Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Welcome to the site but I’m sorry you have reason to be here. There are seven criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology for diagnosing RA (rheumatoid arthritis) as follows: RA Criteria (Any 4 qualify for positive diagnosis) 1. Morning stiffness, lasting for at least an hour, present daily for at least 6 weeks 2. Arthritis of 3 or more joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks 3. Arthritis of the hand joints, lasting for at least 6 weeks 4. Symmetric arthritis, lasting for at least 6 weeks 5. Rheumatoid nodules 6. Positive rheumatoid factor (blood test) 7. Joint changes on x-ray Usually the first medication given is Prednisone because it usually acts fast to reduce symptoms but it is intended only as a stop-gap because it does not do much to slow joint damage. The most common medication for RA is Methotrexate that is taken once weekly as several pills but there are a lot of other possible first medications. Here are some links you may want to check out. Drugs and interactions http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/DrugGuide/index.asp http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home http://www.drugs.com/ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DrugHerbIndex General information about RA http://www.arc.org.uk/about_arth/booklets/6033/6033.htm First Visit to Rheumatologist http://arthritis.about.com/cs/docpad/a/rheumatologist.htm Spoon Theory – explaining RA to others http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/spoons.htm I don’t know much about Lyme disease but I think it is treated with antibiotics. Others may know a lot more about this. Don’t hesitate to ask more questions and someone is likely to have an answer, or at least we can give sympathy and support. God bless. From: Rheumatoid Arthritis [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of leah Sent: Friday, May 12, 2006 6:41 PM Rheumatoid Arthritis Subject: Newbie Here Hi all I'm Leah 25 years old. On tuesday night I started to complain about my neck hurting me so I went to the doctor on wed and thursday cuz the next morning I started to hurt all over to the point where I was crying. My joints was hurting me. My doctor send me for blood work to check if I have rheumatoid arthritis. Does it sound like I have it? What other symptoms are there to it? What treatments & medications are there? Write Back Soon Take Care Leah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Hi Leah , Hope he gave you something to ease the pain abit that's how mine felt so long ago ,, Well good luck and don't forget try heat and ice if you can isote it ,,, a good long shower seems to help at times . leah <leah131@...> wrote: Hi all I'm Leah 25 years old. On tuesday night I started to complain about my neck hurting me so I went to the doctor on wed and thursday cuz the next morning I started to hurt all over to the point where I was crying. My joints was hurting me. My doctor send me for blood work to check if I have rheumatoid arthritis. Does it sound like I have it? What other symptoms are there to it? What treatments & medications are there? Write Back Soon Take Care Leah Love cheap thrills? Enjoy PC-to-Phone calls to 30+ countries for just 2¢/min with Messenger with Voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Hi Leah , Well I'm not sure about Lyme diease , but I think it requires antiboic treatment for an extended period maybe someone else will look it up it's kind late when i foud this checking my mail , but RA it depends on you and your DR he will start you on some meds to slow and hopefully stop the diease prigression which will slow your immune system put you on an anti inflatory med to all of this is just assumption that your dr dose the nor and you can take and tollerate it but every one is differant he may put you on a new biologic med it's very costly but considered to be the best treatment . You'll learn more about all this here and i sugest you reshearch your RA allso if it turns out to be that . john leah <leah131@...> wrote: Hi all I went back to doctor today as I was in alot of pain to the point where I was crying. they are checking me for lyme disease and rheumy arthisis. If I got this what do they do for it? Take Care all. Leah Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Hi Leah, At this point, from what they know and are telling you, it really is up in the air. Many things can cause inflammartory pain....and thankfully all of them are not chronic, like Rheumatoid arthritis. I think it is great that you so quickly started asking for help, looking for support and answers. AND as much as I like this lovely group....I do hope that you arent diagnosed with RA and get to join us!! As far as blood work goes, be careful. Dont be afraid to get a second opinion. When I first started having symptoms, which came on within about a month HARD, the first doc I saw (Gen.Pract) sent me home saying that I was too young to have arthritis, which is waht I told her I felt like. She then did blood work and it came out ok. The thing about rhematiod Arthritis is that the blood work can change within a week or so. At first mine was fine, 2 or 3 weeks later my numbers were off the chart (aka: sed rates). I may not be getting all the medical details exact, but this is basically how it happened for me. Please remember this though, your body may be reacting like this for many other reasons. Keep asking questions, and keep being persistant about how you feel no matter what they tell you. My doc (the good, new one) also told me to beware of Alieve. I guess it is more taxing on the liver and kidney than most other drugs in its class. SO with all this fun info, Have HOPE, good health and a positive attitude. it really does make a world of differnce. And let us know what happes after your blood work. There is more info on that which I'm positive myself and other members here are itchin' to share!!! Good luck, Good health. --- leah <leah131@...> wrote: > Hi all > I'm Leah 25 years old. On tuesday night I started > to complain about > my neck hurting me so I went to the doctor on wed > and thursday cuz the > next morning I started to hurt all over to the point > where I was > crying. My joints was hurting me. My doctor send me > for blood work to > check if I have rheumatoid arthritis. Does it sound > like I have it? > What other symptoms are there to it? What treatments > & medications are > there? Write Back Soon > Take Care > Leah > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 , I do the same thing, nice long hot shower...it helps me A LOT. I bought a shower massaging head that had 4 different settings, and it detachable, it is absolutley wonderful!!john stratton <kentuckycowboy2@...> wrote: Hi Leah , Hope he gave you something to ease the pain abit that's how mine felt so long ago ,, Well good luck and don't forget try heat and ice if you can isote it ,,, a good long shower seems to help at times .. leah <leah131@...> wrote: Hi all I'm Leah 25 years old. On tuesday night I started to complain about my neck hurting me so I went to the doctor on wed and thursday cuz the next morning I started to hurt all over to the point where I was crying. My joints was hurting me. My doctor send me for blood work to check if I have rheumatoid arthritis. Does it sound like I have it? What other symptoms are there to it? What treatments & medications are there? Write Back Soon Take Care Leah Love cheap thrills? Enjoy PC-to-Phone calls to 30+ countries for just 2¢/min with Messenger with Voice. Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Hi Leah, This is Steph in VA. I'm 28 & was diagnosed with RA in 1999 when I was 22. There could be many reasons for your pain aside from a rheumatic condition. When my symptoms 1st started the doctor checked for the rheumatoid factor but I tested negative. I still test negative, but a positive RA is only 1 of the symptoms of RA. Like the others, I hope you are not dx'd with RA but if you are this group is a great support system. Take care, Steph in VAleah <leah131@...> wrote: Hi all I'm Leah 25 years old. On tuesday night I started to complain about my neck hurting me so I went to the doctor on wed and thursday cuz the next morning I started to hurt all over to the point where I was crying. My joints was hurting me. My doctor send me for blood work to check if I have rheumatoid arthritis. Does it sound like I have it? What other symptoms are there to it? What treatments & medications are there? Write Back Soon Take Care Leah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world -- indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead) AmeriCorps Alums -- We're Still Getting Things Done Talk is cheap. Use Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Hi everyone, I wanted to introduce myself. My name is and I live in Concord. I was diagnosed with Celiac 3 years ago and then just recently diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis this week!! AGHHHH, I am only 30 yrs. old and can't believe this. I just recently went GF 10 days ago because it was just too hard for me to do it when I was first diagnosed. Well I have now realized how serious. Hope to hear from some of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Welcome home Zeta! Blessings, Peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Hi, Zeta, welcome!Much love and blessings to you, too... I just wanted to share this from the Golden Chain Prayer because that is how I feel about this wonderful Family... I am also grateful to have found this place of love and sharing..."We will keep our link bright and strong. We will be kind and gentle to every living thing. We will protect all who are weaker than ourselves. We will think pure and beautiful thoughts. We will say pure and beautiful words. We will do pure and beautiful deeds."I feel that here "we are being the changes we wish to see in the world". Love, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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