new blood tests.....help

dee2010

hope everyone is well and not in to much pain with this weather.

i have RA and using enbrel which i have been taking for 10 weeks which i just did my 10th one.
i have seen some improvement like less stiffness in the morning but i still have all over pain and so tied all the time. my muscles feel very weak and my elbow will still not straighten and my knee still clicks and gives way.

my rheumy nurse has decided to do more blood tests for my muscles? does anyone know what she is testing for? or have had this before?
i am so worried that there is something secondary going on and that i will be on crutches forever and that this pain will not stop.

sorry to have a moan. x

suzygirl

Hi, I have muscle weakness as part of my arthur. Your gp may be testing your CPK or other levels, to check for inflammatory muscle disease.

The other problem is long term pred can cause muscle weakness as can unstable joints.


I hope your blood tests go well.

traluvie

Hi Dee..

No need to say sorry.. this is what we are all here for, to talk to eachother and say how we feel..Unfortunately i can't answer your question about the bloods..I noticed that i have been having lots of blood tests lately and am still none the wiser as to what is going on lol..I know they like to keep on top of things to make sure everything is ok.. If you are unsure ask.. that is whta i do now..and last week i did ask and GP explained in great detail what my blood results meant and what she was testing for again.. so hopefully you may get the same..
I know it is easier said than done for me to say not to worry, but things can get better, i just don;t think it is as easy and straight forward ride like we want it to be for any of us.. but we are all here to support you..

frogmorton

Hello Davina

I am so sorry this has scared you so much :sad:

Sometimes nurses can say/do stuff and unwittingly upset us - l was upset by one yesterday too :???:

l am hoping that you have had the bloods done already and have an appoitment to discuss teh resuklts booked?

If not get that done if you can and when you go to get results take someone with you and a list of questions so you can get it all sorted once and for all.

Love

Toni xxx ((()))

dreamdaisy

I believe that muscle weakness is part and parcel of this arthritis game which we are all playing, and I can understand why you are worried. One of the reasons for the constant monitoring is that things such as this can be detected early and hopefully something put in place to try to help. My muscles are long-gone thanks to the oral steroids, as for the enbrel well, I never ditched my crutches whilst on it but you are still in the very early days of taking it. Are you doing one or two injections a week? Either way, it does seem to be helping matters, so that is a good sign. I am sure that all will be well and I hope the enbrel continues to improve your RA. DD