Re: Re: Hi all New to This

September 9, 2005

Dear Barb3173

Wow! You sound just like me, with the pain and

stiffness everywhere and numbness in my hands and

wrists and with the labs not showing RA but all the

symptoms being there. When I tell docs about the

numbness, that's when they start looking at me like

I'm a mental case. I then have to spend the next 5

minutes convincing them that I love my job and family

and enjoy my life when I'm not in extreme pain. My

symptoms are somewhat like fibromyalgia but I have no

tender points. Do you? Actually when I poke or push

the spots that hurt, it gets better while I do it,

which is the opposite of fibromyalgia. I spend a lot

of time on a vibrating massage pad in my chair. that

really helps.

I'm so grateful that I found this group. I was

feeling so alone.

(ilovecats83160)

--- sassyone3173 <bdciesinski@...> wrote:

> Emma,

>

> First of all Hello. Welcome to the group. I wish I

> could give you

> some good advice, but I am new to this as well. I am

> in the " what

> the heck is going on phase " . Meaning they have lot's

> of ideas of what

> might be wrong but they don't have a diagnosis yet.

> They suspect RA

> but a lot of my tests don't support that. Symptoms

> do but tests

> don't. I was reading up on fibromyalgia and that

> seems to describe me

> but they have not even mentioned it as a

> possiability. Who knows? I

> am not on any medication to specifically treat a

> specific condition

> because they don't know. I am on prednisone to

> control inflammation

> and pain and on tylenol 3 to control pain also. I am

> 32 and I have

> been suffering from pain and stiffness in my wrists,

> hands, elbows,

> knees and ankles. This has been gradual onset

> starting in my left

> ankle but i contribute that to be a result of

> breaking my left ankle

> 6 years ago. From there it seems to have migrated

> around. I first saw

> a rheumatologist back in March 2005 due to pain and

> numbness in my

> wrists, hands and pain in my elbows. I just had a

> MRI of my left

> elbow and wrist yesterday, I don't have the results

> yet. I know how

> frustrating this journey can be. Okay, Okay I am

> rambling I just

> wanted to let u know who I am and to welcome you.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Barb 3173

>

> - In , " emma_cnnlly "

> <emma_cnnlly@y...>

> wrote:

> > My name is Emma and I am A 24 yr old Receptionist

> recently

> diagnosed

> > with RA. Just wondering if anyone could tell me

> what my blood

> > results mean.... Rhematoid Factor 425 Rose Waaler

> Titre 64 CRP 20

> > ESR 53 All others were normal. My doctor has

> started me on

> > Plaquenil and wants me to start Prednisone but

> told her I am not

> > keen on it...as much as it might help. She

> started me on Naprosyn

> > but had allergic reaction so she put me on mobic

> which does nothing

> > for me at all. What other options are there. Me

> elbows, knees,

> > wrists and fingers all hurt all day, they are also

> very weak. I

> > have degenerative change and joint erosions in my

> left wrist...and

> > stress fractures in my right foot.... but all else

> is normal. The

> > pain of these joints is worst in the morning but

> lasts right

> through

> > until i go to sleep at night and often wakes me up

> throughout the

> > night.

> >

> > Just after some advice from people who have been

> through it.....

> >

> > Thanks Guys...

> >

> > I wish you all well

>

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September 9, 2005