Guest guest Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 Hi . PA is complex and personal. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Aggressively treat PA early based on your research and symptoms in consultation with a rheumatologist and a GP you trust. I had P since birth, PA since age 31 and treatment commenced age 41. I was hospitalised with PA for 3 weeks aged 42. I am disabled since age 42. My PA has just stabilised at age 43, although it is now periodically attacking my spine and shoulders. I have chronic pain and fatigue, but am so far free of depression. I have episodic flares of P which last 3 days (with treatment). I have lost 37kg in the past year and continue to lose 1kg per week without dieting (I can loose another 20kg to be my " ideal " weight). I hope to return to my career in finance/accounting/governance part-time in the next month and to recover " my life " by 2006. PA has transformed my life and is an exhilarating challange. On the down side PA cost me my health, marriage/family, home and (past) dreams and career (temporarily). Good luck. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 , Welcome to the group. Let me start by saying I'm 28, have had this awful disease for approximately 6 years. Mine started a lot like yours. After college, I was very active with hockey, softball, working out, etc.. One day my shoulder really hurt... turned out to be bursitis and family doc just injected cortisone a couple times. As that pain subsided, my left index finger became stiff and inflammed. To spare you the details I stayed pretty active until about 2 years ago. Now I am unable to play any sports or workout. Heck - it hurts to walk most of the time. One month ago I was blessed with my first baby boy. I have the same worries and concerns you expressed about playing with him, holding him, etc.. I currently take 25 mg Vioxx (anti-inflammatory), 22.5 mg of Methotrexate (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug) and this is not helping at all. My next step, hopefully next Friday, is to begin treatment with Enbrel (newest DMARD). I tell you this because if your disease progresses like mine you are better off taking quick action with the newer drugs available. I have been through all the DMARDS and NSAID's and none have worked. I want to do the aforementioned things with my baby boy and diet and exercise won't allow me to fight this disease. Before this disease, I didn't even allow myself to take aspirin. Now, I take Vicodin like a daily vitamin. My response to you is do all the research on all the drugs and medicines available and decide if your disease is starting to rule your life. You might be lucky and get away with only NSAID's, but if your unlucky and your disease progresses consider treating it very aggresively. Thanks and hope this helps a little. xmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 >What I want to know is what can I do? I'm too young, I don't want to >go on medication, we just had our first daughter. Am I facing >disability in my near future...how long? Are some cases more >treatable than others, can I fight this with exercise and diet? Hi ! Please, please don't be afraid of taking medication for this. I know what you mean about not being taken seriously because you are so young - my symptoms started about the same age yours did. I wish, more than anything, that my rheumy had put me on MTX right when I got my first " sausage toe " (a common PA symptom). It probably would have prevented 2 foot surgeries later on. From my personal experience, I would suggest treating this aggressively as soon as possible, especially considering that you're active, young, and have a child. Enbrel has helped me tremendously. I am living a normal life - do not wake up in pain, am more energetic. Diet and exercise only help in conjunction with medication. Think of it this way - Inflammation is much worse for your body than medication. You've got to get the inflammation down. I'm very active, and can *now* do most of the things I could do before PA (except jog, which I've never really been good at anyway!) I am also a health nut, which I think helps my condition, but I was a health nut before enbrel, and felt pretty much like crap before I got on the right medication. In my experience, you can absolutely have an active and productive life with PA!! But you need to take it seriously. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. -- Boice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 , Go and get " Strong Women Can Beat Arthritis " . It covers most of your option on diet, exercise and drugs (from mild to severe). I would think right now an NSAID might make you pain free for awhile. Try Celebrex or Vioxx. While they have side effects, it's nothing like some of the major meds out there. I am 28. My name is . There are several of us young guns on here, so you are not alone. I was diagnosed at 23, and like you had my first signs of Psoriasis at 19. Sounds like we have moved along at the same pace kind of. I did everything I could to stay of all drugs for the first 4 years of this disease, but I now take Celebrex and a mild DMARD (Azulfidine). You need to make the drug decision for yourself. You can treat this disease... you might even go into remission... but don't live in misery. You might never be pain free again, but if you can't live your everyday life you need to get to a Rheumatologist (who will know exactly what's going on) and see where you are with this disease. Get X-rays, SED rate, a complete blood panel. With this items in hand your Dr. (A RHEUM) will be able to tell you how your disease is progressing, BUT you need to get a BASELINE to start from. You need to take active control over this disease. You can't run and pretend that it isn't there. My PCP (a young Dr.) diagnosed me at 23 and send me straight to a Rheum. I refused drugs for a LONG time, but I made the decision to take them when PA really started effecting the way I wanted to live. You are NOT DOOMED! You more than likely will not be crippled. If you want to talk, please feel free to e-mail. This is a very fearful time for you, as it was for us all when we realized what we have! In a message dated 5/8/2003 3:57:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, afiniti24@... writes: > Because I am only 27, I find that I am not taken very seriously about > this, but I've done the research, I've read about every > other type of > ailment, and I I'm a little afraid of the unknown of PSA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 9, 2003 Report Share Posted May 9, 2003 Ron, I think I am moving to California! We had to move from Portugal to the states for me to get better medical care and now it appears that we might need to leave TX for the same reason. You would think with the medical center in Houston there must be some good docs. My new rheumy seems more concerned about himself than me (disgusting). I am sure he wouldn't find a way to get me Humira because it might " jeopardize his license. " I mean if the guy says I can't work full time and won't put me on disability, knows I have difficulty walking and won't give me a handicap parking permit then for sure he won't find a way to get me on Humira. Why do I have such bad luck with rheumy's!!! This is my 4th one. I am so glad that my GP really cares about me but he can't prescribe biologics. What a pain.... Oh, and - you really should get on Enbrel or another biologic med. They work much better than the older meds. I am 26 so I know what it is like battling PA at a young age (I have had it for 5 yrs.). All my docs say treat it aggressively early so it doesn't cause permanent damage. Good luck, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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