Hello everyone

eileenc
eileenc Bots Posts: 118
edited 7. Jul 2009, 04:39 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello - As you can see I am new to the forum and also quite new to my RA. I have been diagnosed for about 4 months now although I have been struggling for over a year with all the symptoms that didn't seem to make much sense to my doctor :( including several stays in hospital thinking I had a DVT because of the swelling and agonising pain. I really didn't know what was wrong until I was lucky (?) enough to have a really bad flare up and had to call a doctor to the house - my doctor was too busy to make a house call and sent a locum instead. The locum turned out to be my angel in disguise - someone who instantly recognised all my symptoms and pushed for the hospital rheumatology appt to confirm it. I was so relieved to have a name for what was wrong with me and it wasn't all in my head. I am on 10 mtx a week, tramadol, solpodol and the usual ibuproven and all the rest and I must say it seems to be doing the job for me at the moment - but like you all I have my cheery good days and my down days. It's certainly a learning curve! Anyway - I suppose thats enough for now - don't want to overload you all on my first post :D and I look forward to getting to know you all better and taking part in the forum posts. :D

Comments

  • page35
    page35 Member Posts: 1,081
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi eileen
    welcome to the forum :D
    i also have RA dianosed about 3months ago but like you had pain for over a year it was a locum that helped me too.
    everyone is great on here so sure you will get more welcomes.
    Page
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Eileen :D

    Welcome to the site! I warn you it can become very addictive. :lol::lol: Peeps are very friendly and you are in the right place, for help, sympathy and understanding on all that "arthur" throws at us. We all have our good and bad days so you are definitely not alone there. I hope that the meds you are on at the moment continue to help you.

    Look forward to hearing more from you,
    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • sarahbenn
    sarahbenn Member Posts: 39
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hello there and welcome to the forum, I too am a fellow sufferer of RA this is a good place to find any help or advice you may need as regards to the condition :D ive found it very useful reading a lot of the topics that others have posted more so than from my gp and consultant :? anyway good to meet you and take care
    sarah :D
  • suzster
    suzster Member Posts: 1,328
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    welcome! i have RA to and mine took a while to be diagnosed, so i know how you feel!
    it's great that you found the site, people are so supportive and helpful, so get posting, lol!
    sue
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    well come its great to know what is wrong and u not imagining it (i started to feel like that) and then u go down with the worry of what is to come others can help u better as i have oa not ra but glad u found this sight weather to moan ask questions or tell good news its great to have people out there who understand :D
    val
  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello and welcome. I hope you find this site as good as I do. :)
    I can understand how glad you are to get a proper diagnosis, I have oa, but before I was diagnosed, I thought I must be imagining things :shock: . I'm sure the diagnosis was a shock to you, but at least now you can have the right treatment and hopefully start to feel a lot better soon. LOve Sue
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,398
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Eileen,

    Welcome to the Forum.

    I'm a veteran of RA because I've had it for 23 years since I was 27 :shock:

    Hope you enjoy taking part in the Forum.

    Luv Legs :D
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • topgirl
    topgirl Member Posts: 290
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Welcome....
    I have been diagnoised with RA too, it took over a year...this seems to be quite common( esp if its seronegative)
    Im sure you will enjoy it on here.
    x
  • yesmeducky
    yesmeducky Member Posts: 50
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Welcome Eileen,
    You won't be disappointed with this forum. Look forward to your postings.
    Heidi
  • suncatcher
    suncatcher Member Posts: 2,174
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi welcome to the forum looking forward to knowing you from joanne
    Joanne
  • eileenc
    eileenc Bots Posts: 118
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi and thanks for your great welcome - I am slowly working my way through all the older posts and feel as though I know some of you already. You are right about the site being addictive - I am logging on at all odd times just to see what's new and how everything is going for everybody - didn't realise I had such vouyaristic tendancies - think I need a spell check though because the fingers don't seem to be doing what I want them to today! :D Looking forward to getting to know you all a bit better over the coming weeks. Bye for now - Eileen x
  • smillajasperson
    smillajasperson Member Posts: 37
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi! :D
    I joined only a couple of weeks ago as I'd just been diagnosed with OA and was feeling very down.
    Everyone is so lovely and friendly and you won't ever feel alone if you check in regularly. I already feel I've made new friends and although of course you don't want anyone else to be suffering, it does help to know you're not the only one and that people can relate to what you're saying and how you're feeling - something family can't always do. Hopefully we can all help each other to get through this and support and advice is never far away.
    Best wishes
    Smillajasperson xx
  • mistywillow
    mistywillow Member Posts: 711
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi! :D
    I joined only a couple of weeks ago as I'd just been diagnosed with OA and was feeling very down.
    Everyone is so lovely and friendly and you won't ever feel alone if you check in regularly. I already feel I've made new friends and although of course you don't want anyone else to be suffering, it does help to know you're not the only one and that people can relate to what you're saying and how you're feeling - something family can't always do. Hopefully we can all help each other to get through this and support and advice is never far away.
    Best wishes
    Smillajasperson xx

    Hi Eileen and also smilajasperson as I dont think i have met you before. Welcome to the site, and I look forward to chatting with you on the site.
    Gillx
  • ramummy
    ramummy Member Posts: 100
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello there - I was diagnosed with RA last year and this site is a godsend - it's good to know you're not alone and people are very friendly and helpful.

    x
  • bkermack
    bkermack Member Posts: 4
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    eileenc wrote:
    Hello - As you can see I am new to the forum and also quite new to my RA. I have been diagnosed for about 4 months now although I have been struggling for over a year with all the symptoms that didn't seem to make much sense to my doctor :( including several stays in hospital thinking I had a DVT because of the swelling and agonising pain. I really didn't know what was wrong until I was lucky (?) enough to have a really bad flare up and had to call a doctor to the house - my doctor was too busy to make a house call and sent a locum instead. The locum turned out to be my angel in disguise - someone who instantly recognised all my symptoms and pushed for the hospital rheumatology appt to confirm it. I was so relieved to have a name for what was wrong with me and it wasn't all in my head. I am on 10 mtx a week, tramadol, solpodol and the usual ibuproven and all the rest and I must say it seems to be doing the job for me at the moment - but like you all I have my cheery good days and my down days. It's certainly a learning curve! Anyway - I suppose thats enough for now - don't want to overload you all on my first post :D and I look forward to getting to know you all better and taking part in the forum posts. :D


    Hi Eileen

    Welcome to the site. Like you I have only been diagnosed for about 3 months with RA but have had the illness for 3 years. I started my meds last week and already have had such a vast improvement I feel like my old self. I hope that you remain cheery & postive. This website is the best around & certainly keeps your spirit lifted. It definitely is addictive!
    Take care & keep posting.
    Berni