New to RA

pluggathome

Hi all

What a great site. :P

I was feeling pretty down today so decided to log and after reading many of the postings I had to join and say what a great community this is. You have managed to lift my spirits out of my boots!

I was diagnosed June last year with RA. Initially in my hands and it has been picking up pace ever since so now I have problems with my jaw, elbows, wrists and this week my knees have been giving me some trouble.

I am currently going through the paces of finding the right meds combination and have been existing on painkillers alone for the last 12 weeks as any anti-inflammatory they put me on makes me ill, even with other tablets to look after my tum.

I've tried hydroxychloriquine but it appeared to be doing nothing but since I've come off it I'm beginning to wonder.

Any suggestions from experience which I could discuss with my consultant in 3 weeks would be really appreciated.

I feel a bit of a fraud most of the time because I have very little visable inflammation. Anyone else feel like this?

:-)

plugg

jaspercat

Hi, welcome and nice to meet you, although in unfortunate circumstances, I was diagnosed with RA about 13 years ago, I am currently on Methotrexate Injections, I did try Hydrocloxachroquine but it didn't work for me at all, maybe you should ask your Rheumy what to take next. I do not take Anti-inflamatories either, they have made a mess of my stomach over the years, I wish you good luck when you see your Rheumy love Jaspercatxx

elnafinn

Hi Plugg

Welcome to this site. I have oa so our symptoms will differ however I take etoricoxib as diclofenac inflams did not agree with me after taking them for about 2 years. I find no stomach problems with etoricoxib (arcoxia) but I believe blood pressure should be checked every so often if taking this med.

Hopefully peeps will answer your posting and suggest useful questions to ask your consultant when you next see him.

Look after yourself,

Elna x

staceyh

Hi I have ra and know exactly how you feel about being a fraud in the beginning I had very little visible arthritis symptoms to be honest even now it is like that, the only time I had the visual signs was just after I had my baby and to be honest its quite difficult because everyone sees you and says "you look well" !!! very annoying!

I believe generally the first med they try is the hydroxy with me it was then sulphasalazine and the hydrox and then onto methotrexate, not sure but this to me seems to be the general order they try I think to see if the ones with less side effects help before moving on

x

frogmorton

Hi Plugg
Welcome to the forum!
you are quite right this is a lovely place to be ans so supportive. I would not have survived without these guys at the beginning
I too am on hydroxy and so far have been ok, but we'll see when the next falre arrives :shock:
seriously though like Elna I have arcoxia cox-2 anti-inflam as normal ones are not a go-er for me either
Others have said like you that the hydrox doesn't do much till they try NOT taking it for whatever reason. Maybe something could be added to the mix?!
Let us know how you get on
Take care
toni x

pluggathome

Morning all.

Thank you for all of your replies. I shall take notes along with me to the consultant so I can ask him some questions on alternatives.

I'll let you know how I get on.

It's great to know i'm not the only one who feels like a fraud too!

Any swelling I do get I feel like taking pictures of as it seems to go into hiding whenever I have an appointment. A bit like toothache dissappearing when you got the dentist and returning with a vengance the day after.

The consultant did give me a steriod jab once but I didn't feel any benefit. Has anyone had the same experience but then got benefit from later jabs?

I hope today is a 'good' day for you all.

pluggxx

suncatcher

Hello im joanne I was on hydro at first for one year. It did not work for me either they put me on methotrexate. It took a while but life got better i feel more like a mom then a gran now i take less painkillers but life is a lot better now for me not perfect but loads better. if you want to talk im here ive had Ra for three and a half years now im 38 and have two children aged 4 and 15.

plmb48

pluggathome wrote:

Morning all.

Thank you for all of your replies. I shall take notes along with me to the consultant so I can ask him some questions on alternatives.

I'll let you know how I get on.

It's great to know i'm not the only one who feels like a fraud too!

Any swelling I do get I feel like taking pictures of as it seems to go into hiding whenever I have an appointment. A bit like toothache dissappearing when you got the dentist and returning with a vengance the day after.

The consultant did give me a steriod jab once but I didn't feel any benefit. Has anyone had the same experience but then got benefit from later jabs?

I hope today is a 'good' day for you all.

pluggxx

hi plugg
i am pauline im 60 had RA for 28 years we are all diffrent with this problem and we all handle it in our own way but you will get all the info you need here remember this dont let it bl...y beat you

colinone

Hi Plugg and welcom to the site yoiu are right it is a great site no end of advice and support. I'm not going to be much help to you as i was the same as you with tummy probs and medication. i think most of us have gone through quite a long medication list trying this and that and after many years i find i'm still tring this and that
As you are aware there is no cure the best they can do is slow it down or try to stop its progress. It is hard to cope with at times especially when your in constant pain. I found the most difficult thing for me was coming to terms with the fact that i had RA and PA still thought i could go on and do all the things i used to LOL
The fact is Plugg your now in the hands of your Rheumy If your lucky you'll get one like mine she is great and so understanding.
Make a list of things you want to ask next time you see the Rheumy.
Some times i write down my thoughts and feeling about the meds and such and how i think i am and give it to her in letter form at the start of the appointment she reads it and then goes over the points with me. Take care and keep your chin up
Colin

pluggathome

Evening all

Joanne Price, thank you for your offer, it's really nice to have the offer of someone to chat with when I need.

Colin, I'm going to work on a letter for my rhuemy when i see him on the 9th. Still getting used to the owning up to everything that's going on so they can advise me on what to do. If they don't know about it how can they fix it!

Take care all.

Catch up with you soon.

Pluggxxx

suncatcher

Hope you are ok and i sometime wish my symtoms would show up like one of those cartoon charector on the telly which show arms throbing when they get hurt at aint easy to exlain to people they cannot see it or feel but others with arthrtus know support groups are good. keep your head up. from joanne price 8)

sarahrockfan

Hi Plugg,
Welcome to the forum. How are you feeling today?
I've been on hydroxychoriquine for about 5 yrs and to me it's made little difference. I got put on Sulfa but was allergic, so that's been no help either.
I found when i had my last steroid injection it took a while to work.
I hope you're feeling ok.
Take care
Sarah x

pluggathome

Hi all

Just looked outside and it's freezing! Don't fancy going out much today!

Rang the rhuemy clinic yesterday and got my next appointment bought forward to monday. I will be going armed with questions about my options. Hopefully, the next option might be the right one for me! I know it takes a while to find the right combo but here's hoping.

Hope you guys are well today.

pluggxx