Good Evening

MarkC

Hello! I joined the forum a couple of months ago and just thought I'd say hello in this section as there seems to be a lot more people reading this bit!

Just to introduce myself - I'm 27 and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in December last year, after having slight pain for a few months,followed by a sudden jump in pain and swelling in all the joints of all my limbs. A combination of prednisilone,methotrexate,Arcoxia and sulfasalazine seems to have lowered swelling and pain to a level where I can actually do some things,but am still struggling to walk all but the shortest of distances and every drive or day at work leaves me in agony.

The good news is that apparently my joints aren't actually damaged, I'm just holding put for the drugs to kick in!

I think the enormity of RA is still to kick in, I struggle to understand how I could have done the Great North Run last September, but a month after could barely walk. However, when I've read what some of you guys are going through, it humbles me and makes me think how lucky I am, despite my issues. Obviously I dont mean that in a teasing way, but reading what others are going through helps me get to grips with what I've got to do.

I'm not normally an internet forum type person, but I think just expressing even a tiny bit of my feelings tonight has helped me as I'm not feeling brilliant these past few weeks following a reduction in my prednisilone (down to 5mg a day).

Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest!

Goodnight!

Dottydoodah

Hi Mark

Welcome from me. I only joined this week, but have found everyone extremely helpful and friendly.

Sorry to hear you are suffering right now.

skezier

Hi Mark,

Nice to see you again and your are so right... it can really help to just post how your feeling.

Its horrible that it can whack you so hard from no where. I am sorry you are still suffering but its good to know your joints are not damaged. I so hoe it will get easier for you and you find you are more able than just now. Its dies came and go and hopefully it will soon back off for you. nice to meet you and take care. Cris x

julie47

Hi Mark

Well done for doing the great north run, but I am sorry that then you were hit by arthur. That will have been quite a blow.
Sorry that you are not feeling too great at the moment and hope that you feel better soon,
Take care
juliepf x

ratface

Hi Mark,

Forums are a new experience for me also (joined earlier this year when I started having problems with cramps in my right leg after starting Humira and needed a bit of input from others who may have experienced the same thing).

I was on prednisolone for about 2-3 years and found that at every reduction my pain was worse for a few weeks. Sometimes 2 to 3, sometimes 3 to 4 but eventually the pain eased up and from 10/10/10 have been prednisolone free. Reducing from 5 to 0 was the hardest - don't know why. Bonus was I lost all of the extra weight I had put on!

Hope this helps a bit

Ratface

keith1971

Hey Mark.......

Always good to hear from another male. I'm 39 & have PA, RA's cousin with the bad skin! I'm anti-ccp antibody positive though too, so I may have RA afterall!

Pain & symptom wise I'm doing okay & am five weeks into taking Sulfazine - this forum has provided a wealth of support & knowledge for me.

I understand fully the bit about not understanding how just a few months ago you were running & now you're faced with this. It is a little difficult to get your head around - I always think I'm going to wake up and be cured!



K.

williamlargs

Hello mate good grief they certainly hit you with a cocktail of drugs. I was diagnosed 8 years ago at the age of 43. I was immediately put on to sulph which did the trick and after 3 years or so was allowed at my request to stop them altogether. Unfortunately arthur flared again about a year ago and I am now on meth. Again it has done the business and I have managed to get off my daily cocktail of paracetomol and diclofenic. But this time my x-rays showed 'slight' degeneration in the joints in my hands.

Therefore I will not be in such a rush to get off the drugs this time although I am determened to get off them eventually.

It aint all doom and gloom for a lot of us although as you say there are some poor souls on here. Keep the chin up mate I am back playing 7 aside footie after a year out so hopefully you will get back to the running.

Good luck

tkachev

Hi Mark and welcome. I hope the forum will be useful and helpful in the coming months. It does hit a lot of us suddenly, seemingly from nowhere and interrupts our usual active life. Pain control and inflammation control will help you and It is very good you caught it all before any joints were damaged.


You should be having regular blood tests to monitor the severity of the R.A so if any meds start to have a less effect the rheumatology team should step in.
Best wishes
Elizabeth

parrotman

Welcome to the forum Mark. Great bunch here. Good to see a couple more Geezers lurking around. Got diagnosed with RA about 18 months ago having just decided to retire early so a nice little leaving present ! :eek:

Cheers John

ironic

Hi Mark,
Welcome to the forum. It is hard to come to terms with our conditions, I am glad you have found the forum though. Keep in touch and let us know how things are with you.
Fingers crossed you continue to improve for you. It does take time for the medications to work properly.
Hang on in there and I hope we hear from you soon.
Ix

frogmorton

Hi Mark

l think l 'met' you on the say hello forum, but am glad you found this one too, much more going on and very very supportibe!

A few blokeys too

l am not an internety person either well l wasn't till l found this site..... :oops:

love

Toni xx

Airwave!

Hey, sounds like you're pulling the pharmacy round with you!

Us blokes are a funny lot with our emotions, can't say I really did get going on here for a few years, don't mind saying about meself now, I suppose we always keep something to ourselves!

Yes, I reckon RA must have come as a bit of a shock, but there is still a lot of things to do without being defined by arther.

Keep smiling. 8)

paddyw

Hi Mark, Welcome I have RA also, and all the friends on here help so much.I could not belive what was happend 2 years ago to me a lass who would swim 40 length in 30 mins ,if i did over my time Well! i was so up set.I still swim not as fast,also have to make sure i can get out of the pool ,sometimes in old pools they dont have steps for disabled people and have to ask for the steps to be put in! So RA does take a lot of coming to terms with.I think you may run again not as far, as i cant swim as far but i do it! Hpoe to hear from you soon will look out for you Pat W

MissKat

Hi Mark,

Welcome! It is a very warm welcome you get round here - everyone is so lovely

I've found this forum to be a great support network, and I've only been here 5 months, whether you want to write and say how you're feeling or just read up on how everyone else deals with 'living with arthritis'. It's a great place to cruise 8) heehee

I'm 30, was diagnosed in November last year. Was fit as a fiddle this time last year. Couldn't believe I had arthritis, isn't that something that happens to your granny?! It's a rough road we travel, but with this forum you won't be walking it alone...

Come share your thoughts again soon... MissKat

barbara12

Hi Mark
Its good to meet you, and I am so glad you have found us, like you say just talking to people that understand can really help.
Its good that you have been diagnosed early before any damaged is done.
I do hope you stay with us,and I wish you well with everything.
Barbara x

cthornley

Hi Mark, glad you've round us, shame we all have to 'meet' under these circumstances
I'm 32 now but I was diagnosed at 19, and went from an up all night party girl to someone who could open her own front door .... So big shock at the time, so know where you're coming from. Nowadays things a bit more on an even keel thanks to a cabinet full of nasty drugs... Still not pain free but I can get on with life most of the time
Chrissie

MarkC

Thanks for all of your replies, it's weird how a bit of encouragement can help you get on isn't it?

I'm still (obviously) suffering and have to be really careful with what I do, but I have an appointment with rheumatology in the morning so I'm going to see if I can get on any better drugs as I really don't think methotrexate or sulphazalizine have done much for me, it feels as though the only thing that's done anything is the steroids (given the amount of swelling I've got is similar to when I first started any medication).

Work's been tough as I've had to do a load more hours than normal, which I would probably resent even without RA, but with it, it's almost as if I can feel the swelling happening as I'm getting tired, so frustrating!

Anywho, hopefully all will go well tomorrow and we'll see how it goes!

Again, thanks for the kind replies, everyone helped when I saw them come through!

Poppyg1rl

Hi Mark,
A big welcome from me! It's not easy juggling work and arthritis, I struggled running my own childminding business for a year but in the end, had to give up and try to get back on top of the disease.
Be quite firm with the rheumys, stress that the meds are not controlling it and you need to try something else. As my good friend DD says they deal with the theory we live with the reality! and she's right!
Nice to meet you Mark, sorry you've had to join us in our arthritic battle but they're a lovely group of people here. Take care xxx

donnas

Hello!

I'm becoming a bit of a regular round here, and starting to recognise names. I work four days a week and it's a struggle sometimes, even though my disease sounds a lot milder than yours.

I too was diagnosed at 19, am in my forties and am newly on MTX and sulfa.

Hope this place helps!