Comments on: Your Rheumatoid Arthritis Onset Stories, page 1

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:52:18 +0000

Good to hear from you Frances. Its not in your head.

By: frances irvine

frances irvine — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:16:28 +0000

I think these stories are great. Those of us that have RA and have suffered through the pain and fatigue and also treatment with different drugs, it’s great know that your not alone.
I just wish doctors were more compassionate and believing when your sharing symptons and concerns with them.
I have a RA Dr. that is strictly a pill pusher. She dismisses concerns like dizziness. It couldn’t possibly be caused by medication. I’ve never had dizziness like I experience until I went on medication.
I started with Methetrexate then Plaqunequil and now I’m on Arava. I still suffer from dizziness but not as bad as on the two other drugs.
Thanks for the stories. They encourage me and also great information. It’s not all in my head. Thanks again.

By: Beth

Beth — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:29:46 +0000

I can relate to your onset story, Stephanie. Luckily I had peristent parents also. And yes, the treatment in those days was pretty limited. Luckily I’ve had waning periods ==I think they used the word remission once–but my rheumatologist always kept an eye on me. Sorry you had such a tough time getting help. Thanks for sharing your story for others.

By: Sandra

Sandra — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:08:20 +0000

Wow

I have been suffering probably 40+ years.
However this pass September 2009 different things were happening. As everyone else has said one thing at a time, therefore unable to connect the dots. January 2010 everything got worse. I went to my doctor, with many questions? Asking why is when I come for a physical I always have to come back because I have weird problems. When the numbness and pain in my left hand would not go away he had me in to see a Rheumatologist within 2 days. I live in Northern Ontario we had to drive south for the appointment. The doctor was wonderful spent alot of time talking to me. Had me do some extra blood tests and then started the Mtx. The fingers on my left hand are still numb, seem to improve daily all my other problems have disappeared(for now). There is a strong family history of RA.
I feel sorry that so many people suffer especially the younger people. I wonder if the doctors really understand the pain that you have, or do they think you are just imaging things.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:14:56 +0000

Charles,

Your story is one I hear frequently. I’m hoping we will see changes in our lifetimes.

I wonder whether yelling at the doc would have had the same effect if you were a woman. Just saying…

By: charleshodgin

charleshodgin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:30:17 +0000

One thing I have in common with a lot of others is that the doctor didn’t recognize I had RA. I went complaining of pain in my feet and hands. The doctor gave me aspirin. Of course, it didn’t work and I just got worse. My hands swelled up so bad I couldn’t open a door, hold a cup of coffee or even unzip my pants.
I went back and he told me that since the blood work didn’t show anything it had to be in my head. I got angry and yelled at him and he brought in another doctor who thought I looked like I might have R.A.
The first doctor argued that the blood work didn’t show that. But he agreed to send me to a Rheumatologist.
I walked into the Rheumatologist’s office and he took one look at me and told me I had RA.
He put me on Predisone, methotrexate, and salsalate. I recovered enough to continue work till this past year when the fatigue, the depression and the all too real pain has caused me to seek disability.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:00:36 +0000

Alice, did you see the three part series on cricoarytnenoid arthritis? It includes more info about Steph & how I found out about her CA!

By: Alice

Alice — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:35:10 +0000

Stephanie, Thank-You for sharing your story and being so brave, you are truly a WARRIOR! It angers me that you had to go through what you did but, you are stronger for the experience. If I had not read your story I would still be thinking that my hoarseness and constantly losing my voice was symptomatic of years of smoking despite the fact that I quit over 3years ago and this just started a year or so ago. I had asthma as an infant and thought that was why I could hardly breathe now, it had come back. Now I KNOW that I need bring up these issues with my Rheumatologist ASAP. Thank-You again for braving the icy waters for the rest of us. God’s Blessings!

By: Viesta

Viesta — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:41:48 +0000

I am sorry for your long waits – that is just wrong- no one where else in Canada has long wait list like that, I just dont understand on only Ontario, *shrugs*

By: URandomnessK

URandomnessK — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:27:21 +0000

Stephanie, I have also wondered about any connection between fertility or more like fertility problems and arthritis. Thank you for sharing your story, you are very brave to endure what you have endured. I also was diagnosed with Juvenille Arthritis but then they thought it was reactive arthritis, but when you are diagnosed in preschool or kindergarten it is difficult, the drs don’t know what to do. I think treatment has come a long way since we were children. I pray the children who have the symptoms we did get much better treatment and much quicker treatment than we did. Hang in there, we all are rooting for you!