Best Of
Hello!
Hi everyone,
I am 41 and I live in Fife, Scotland.
After a couple of months of having stiff hands and a couple of weeks of worsening symptoms (red, swollen finger joints, and pain and stiffness in the fingers and wrists), I contacted my GP. A phone appointment followed by a face to face appointment and I was told I very likely have rheumatoid arthritis. Bloods were taken this morning and x-rays will follow whenever possible (Covid is slowing things down).
So I am now trying to find out more about his illness and the best ways to deal with it. I've had ME and Hashimoto's disease for 10 years so I'm not new to chronic illnesses or pain, but I am new to not being able to use my hands in the usual way...
Eowyn
1
Re: Hello!
Hi @SausageFingers - you're right, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis doesn't show up in blood tests - but it's less common to have this 😊 The blood test is often a way of telling the difference between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis - RA is more likely to have swelling, but OA can have swelling during bad flare ups. So a blood test is normally more useful. It's why the doctors do the blood test.
Shell_H
1
Re: Hello!
"Rheumatoid Arthritis will show up in your blood test"
Mine didn't. No inflammation markers/ESR normal... everything normal with the bloods. They said I was sero-negative. I'm special 🤣
Only Ultrasound showed something, which was the swelling we could see from the outside (mostly certain fingers at the time) caused by buildup of synovial fluid.
Re: Stiff joints
Hi Hayley, I was diagnosed with exactly the same thing just before Christmas. I have stiffness in my fingers and feet/toes permanently day and night. If I throw the duvet off during the night I cant pull it back on! Like you I am typing all day so struggle with that too, walking after sitting down is also causing me a problem. I have pain in knee and hip but this does come and go which i can deal with. I havent started treatment yet, I am attending an early arthritis clinic on Tuesday which is hopefully when I will start some meds. Sorry I can't help with what helps for now, but if the clinic make any suggestions I will let you know. Xx
dij1966
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Re: Game: Does the person below me . . .
Sorry @Shell_H
i haven’t got my glasses on fav smell is a clean house 🏡
Re: Bone on bone OA at 22
Hi @C123
Nice to meet you life has dealt you a rough hand.
I am going to reply on behalf of my daughter who is now 23.
Three weeks after her 16th birthday she was diagnosed with leukaemia and had 2.5 years of chemotherapy with dexamethasone alongside. The result of this is she got Avascular Necrosis (death of blood supply) in her left hip - femoral head and right shoulder joint at 18. She also has it in her thigh bone, but that isn't so bad because there is plenty of blood supply there.
She had surgery on her hip at 18 - core decompression - to buy time and a shoulder replacement at 19. She has full mobility in both; the shoulder she can raise right above her head and best of all the pain has gone.🙂
She knows she faces repeated surgeries in the future, revisions and the like, but she could not have gone on in the agony she was in. Her shoulder particularly had totally collapsed.
If you decide to push for surgery ( knee replacement? ) it will take some pressure on your part to find a consultant who supports your decision. I'm sure you also know that your joints will have a limited life-span, but with care (keeping doing your exercises, probably dodging the sky-diving!) it may last longer than expected.
There are people on here who have had the same replacement for way more than the predicted life-span. @stickywicket for example.
Take care
Re: Kennel cough vaccine for dogs when living with someone on immunesuppresant drugs
Thank you that's very helpful.
I have also contacted the Biologic Helpline who care for my daughter to get their thoughts. I think there has now been a know case of this happening which is why vets are now obliged to point this risk out prior to vaccinations as it had never been mentioned before.
Jewels and Treasures
I am sparkling and I am new I shine in this world just like you. There's nothing broken chipped or rusted but now my body's broken down and busted. The aches the pain I sometimes cant describe all I know is I want too hide My sparkle dulls just like my pain I doult I can be whole again my shine has gone my glitz my glamour I return my dress upon the hanger. There is no dancing or twirling you see as now my knees may disagree My hip my legs my bones they ache I am sure you appreciate. So pop away my jewels and treasures I think you just about have my measure.
Re: Online Community Updates
Not bothered by the changes as I only get on-line using a laptop. I always click on "Recent Posts" at the top of the page when I log on to see what people have been chatting about and if I want to look up anything specific I use the "Search" box. It is, however, nice to see that the site is being well used and updated. Thanks
Mike1
2