Guest guest Posted November 4, 2004 Report Share Posted November 4, 2004 Hello, I'm just joining the group. I've been reading many of your posts and appreciate the information sharing, so I thought I should say hello and not just lurk! I was diagnosed with PA last week after 5 yrs of being told it was OA. I don't have P. Should I add " yet? " Still in the " I'm pretty overwhelmed by this " stage and trying to learn as much as I can. My father's family is full of RA so for the past year I've been thinking I had more than OA and fearing RA... now I am learning about PA! yikes Gwen " You must do the thing you think you cannot do. " ... Eleanor Roosevelt [Editor's Note: Hi, Gwen. Welcome to the list. It can be overwhelming, but as with anything, the key is to educate yourself as much as possible and not settle for mediocre medical care. I am a bit concerned by the change in diagnosis because OA usually shows up in bone density tests. It presents itself very differently from PA or RA. Who changed the diagnosis? Are you under the care of a rheumatologist? Did the physician who diagnosed you say why he/she believes it is PA given you don't have P? It is very possible to have PA without P, but usually there are signs present such as nail involvement, P on elbows, etc. OA on the other hand, is almost always visible in bone density tests. The same is not true for PA. Did your physician recommend a drug regimen and if so, do you have any questions about the medication? We look forward to hearing from you frequently. Again, welcome, Kathy F.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 5, 2004 Report Share Posted November 5, 2004 Dear Gwen, First of all Welcome to our little piece of the world. This is a wonderful group, full of smart caring people. I'm like you as far as no doctor can say 100% for sure if I have PA or RA, thought they are positive I have OA. At first it really bothered me and I kept wondering which one do I have. But I finally figured out they treat them both pretty much the same, and it really doesn't matter too much in the long run. More people seem to " get it " if you say you have RA, but when I look at the little clues about each disease I sort of feel more like it's PA. My skin is involved too, but not the same way everyone else's is. I have had 3 dermatologists tell me it isn't P, but more likely a reactive skin rash to sunburns I had as a small child. The problem is it got worse the same time I did. No one can seem to get rid of it either. A lot of literature will tell you that PA isn't as painful as RA, but I don't believe that at all. IN fact my rheumatologist told me from the start, PA can be more painful since so many tendons and muscles are involved. I guess that's not always the case with RA. Kathy is so right when she say's you need to educate yourself on the disease. Any more you have to be your own medical advocate, because doctors are so busy these days they don't have the time. I've learned more about PA from this group, then from all the doctors I've seen combined. So you are starting off in the right place. I agree that it is very overwhelming when you first start realizing just how bad this disease can be. Just remember there are all levels of this disease and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and find the right medication at the start. Take care and let us know how everything goes and how you are feeling. You are among friends here. Take care, Fran [ ] Hi--I'm new to the group Hello, I'm just joining the group. I've been reading many of your posts and appreciate the information sharing, so I thought I should say hello and not just lurk! I was diagnosed with PA last week after 5 yrs of being told it was OA. I don't have P. Should I add " yet? " Still in the " I'm pretty overwhelmed by this " stage and trying to learn as much as I can. My father's family is full of RA so for the past year I've been thinking I had more than OA and fearing RA... now I am learning about PA! yikes Gwen " You must do the thing you think you cannot do. " ... Eleanor Roosevelt [Editor's Note: Hi, Gwen. Welcome to the list. It can be overwhelming, but as with anything, the key is to educate yourself as much as possible and not settle for mediocre medical care. I am a bit concerned by the change in diagnosis because OA usually shows up in bone density tests. It presents itself very differently from PA or RA. Who changed the diagnosis? Are you under the care of a rheumatologist? Did the physician who diagnosed you say why he/she believes it is PA given you don't have P? It is very possible to have PA without P, but usually there are signs present such as nail involvement, P on elbows, etc. OA on the other hand, is almost always visible in bone density tests. The same is not true for PA. Did your physician recommend a drug regimen and if so, do you have any questions about the medication? We look forward to hearing from you frequently. Again, welcome, Kathy F.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Thanks for the welcome to the group. It is a rheumatologist I'm now seeing who is calling this PA. I'm seeing him again tomorrow with lots of questions. Right now I'm taking Aleve and while it takes the edge off, it hasn't produced any dramatic results. I've been taking yoga for the last year or so. I'm interested in knowing what exercise/workouts work for folks with PA to maintain strength and mobility. Not sure I can afford the gym membership to access a pool for swimming. Stationary bike, free weights??? yoga?? Gwen > > Dear Gwen, First of all Welcome to our little piece of the world. This is > a wonderful group, full of smart caring people. I'm like you as far as no > doctor can say 100% for sure if I have PA or RA, thought they are positive > I have OA. At first it really bothered me and I kept wondering which one do > I have. But I finally figured out they treat them both pretty much the > same, and it really doesn't matter too much in the long run. More people > seem to " get it " if you say you have RA, but when I look at the little clues > about each disease I sort of feel more like it's PA. My skin is involved > too, but not the same way everyone else's is. I have had 3 dermatologists > tell me it isn't P, but more likely a reactive skin rash to sunburns I had > as a small child. The problem is it got worse the same time I did. No one > can seem to get rid of it either. > > A lot of literature will tell you that PA isn't as painful as RA, but I > don't believe that at all. IN fact my rheumatologist told me from the > start, PA can be more painful since so many tendons and muscles are > involved. I guess that's not always the case with RA. > > Kathy is so right when she say's you need to educate yourself on the > disease. Any more you have to be your own medical advocate, because doctors > are so busy these days they don't have the time. I've learned more about PA > from this group, then from all the doctors I've seen combined. So you are > starting off in the right place. > > I agree that it is very overwhelming when you first start realizing just how > bad this disease can be. Just remember there are all levels of this disease > and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones and find the right medication at > the start. Take care and let us know how everything goes and how you are > feeling. You are among friends here. Take care, Fran > > > [ ] Hi--I'm new to the group > > > > Hello, > I'm just joining the group. I've been reading many of your posts > and appreciate the information sharing, so I thought I should say > hello and not just lurk! > > I was diagnosed with PA last week after 5 yrs of being told it was > OA. I don't have P. Should I add " yet? " Still in the " I'm pretty > overwhelmed by this " stage and trying to learn as much as I can. My > father's family is full of RA so for the past year I've been > thinking I had more than OA and fearing RA... now I am learning > about PA! yikes > > Gwen > " You must do the thing you think you cannot do. " ... Eleanor > Roosevelt > > [Editor's Note: Hi, Gwen. Welcome to the list. It can be overwhelming, > but as with anything, the key is to educate yourself as much as possible and > not settle for mediocre medical care. I am a bit concerned by the change in > diagnosis because OA usually shows up in bone density tests. It presents > itself very differently from PA or RA. Who changed the diagnosis? Are you > under the care of a rheumatologist? Did the physician who diagnosed you say > why he/she believes it is PA given you don't have P? It is very possible to > have PA without P, but usually there are signs present such as nail > involvement, P on elbows, etc. OA on the other hand, is almost always > visible in bone density tests. The same is not true for PA. Did your > physician recommend a drug regimen and if so, do you have any questions > about the medication? We look forward to hearing from you frequently. > Again, welcome, Kathy F.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Hi Gwen. I haven't been diagnosed for very long, but so far I've found that Yoga really helps me with keeping up my mobility. It's not high impact, and still ensures that all muscles are exercised, and doesn't put a whole lot of stress on the body. It's also an exercise that you can do in different difficulties, depending on your degree of mobility. It's flexible and it can help you become flexible too hee hee! good luck! Crystal >From: " catbert1949 " <catbert1949@...> >Reply- > >Subject: [ ] Re: Hi--I'm new to the group >Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2004 04:08:53 -0000 > > > >Thanks for the welcome to the group. It is a rheumatologist I'm now >seeing who is calling this PA. I'm seeing him again tomorrow with >lots of questions. Right now I'm taking Aleve and while it takes >the edge off, it hasn't produced any dramatic results. > >I've been taking yoga for the last year or so. I'm interested in >knowing what exercise/workouts work for folks with PA to maintain >strength and mobility. Not sure I can afford the gym membership to >access a pool for swimming. Stationary bike, free weights??? yoga?? > >Gwen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Another vote for yoga. I've been taking a weekly yoga class for about 6 years, and practicing occaisionally for about 10 years before that. If I had NOT done yoga consistently for this long, I'd be much stiffer and less mobile today. A few months ago, I wrote a long detailed message about how it benefits me. You can find it in the archives. -- ===== -------------------------- Stein www.noblefusion.com/astein If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself If you want to be somebody else Change your mind... -- Sister Hazel __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 11, 2004 Report Share Posted November 11, 2004 Ditto the yoga vote from !! (idaho) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2004 Report Share Posted December 7, 2004 Hi Gwen, , Marie, msgenelee? (Are you new? and don't say, " No I'm 73 lol) , Alfredo, Della, quiqle, Carol(A fellow Scot?) , Laurie, CC, Carol(AMcKenzie) Roanne, lakethundermom, Andy, Lynn, Ellen, , Beth, Patty(pattybacon), , , deslinger and Patty(maggiemay) Just.................. wanted.............Gasp............ to welcome you all to the group whether your are new, coming out of lurk mode or been here for years and I have made a mistake. lol Hope you all get the info, advice, friendship, or/and all of the above, that you need. I noticed that a few of you have already been pretty active in the two/three weeks I have been away. Good luck, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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