Reactive Arthritis or Post Viral Arthritis

mandingo

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site and very pleased I have found it. I was diagnosed with Reactive Arthritis three weeks ago and wondered if anyone has had any experience with this condition. It hit me suddenly after a sickness bug. I can barely walk and now my wrists, knees, feet, back, well almost everywhere is painful. Doctor didn't say too much, just that it should all be gone in a couple of weeks. I've reached the couple of weeks and it's still painful. Any thoughts??javascript:emoticon(':shock:')

Mandingo

barbara12

Hello Mandingo
Sorry I cant help with your questions , I just want to say welcome to this forum, we are all very supportive, and I am sure someone will be along very soon with some answers for you.
Barbara x

mandingo

Hello and thanks for your reply. I'll keep checking to see if anyone has or has had this experience. Hope you're doing good. [javascript:emoticon(':)')quote="barbara12"]Hello Mandingo
Sorry I cant help with your questions , I just want to say welcome to this forum, we are all very supportive, and I am sure someone will be along very soon with some answers for you.
Barbara x[/quote]

barbara12

mandingo wrote:

Hello and thanks for your reply. I'll keep checking to see if anyone has or has had this experience. Hope you're doing good. [javascript:emoticon(':)')quote="barbara12"]Hello Mandingo
Sorry I cant help with your questions , I just want to say welcome to this forum, we are all very supportive, and I am sure someone will be along very soon with some answers for you.
Barbara x

[/quote]Hi again mandingo..if there anything you need to know about this site just ask.
And come over to chit chat and have a laugh with us.
Barbara x

barbara12

Sorry it me again
Forgot to say put a post in say hello, that will get more reply s
Barbara x.

lindalegs

Hi Mandingo,

It's me again

I have had RA for many years now but don't have any experience of reactive arthur. I would think that it will settle down with the correct meds. Are you seeing a Rheumatologist or still just under your GP and what meds are you on?

It is such a shock when you find out you have something like this to cope with but it will get better I promise you.

Please continue posting you'll find alot of support on here.

Luv Legs

salamander

hi, welcome to the forum. When I first got ill last summer they thought I might have reactive arthritis ( I didn't) and was told it could take up to 9 months to recover but minimum of 3 months. This by the rheumatologist so think a couple of weeks might be a bit optimistic. Have you been referred to one? Perhaps if you ask your gp to do a referral for you. Are you on any meds? They put me on anti inflammatories initially and then steroids as I couldn't tolerate the former. They make a huge difference.
Sally

Wonkylegs

HI & welcome!

I am sorry to hear that you have reactive arthritis. That is tough, but I know that there are effective treatments out there.

I know someone who has had Reactive Arthritis for quite a long while, and she only began to improve when she got fairly aggressive treatment via a rheumatologist. However, once that was started she began to improve and the future looks much better for her now.

If you have not been referred to a rheumatologist yet, then it would be worth asking to be referred.

I know that the Arthritis Care helplines have more info on Reactive Arthritis that they could send you. I would suggest you give them a ring on Monday if you can (number at the top of this page) or email them to ask.

good luck!
Wonky

clairc

Hi!

I was diagnosed with post streptococcal reactive arthritis in August last year after a strep throat infection. 8 months on I'm still struggling with symptoms, but that's probably due to further bouts of strep. Unfortunately reactive arthritis is quite rare and most GPs don't know much about it. They know it's a reaction to the infection but they can't do much more than prescribe NSAIs and painkillers.

Seeing a rheumatologist is a good idea if you haven't already. I saw one but he couldn't help me as my joints haven't been deformed by it.

From what I have read it can take a few months for people to get better. Some people recover completely but a few people are unlucky enough to get it again months or even years later.

I can sympathise with what you're going through and I hope things start to improve for you soon!

Clair

skezier

Hi Mandingo,

Nice to meet you and sorry I don't know the answers as I don't have that one, got pa and oa. There used to be a lady here who hew all about it so if you use the search thing it might bring up some of her posts. She really did, sadly, know it inside and out. I have an idea of her user name but might be wrong so see what the search thing brings up for you.

There is also some info on the AC bits 'About Arthritis' which might help you. I really hope you will soon get a break from it and it is under control very soon. Take care Cris

Hi Clair,

Not seen you for a long time but leaving you a ((( ))) and a hope you also get some relief soon. x

dorcas

Hi mandingo and welcome to the forum

sorry you are having such pain with this form of arther

I haven't any experience or first hand knowledge of reactive arthritis but wanted just to say I hope you do get the right advice and meds from a rheumatologist that will help reduce the pain and symptoms.

Sending you gentle (((HUGS))) take care.

Iris x

mandingo

Hello Wonkylegs, thanks so much for your message and I shall be calling the helpline tomorrow without a doubt.

My knees a couple of days ago were so much better but now they are just as bad as before, that was very disapointing. I'm going to call the doctor in again tomorrow as well and ask about a referral to a rheumy. Still havn't ventured outside, apart from just outside the back door!

Thanks again and I hope you are feeling good.

Mandingo

Wonkylegs wrote:

HI & welcome!

I am sorry to hear that you have reactive arthritis. That is tough, but I know that there are effective treatments out there.

I know someone who has had Reactive Arthritis for quite a long while, and she only began to improve when she got fairly aggressive treatment via a rheumatologist. However, once that was started she began to improve and the future looks much better for her now.

If you have not been referred to a rheumatologist yet, then it would be worth asking to be referred.

I know that the Arthritis Care helplines have more info on Reactive Arthritis that they could send you. I would suggest you give them a ring on Monday if you can (number at the top of this page) or email them to ask.

good luck!
Wonky

mandingo

Hello Iris, thanks for your message and hugs. Just what I need right now. Calling doctor in tomorrow for some advice. Hope your are feeling godd yourself.

Mandingo



Hi mandingo and welcome to the forum

sorry you are having such pain with this form of arther

I haven't any experience or first hand knowledge of reactive arthritis but wanted just to say I hope you do get the right advice and meds from a rheumatologist that will help reduce the pain and symptoms.

Sending you gentle (((HUGS))) take care.

Iris x[/quote]

mandingo

Hello Clair, thanks for your message and sorry to hear that you have this also. May I ask if you became housebound with this and if so how long before you could get aroung again. Also do you drive and has it stopped you from driving completely? I do hope you get a full recovery from this condition. You know it was such a shock for me when it happened. One day everything is fine and within a few days I was completely housebound.

I am going to call in the doctor again tomorrow and ask if I should see a rhuemy. All the best to you.

clairc wrote:

Hi!

I was diagnosed with post streptococcal reactive arthritis in August last year after a strep throat infection. 8 months on I'm still struggling with symptoms, but that's probably due to further bouts of strep. Unfortunately reactive arthritis is quite rare and most GPs don't know much about it. They know it's a reaction to the infection but they can't do much more than prescribe NSAIs and painkillers.

Seeing a rheumatologist is a good idea if you haven't already. I saw one but he couldn't help me as my joints haven't been deformed by it.

From what I have read it can take a few months for people to get better. Some people recover completely but a few people are unlucky enough to get it again months or even years later.

I can sympathise with what you're going through and I hope things start to improve for you soon!

Clair

clairc

Hi!

My case is a bit complicated as I was diagnosed with ME/CFS 20 years ago and I have had mobility problems for the past 15 years. I'm a bit confused at the moment because I'm not sure if I've had reactive arthritis all this time because the ME flare ups I've had are exactly the same as the reactive arthritis flares. the doctors always want to blame anything I have on ME and I'm going to see an ME specialist but I'm not sure if he will be able to help.

8 months after my first reactive arthritis flare I'm still not back to my usual level of fitness. I haven't driven for a couple of years but there is no way I could do it at the moment, I don't have the strength in my right knee and the codeine I take for the pain makes me feel spaced out and drowsy.

I can understand it being quite a shock, mine came on slowly at first, I started dropping things and I felt tired and achey like I was coming down with the flu an then bang I was in agony and couldn't use my hands or walk. I was in tears and I didn't know what to do. Painkillers didn't seem to touch it and the doctors weren't that interested, they just said it's a reaction to the infection and it will go away.

From what I have read some people do make a full recovery and never get it again but it can take months rather than weeks. I hope you're feeling better soon!

Clair

mandingo

Hi everyone, I've been asking if anyone has any experience of reactive arthritis and thank you to everyone who replied to me. Just to let you know that I did call the doctor back and he has now referred to me a rhuemy albeit not until 6 weeks from now, ah well, least I have an appointment. Also took some blood tests. I've had a couple of better days although I am taking the painkillers as directed. I did try to miss some out during the day but was too painful.

I'll keep in touch with you all and hope you're all having good days....
Take care, Kathleen - Mandingo

mandingo

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with blood test results. I was diagnosed with Reactive Arthritis initially, have had blood tests taken and one of them came back as very high rhuematoid factor. Does this automatically mean I have RA. I have to repeat an antibody test for strep. I havn't seen the doctor since being told by the receptionist of my blood results on Friday. I have been concerned since then. Any thoughts anyone.

Kathleen :?

Alina42

Hello. I'm new and have joined as I too have been suffering from pain in joints in hands and feet. Hands are the worst. Been to doc three times and blood tests all clear. Just been told it will go by itself. I'm in agony and no meds work. Doc won't prescribe stronger painkillers. It's the third week and I had sinus infection in half term. I'm beside myself and would love some advice. Driving is v difficult, I'm not sleeping well and I want to see light at end of this scary tunnel.

stickywicket

Hi Alina42. Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry you're having such pain and I confess I know nothing about Reactive or Post-Viral Arthritis :oops: There may be something in one of Arthritis Care's publications - top right.

You might find you get more replies if you start this as a new thread rather than tacking it on to an old one. That way, people can see you're new and I'm sure will want to help. I don't know what happened to the original poster but hopefully they got better and didn't need to return here.