RA, have you had surgery?

spidey23972

Being newly diagnosed with RA I was curious as to how long people have gone, without needing any surgery.
Thanks.

Starburst

Do you mean joint replacements or any orthopaedic surgery? I've had RA for 6 years and 4 years ago, I had an open surgery on my ankle. I had a lump of bone in my ankle that would have not a problem in most healthy people (apparently they are not uncommon) but the inflammation meant it was restricting my ankle movement. They also used an arthroscope at the same time to 'clean out' at the inflammation. I had arthroscopic surgery earlier this year on my jaw and the joint does need replacing but it's not something I've fully committed to yet.

Bear in mind that there are people with RA who have lived with it for many, many years. The drugs have got better over the last decade or so, and access to them continues to improve. There will be some people who lived with RA without these medications and sadly, will have experienced more damage and deformity.

stickywicket

Yes, I've had surgery. Two hips and three knees and all extremely successful BUT I was diagnosed in 1961 when the treatment was first “Take aspirin until your ears buzz” then steroids, then gold injections and/or anti-inflammatories. There were no proper DMARDS (though gold is a minor one, very rarely prescribed now) so, 20 years on, OA had set in in all my joints and I needed my first new knees. Because of the DMARDS and biologics this would be virtually unheard of now.

My advice to all the newly diagnosed is to take the meds, persevere with any side-effects if at all possible, get your regular blood tests and, if surgery does become necessary, do the exercises and the rest and enjoy the outcome.

trepolpen

hi spidey , some of us on here have had RA for a long time like sticky said

20 years ago when I first started you would see people in rheumatology with Ulnar Drift ( figures drifting which is a sign of RA ) but you wont see it now & its because of the drugs they use like Methotrexate & now the Biologics , it is so much better controled & the point of these drugs is to stop the joint damage

there are a few factors like are you RF positive , people with high RF tend to be the ones that can get joint damage & end up needing surgery , the chances are they will be able to control your RA & with the development of new drugs you may never need surgery

try to be positive & it may take a few months but they should be able to get your condition under control very soon

lindalegs

Hi Spidey,

I went 15 whole years before I had joint replacements but that was in 2000, the days before the wonderful drugs that newbies are started on today.

Try not to worry as your RA might not be as destructive as mine and some members on this forum. Like all things arthur comes in degrees of seriousness/aggression.

Hope this helps.

Luv,

spidey23972

Thanks for the replies everyone. So the drugs are far more effective now, then. So hopefully my new meds will keep it at bay, hopefully for the rest of my life, fingers crossed, whilst I still can!!

lindalegs

Good for you Spidey that's the spirit!

Love,

DebraKelly

I have had RA for 5 years now and have never had surgery.
Although they are talking about doing something with my knee now.