Hello

c7mlm
c7mlm Member Posts: 5
edited 28. Nov 2023, 14:04 in Living with arthritis
Hi i have RA, i was involved in a car accident August 19 short story a man rammed the back of my car 10 times for no reason in day light 3.30pm , he was subsequently charged and sentenced. But within 4 weeks i had joint pain and stiffness that moved around from knees to my shoulders all the time, i had swollen hands and fingers and could not function at all, my blood tests were all nearly normal but i was finally given a diagnosis December 19 of RA , i started on methotrexate pills and had a reaction so was put on injections and had worse reaction. (but they relieved the pain ) For the last 6 weeks i have been on Sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine for the last 2 weeks , and still in some pain but not as bad as it was. Struggling to come to terns with RA as i was a healthy happy person before this incident which has knocked the stuffing out of me, was told the stress and trauma of it has brought on RA. I am starting CBT therapy Monday so hope this will help Thank you for reading

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,635
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello and welcome c7mlm to Versus Arthritis Community Forum

    I'm so sorry to read of your horrific accident, you sound like you have been through a horrible ordeal, it's no wonder it has shaken up your RA. I would think it would take some time for your RA to settle down properly.

    Many of our forum users have RA and will be about to offer to some support, help and advice to you.

    I have found this link that may be of help to you:-
    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/

    Enjoy the forum.

    John
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello, I am sorry to read of your accident and the ensuing trouble. I am lucky in that I know why I have my arthritis, and have always been compromised by poor health, so it's just more of the same but for you? Your kettle of arthritic fish is very different and that must make things harder to come to terms witih.

    I presume from your time line that the accident took place in 2018 rather than 2019. I too am on injected meth and other junk too but it has never done, and will never do, anything to relieve the pain as I began the meds with far too little far too late ( I have both psoriatic (PsA) and osteoarthritis). PsA is also a sero-negative form of auto-immune arthritis which is possibly one of the reasons it took nine years for me to be acurately diagnosed. The diagnosis changed nothing regarding the meds, what they do as well as don't do or my attitude to it. I am in my 23rd year of it all so used to it but it is so different for you, isn't it? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Bluebell7
    Bluebell7 Member Posts: 41
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    c7mlm wrote:
    Hi i have RA, i was involved in a car accident August 19 short story a man rammed the back of my car 10 times for no reason in day light 3.30pm , he was subsequently charged and sentenced. But within 4 weeks i had joint pain and stiffness that moved around from knees to my shoulders all the time, i had swollen hands and fingers and could not function at all, my blood tests were all nearly normal but i was finally given a diagnosis December 19 of seronegative RA , i started on methotrexate pills and had a reaction so was put on injections and had worse reaction. (but they relieved the pain ) For the last 6 weeks i have been on Sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine for the last 2 weeks , and still in some pain but not as bad as it was. Struggling to come to terns with RA as i was a healthy happy person before this incident which has knocked the stuffing out of me, was told the stress and trauma of it has brought on RA. I am starting CBT therapy Monday so hope this will help Thank you for reading

    Hi,
    So sorry to hear about the car accident, hope the CBT helps.
    Sending hugs
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello and welcome from me too.

    That must have been a terrible shock. I know stress can bring on a flare of my RA but I didn't realise it could start the whole thing off.

    I do hope the CBT helps and that the combination of sulf and hydroxy will do the trick. It's early days yet. Our meds can take up to 3 months to really work so, with luck, you're now heading in the right direction.

    I take meth(otrexate) and hydroxy and they work for me.

    Good luck with it all and please keep in touch and let us know how things are going.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • c7mlm
    c7mlm Member Posts: 5
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi thank you for your kind words, yes it was a shock and im still struggling to come to terms with it , i think once i get my medication right and have no pain i might feel better.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Just a heads up. I'd caution against aiming for 'no pain'. DMARDS modify the disease and its effects. They don't eliminate it and they don't cure damage already done. So looking to regain all that was lost is a route that can lead to stronger and stronger painkillers. Most of us look to find a level we can live with. That might, if you're lucky, be none but just play it cool and see how things go.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright