Re: Where did your pain start?

[Guest guest]

Lauri,

RA can present in a variety of ways, but pain, swelling, and stiffness of

the joints in the hands would be typical.

Low-level, positive ANAs are found in approximately 10% of the healthy

population.

http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/ra_new.asp

http://www.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/str2414.asp

http://www.lupus.org/education/articles/ana.html

Not an MD

[ ] Where did your pain start?

> I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

> really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

> she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

> but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

> Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

> sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

> read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

> this been your experience?

>

> The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

> me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

> small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

> spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

> severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

> to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

> helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

> out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

> the time. TIA!

>

> Lauri

[Guest guest]

Lauri,

A pulmonary doctor did many tests and they all but the RA factor came back with

problems. He told me to go to a Rheume, which I did. I took his labs and when

she saw them she said that she didn't know anything about those tests and that

she would do her own. She did a couple of overall labs which all came back

positive. She said I had no autoimmune problems.

I took those back to the pulmonary doctor. He looked at them and looked like he

was trying to say something nice. He ended up by saying that I need a different

doctor. The first rheume gave me an apt. in 2 days. The next doctor took 2

months. I think that alone says something. The new rheume took all those test

results and did a few of her own. She has not yet actually named my problem but

it looks like lupus or scleraderma and very bad raynauds.

Betty

[ ] Where did your pain start?

_,_._,__she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder_

[Guest guest]

Has your doctor looked at AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis)? RA can affect the

spine, but AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) typically affects the lower limbs,

spine and neck.

Kate

At 10:38 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:

>I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

>really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

>she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

>but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

>Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

>sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

>read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

>this been your experience?

>

>The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

>me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

>small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

>spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

>severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

>to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

>helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

>out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

>the time. TIA!

>

> Lauri

[Guest guest]

I do not have any information to help but I wanted to say I am sorry for your

pain. I really wish I knew what you have or how to help, but I know how it

feels when you are in pain and do not know why. I wanted to let you know I

care!!

Marsha

Re: [ ] Where did your pain start?

Has your doctor looked at AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) ? RA can affect the

spine, but AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) typically affects the lower limbs,

spine and neck.

Kate

At 10:38 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:

>I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

>really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

>she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

>but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

>Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

>sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

>read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

>this been your experience?

>

>The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

>me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

>small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

>spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

>severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

>to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

>helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

>out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

>the time. TIA!

>

> Lauri

[Guest guest]

AS is in the same family(Spondylitis) as Psoriatic Arthritis do you have

any lesions?

I am sorry you are in so much pain.

Kate

Hashi's

AS

At 02:22 PM 2/21/2007, you wrote:

>i looked a little of this up and i just wanted to ask if anyone knows that

>this can affect the skin? i am going out of my mind because i need to know

>i need to make it stop. everyone i am begging here i cannot continue like

>this. its killing me. i mean the skin pain is driving me out of my mind i

>dont even want to shower any more cause it gets so bad.

> Re: [ ] Where did your pain start?

>

>

> Has your doctor looked at AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis)? RA can affect the

> spine, but AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) typically affects the lower limbs,

> spine and neck.

>

> Kate

>

> At 10:38 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:

> >I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

> >really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

> >she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

> >but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

> >Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

> >sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

> >read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

> >this been your experience?

> >

> >The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

> >me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

> >small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

> >spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

> >severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

> >to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

> >helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

> >out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

> >the time. TIA!

> >

> > Lauri

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My daughter has scleroderma, and she had excruciating skin pain for the

first few years. Have the doctors considered this diagnosis yet?

Take care,

>

> i looked a little of this up and i just wanted to ask if anyone knows

that this can affect the skin? i am going out of my mind because i need

to know i need to make it stop. everyone i am begging here i cannot

continue like this. its killing me. i mean the skin pain is driving me

out of my mind i dont even want to shower any more cause it gets so bad.

[Guest guest]

Have you been checked for shingles?

bridlovdave <nashirafae@...> wrote: i looked a little of this

up and i just wanted to ask if anyone knows that this can affect the skin? i am

going out of my mind because i need to know i need to make it stop. everyone i

am begging here i cannot continue like this. its killing me. i mean the skin

pain is driving me out of my mind i dont even want to shower any more cause it

gets so bad.

Re: [ ] Where did your pain start?

Has your doctor looked at AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis)? RA can affect the

spine, but AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) typically affects the lower limbs,

spine and neck.

Kate

At 10:38 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:

>I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

>really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

>she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

>but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

>Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

>sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

>read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

>this been your experience?

>

>The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

>me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

>small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

>spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

>severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

>to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

>helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

>out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

>the time. TIA!

>

> Lauri

[Guest guest]

Lauri, were you by any chance injured in ANY way, before this all started? A

car accident, or a fall?

Patsy

El Mirage, AZ

DX 2005 Stage 1 PBC

AIH/SLE/RA/COPD

Just a woman of letters....

[Guest guest]

I have severe RA, i recently have had problems with pain in the rib cage area

on the left side, so I had a EGD done, and nothing was found other than my

haitel hernia that I already knew about. So I'm thinking gall bladder, I changed

my diet and the pain has decreased as long as I stick with the diet. I actually

feel better not eating any beef or pork,

I found out that egg whites and bananas really made me suffer for some reason.

And right now I take enbrel, mobic prednisone, folic acid, MTX. just seen my RA

doc, he jumped up the prednisone again, working it down, my fingers and hands

are killing me, and yes they are starting to deform, I wear isotoner gloves as

much as possible, they do help. I also started having problems with my BP

jumping up, seems to do that the day after my enbrel injections. Living with RA

is not easy, but if you stay active and positive, and give your self more time

to do things it does help. Getting old is one thing, but doing it with RA is a

total different deal. I'm 47 years young, and back to school learning a new

trade, as my past career in food service management has become to much for me,

the last three years at my past job were extremely difficult. I'm a single

parent putting my son through college, he has two more years to go. so I don't

see early retirement as an option. Nor could I

live on a disability benefit. Just don't let it beat you down. Jean

bridlovdave <nashirafae@...> wrote:

howdy now this i have to reply to. i can tell you that the pain in

your back that you are describing is exactly how i started. i had those pains

that you are describing and was in the bathroom daily waiting to vomit. i kept

going to my doctor about it and well they ended up taking out my gall bladder.

they told me that my gall bladder just stopped working alltogether, i did not

have stones or anything like that. they took it out and told me the pain would

go away. well guess what they bloody lied cause i still suffer every day with

the pain. it had to be about 5-6 years after i started to get these pains that i

started to notice my knuckles deforming. why wont the doctors listen to us? this

drives me out of my mind. my life is a roller coaster of pain, suffering, docs,

meds, depression and the bull shit that has followed. there is a reason i joined

this group and then left and it was because i was no longer able to sit in front

of my pc and type out emails. i have

given up so much of my life because of the pain i live with day to day. i beg

of you please find a doc that will listen and help. my story seems to be one

heart break after another and dammit it started with what you just described. my

day to day life is very limited at this point and i am 35. i am not looking

forward to what my life holds for me. the reason i am once again able to reach

out to the world is because my hubby bought me a lap top.

[ ] Where did your pain start?

I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

this been your experience?

The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

the time. TIA!

Lauri

[Guest guest]

howdy now this i have to reply to. i can tell you that the pain in your back

that you are describing is exactly how i started. i had those pains that you are

describing and was in the bathroom daily waiting to vomit. i kept going to my

doctor about it and well they ended up taking out my gall bladder. they told me

that my gall bladder just stopped working alltogether, i did not have stones or

anything like that. they took it out and told me the pain would go away. well

guess what they bloody lied cause i still suffer every day with the pain. it had

to be about 5-6 years after i started to get these pains that i started to

notice my knuckles deforming. why wont the doctors listen to us? this drives me

out of my mind. my life is a roller coaster of pain, suffering, docs, meds,

depression and the bull shit that has followed. there is a reason i joined this

group and then left and it was because i was no longer able to sit in front of

my pc and type out emails. i have given up so much of my life because of the

pain i live with day to day. i beg of you please find a doc that will listen and

help. my story seems to be one heart break after another and dammit it started

with what you just described. my day to day life is very limited at this point

and i am 35. i am not looking forward to what my life holds for me. the reason i

am once again able to reach out to the world is because my hubby bought me a lap

top.

[ ] Where did your pain start?

I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

this been your experience?

The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

the time. TIA!

Lauri

[Guest guest]

i looked a little of this up and i just wanted to ask if anyone knows that this

can affect the skin? i am going out of my mind because i need to know i need to

make it stop. everyone i am begging here i cannot continue like this. its

killing me. i mean the skin pain is driving me out of my mind i dont even want

to shower any more cause it gets so bad.

Re: [ ] Where did your pain start?

Has your doctor looked at AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis)? RA can affect the

spine, but AS (Ankylosing Spondylitis) typically affects the lower limbs,

spine and neck.

Kate

At 10:38 PM 2/19/2007, you wrote:

>I'm still in the process of getting a diagnosis and still have some

>really basic questions. My own doc seems to think that I have RA, but

>she sent me to a rheumy who told me that I had no autoimmune disorder

>but if I did have one, the symptoms were a better match with Sjogren's

>Syndrome. Him saying I don't have an autoimmune disorder makes no

>sense to me since I have a positive ANA (1:160). But from what I have

>read, RA generally starts in the smaller joints like the hands. Has

>this been your experience?

>

>The only place I have pain is my back. It is horrible pain that makes

>me feel shaky and nauseated. Almost all of my pain originates in one

>small spot in the middle of my spine, though an MRI of my thoracic

>spine showed degeneration all through my thoracic spine. Does having

>severe pain in one spot, but no problem with my hands, sound like RA

>to you? Also, sitting for any period of time just kills me, if that

>helps figure anything out. I'm trying desperately to get this figured

>out. Right now I'm barely able to do anything because I'm in pain all

>the time. TIA!

>

> Lauri