Comments on: Do I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:16:28 +0000

Hi, I went to the Rheumatolgist last May. She is very kind and understanding. I tested as sero-negative but had swelling and redness in my hands and feet. She started me right away on meds. Plaqunil and it bothered my stomach. Then we tried methotrexate. I actually started feeling better but the liver count went up. So then she tried me on an antibiotic and started getting rashes and yeast infection. So we tried Sulfasalazine. I got rashes and sores in my mouth. I am on nothing now. I go back in May and she said we could try Leflunomide. Some of my swelling in my hands has gone down, but my middle finger ache. I have never really had pain just a constant ache and feeling of malaise. I swim laps 3-4 days a week. Some days are easy and other days not so easy. I feel fortunate not feel like I can’t do anything. I do have facet arthritis in my lower back. I have learned to work around that too. Thanks so much for your blog. I just accidentally ran into your website searching about rheumatoid. Stephanie Alton, Illinois

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:40:03 +0000

Hi Pam, there is a post on flares. Click here. Some say that they have flares aggravated by things like stress and some do not. Activity does often cause a joint to be worse if it is already affected by RA – I guess that would be a flare.

The weather can make a flare feel worse in this way: changes in barometric pressure are believed to affect the way that inflammation feels inside of a joint. Like I said, some notice this effect & some don’t. However, I can’t see how the weather would initially create disease activity. RA is quite mysterious to try to figure out because for most patients it does flare & remit unexpectedly. People sometimes try to figure out what caused the last flare to start or stop, but there is very little proof. If you feel certain something makes your RA worse, you could avoid it – of course you could not avoid low pressure weather. Haha.

I’m sure no one thinks you are bothering them by asking questions. That’s what we are all doing!

By: Pam !!!!Baker

Pam !!!!Baker — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:10:08 +0000

I’m newly diagnosed and have so many questions! This website has so much info, I’m sure there is discussion regarding my question that I haven’t found yet.
Are there things you’ve noticed that trigger flares or aggravates RA, i.e., stress, certain activity (travel, exercise, etc), weather (think I’ve experienced that), etc.? I have learned how diet & sleep contributes to RA symptoms–thank you very, RAWarrior! You’re God-sent!
Thanks so much for your previous replies to my questions on FB. Hopefully, with a little time & knowledge, I won’t be bothering everybody with these questions!

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:23:27 +0000

Hi Gina, I hope that it’s not RA. But oh my – a stroke plus the rest. Poor you.

By: gina

gina — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:34:20 +0000

I have a possible diagnosis ….I am scared because I had a stroke and they are thinking that it is related to a blood clotting disorder plus rheumatoid…all new to me!

By: Diana

Diana — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:42:24 +0000

My mother started taking me to doctors when I was 4. This was 1963. The family care doctor told her I had arthritis (on physical examination alone) and there was nothing that could be done for me. She continued dragging me from doctor to doctor trying to find answers and help. Finally in 1970 at age 11, I was officially diagnosed with JRA. My treatment was a handful of Bufferin every day. I went years without treatment and the extensive damage is quite evident today. If you think you have RA, don’t waste too much time looking for answers on the internet. Get yourself to a Rheumatologist and, if you don’t get answers from him/her, get yourself to another one. THEN start educating yourself.