Confused
lynnoot
Member Posts: 52
Hi there
I don't know if anyone can help: I've been diagnosed with RA 12 years, and had 7 reasonably good years while being on Enbrel. Just before last Christmas I had a swollen ring finger which was injected with cortisone. This was followed by 2 injections of cortisone, and draining, of my swollen right knee. Since that time I feel I've gone downhill. I feel run down with lots of niggling infections and my middle finger is now swollen. Some days I feel really awful with pains in my head and joints.
I've had 2 lots of blood tests in the past month which have come back normal, and GP & Rheum nurse both say how I feel must be down to fibromyalgia and osteo arthritis.
Does this sound like osteoarthritis/fibro? To me it feels like how I felt before I was diagnosed with RA.
I don't know if anyone can help: I've been diagnosed with RA 12 years, and had 7 reasonably good years while being on Enbrel. Just before last Christmas I had a swollen ring finger which was injected with cortisone. This was followed by 2 injections of cortisone, and draining, of my swollen right knee. Since that time I feel I've gone downhill. I feel run down with lots of niggling infections and my middle finger is now swollen. Some days I feel really awful with pains in my head and joints.
I've had 2 lots of blood tests in the past month which have come back normal, and GP & Rheum nurse both say how I feel must be down to fibromyalgia and osteo arthritis.
Does this sound like osteoarthritis/fibro? To me it feels like how I felt before I was diagnosed with RA.
0
Comments
-
Perhaps it's time to revisit your medications. Maybe time to up the dosage or try something else. It sounds RA'ish to me not fibro/OA. Our bodies are constantly changing, we have to change with it. Good Luck!!0
-
Hi lynnoot;
I think you should trust your feelings. You know your body best.
Unfortunately, I always feel we must succumb to watching and waiting under doctors who want to be sure about our symptoms before changing our meds. All I can say is to keep bothering them with your symptoms if they are that bad. Do you have a rheum doctor appointment?
Best wishes.0 -
Hi lynnoot, as boomer said you should trust and listen to your body, it will tell you when and where your pain is coming from and what type of pain it is. You need to sit down with your doctor or even better a Rhummatology Nurse or Consultant, they will understand you better.0
-
How rotten when a meds works so well then this happens, I am with the others I would ask your GP or Rheumy for advice..please let us know how you get on...Love
Barbara0 -
I think its time to have a long chat with a doctor and biologic nurse about your medication.
7 years on Enbrel could mean that you have developed antibodies towards the drug and it's no longer working. My old doctor used to say that this happens to most people at some stage on a biologic because of our immune systems. This is why Meth is now prescribed with every biologic to lower the chance of Antibodies being produced towards a biologic treatment. I'm no doctor in any way and could be totally wrong, but in your situation I'd say its more than reasonable to ask for this to be looked into.0 -
lynnoot, How have you been? Did you make an appointment with your G.P? Hope your feeling a little better now.0
-
Thanks for you replies, it seems most of you think as I do. I must admit for the last few days I've felt better in myself. I wake up with pains in both hands, also hips and feet, but some of this wears off after a while, although two fingers on my left hand are swollen and painful. I have discovered that dihydrocodeine helps with the foot pain, but not elsewhere.
Unfortunately I cannot tolerate MTX, it sends my liver funny, I know I would be better having that plus Enbrel.
I think it's a bit of a waiting game, to see what happens next, if things might settle down again or if the Enbrel is not working as well. The consultant did say some time ago that Rituximab would be the next drug to try, although I'm not sure if there are any other new drugs out yet.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 21 Welcome
- 18 How to use your online community
- 3 Help, Guidelines and Get in Touch
- 11.8K Our Community
- 9.4K Living with arthritis
- 152 Hints and Tips
- 221 Work and financial support
- 755 Chat to our Helpline Team
- 6 Want to Get Involved?
- 396 Young people's community
- 11 Parents of Children with Arthritis
- 38 My Triumphs
- 124 Let's Move
- 32 Sports and Hobbies
- 20 Food and Diet
- 371 Chit chat
- 244 Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- 32 Community Feedback and ideas