as of

> > onset.

> > I read on some site that the first 3 months are vital to start

> > DMARDS to prevent further damage. Over the weekend my anckles

were

> > weak and my heal came out from under me on my cement steps (nice

> > cushion huh!)

> >

> > I started phy therapy for my back recently but don't no what to

do

> > for the other symptoms and I wonder if they are related. Extreme

> > fatique at times to. Stiff sore shoulders and sharp pains in the

> > hands. Is Methotrexate and enbel DMARDS? So much to learn.

Thanks

> > for advice.

> >

> > Roxanna

[Guest guest]

> Roxanna, if your physicians make the RA diagnosis, then you should

request

> DMARDs (methotrexate and Enbrel are DMARDs; for further info see

a's

> site:

> http://rheumatoid.arthritis.freehosting.net/drugs.html).

>

> Rheumatoid factor (RF) isn't necessary for the diagnosis. Some

people with

> RA are never RF-positive. There is another test you can ask for:

the

> anti-CCP. Is your sed rate elevated? Have they taken x-rays of

your feet

> and/or hands to see if there have been any changes consistent with

RA?

> ,

They ran some lab work the first couple weeks of symptoms, and the

doc said he believes its RA and referral said RA serum-DX? or

something in that order (greek to me) The RH doc said I have

Fibrommyalgia and gave me a lab sheet to have back with me at next

appt. It says ICD-9 codes PuD? (hard to read) below that a check

mark on 714.0 Rheumatiod Arthritis then checked under panels

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and under Tests is checked CBC and

ESR. I took the first two copies of lab and gave them to the RH doc

as instructed by my doc along with the presciption referral but I

don't think the RA factor was positive. I'm a bit confused on this

stuff but the booklet on fibromy has a body outline with areas of

pain and my visit was interupted twice and I didn't get all I hoped

for from the visit but when I go back in two weeks I am taking a

list of all that has been happening and it's been progressing and I

highlighted areas on the body outlines of the booklet just where I

have pain and stiffness- it feels joints to me-with raidating pain

and stiffness and I plan to list all the things that has changed in

my life so quickly like having a hard time lifting my arms to change

my shirt, how I can no longer get out of bed to answer the phone-it

takes much longer in the mourn, I now have to get my morning meds

out in the evening because latley I struggle opening them in

mourning and alot of other things and in such a short period of

time. No x-rays ordered for hands, feet, shoulders , knees or such

as of yet but if this is RA as I suspect I don't think DMARDS would

be a bad idea. I did request a lyme disease test just to rule it

out as my sister has had it and she had alot of arthritis stuff

going on with her, I'll find out today, it's probley negative since

I haven't recieved a call. Thanks for the info, I will ask my RH

about the anti CCP and x-rays. Or should that be asked to my primary

who I will see today and live alot closer to him anyway. Please

forgive my spelling and I'll become used to these terms in time.

Thank so much.

Roxanna

>

>

> Not an MD

>

> I'll tell you where to go!

>

> Mayo Clinic in Rochester

> http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

>

> s Hopkins Medicine

> http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

>

>

> [ ] Thanks for your ears and support

>

>

> > Hi all,

> > Kathe, Beth, Tawny, Babs, , and . Thanks so much for

your

> > replies. I'm 46, Grandmother twice, married and living in the

> > So.CA. desert with my hubby who is trying hard to help me right

> > now. I have a doc I like alot and the other doc in the rural

clinic

> > is great also. I've been having problems with my tail bone for

> > about a year now and exersise just seems to aggravate it more

but I

> > have been on pain medicine, lost about 15 pounds over the course

of

> > a year and my pain was getting worse, my doc raised the

strenght, I

> > had the most normal painfree 5weeks in I don't know how long and

> > then this hit me right when I was really starting to look up.

May

> > 12th I awoke with swollen hands , knees and anckles, put ice on

them

> > over the weekend and had dug up a few samples of mobic I had

> > leftover, started taking them and Naproxene when that ran out.

Went

> > to the doc after the weekend had blood work and he had me stop

the

> > Naproxene a few days come back have another round of blood

work. I

> > couldn't stand the pain on pain meds! so now I have strong pain

> > meds, Nap 500mg twice a day. I knock myself out at night to sleep

> > through the pain with sleeping pills and the RH doc added a

muscle

> > relaxer at bed and I've seen him once over a week and a half ago-

I

> > was scheduled back in 4 weeks and bring back with me another

batch

> > of blood tests. I have had maybe 4 not so bad days since this

> > started but I have gradually got worse since that day over 6

weeks

> > ago. Is this sudden change in lifestyle common? It hurts to

squeeze

> > a sponge out and dig through my purse. I'm afraid I will be

> > crippled at this pace before long. Should I request DMARDS?

Do's

> > RA factor show up in blood right away? My bloodwork has not as of

> > onset.

> > I read on some site that the first 3 months are vital to start

> > DMARDS to prevent further damage. Over the weekend my anckles

were

> > weak and my heal came out from under me on my cement steps (nice

> > cushion huh!)

> >

> > I started phy therapy for my back recently but don't no what to

do

> > for the other symptoms and I wonder if they are related. Extreme

> > fatique at times to. Stiff sore shoulders and sharp pains in the

> > hands. Is Methotrexate and enbel DMARDS? So much to learn.

Thanks

> > for advice.

> >

> > Roxanna