Re: Just got a diagnosis today (Sharon)

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

I'm 38 and was diagnosed with PA 15 months ago. My

doctor started me right away on Azulfadine. It was

slow to take effect, but it did help. The summer came

and when I got poison ivy, it made it worse. He gave

me Prednisone for those times, but by the end of the

summer, I was really bad and the Azulfadine was not

working anymore. He then suggested Arava, but I

insisted on Enbrel. I've been on Enbrel for just over

a month and truely feel like a new man. I have PA in

my hands, wrists, shoulders, hips, knees and feet.

Since being on Enbrel, I've been able to run with my

dog, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and I've

even been splitting wood. My mental state has also

made a 180 degree turn.

PA and it's treatments are different for everybody.

It may take attempts with different treatments to find

what works for you. Azulfadine didn't work for me,

but may work for you (let's hope) and I receive great

effect even after the first shot of Enbrel. My RD

said that he has never had anybody react so quickly.

-scott

--- nanasewpretty <nanasewpretty@...> wrote:

> Hi,

> I am Sharon. I am 57 and just got the diagnosis

> today from my

> Rheumatologist that I have PA. They did all the

> usual blood work. RA

> negative, lupus negative, slightly elevated sed rate

> and positive x-

> rays for arthritis of the SI joints and positive

> HLA-B27 test. I

> don't have any skin lesions...just painful swollen

> middle finger

> joints. Actually have osteo of the first joints of

> the fingers

> (closest to the nails) and then the really bad

> joints are the next

> ones. This is of both hands. Have suffered

> for..oh about 10 years.

> Was told 10 years ago it was a touch of osteo and a

> touch of

> rhematoid and put on naprosen. Took 1500 mgs a day

> for 8 years.

> Helped some but the damage to the joints continued.

> I quit going to

> the rheumatologist back then because it was so

> expensive and they

> weren't helping me that much. But, in the last year

> it has gotten

> really worse because I had to be taken off Vioxx and

> then Celebrex

> because of making my liver enzymes rise too high.

> Had to wait 3

> months for appointment with new Rheumatologist on

> November 21. She

> called with the diagnosis today. Wants to start me

> on Azulfadine.

> Anyone on this list tried that? If so, did it help

> and what were

> your side effects. My Rheumatologist is sending me

> some reading info

> on it and wants me to read it and decide if I want

> to take it or

> not. I have been on a short course of Prednisone

> (10 mg a day for

> two weeks) which has made me feel almost like a new

> woman but cannot

> stay on it because I am a diabetic and it has made

> my blood sugar too

> high. Glad to find ya'll.

>

> Sharon

>

>

>

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