Comments on: Should Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Exercise, Part 2

By: Becky Smith

Becky Smith — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:14:35 +0000

Velva, I am so sorry you are going through this. My experience has been that there are some doctors that will not treat you for RA if your RA blood test comes back negative. When I first got sick, the PA at the clinic I went to said she was treating me for RA based on symptoms. Yet when I finally got in to see a Rheumatologist, he took me off of the meds(which were only prednisone and pain meds) because my RA factor was negative. Finally after a sonogram of my hands revealed active RA, he put me back on the meds, doubled and started adding more every visit.

Maybe if you ask for a sonogram of hands or feet, they can diagnose then. I am sero-negative, just means that my blood test is negative which puts me in the group of about 30% of folks with RA. You could very well be in the same group.

Be prepared though that if you turn out to be sero-negative that most will think your disease is not very active or disabling, that your pain level is not very high, etc. I don’t know about other’s pain levels, but I know mine hurts enough to make my life miserable. If my level is low, then I really feel for the rest of folks with RA.

I believe that they will find eventually that most of the preconceptions of sero-positive, sero-negative, swelling, no swelling, high blood levels, low blood levels, really do not tell the whole picture. RA is the most different disease from patient to patient as you will ever see. The patient is really the only one qualified to determine pain level. Some day maybe they will develop a machine that will allow doctors and others to “feel” your pain. Bet there won’t be a long line for that!!

By: Velva

Velva — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:30:32 +0000

So I have all the symptoms of RA, my hands, wrists, shoulders, hips, neck, etc. all hurt and look like RA. So why do the doctors (I use that term loosely) not see it. My hands used to swell; however, that has stopped. I have the valleys, the lumps, not only in my hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, and feet, yet why am I told it’s not RA.

I also have osteoarthritis in just about every joint in my body, yet RA is different.

Oh, I also have blurred vision, my eyes sting and are sensitive to light.

Can someone out there help me?

By: Velva

Velva — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:27:59 +0000

I also have osteoarthritis in just about every joint in my body, yet RA is different.

Can someone out there help me?

By: Jenn

Jenn — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:48:45 +0000

Thank you all! I feel much better now. I am currently trying to hit the pool 3 days a week if I can. I use crutches/walker.

By: Gwen

Gwen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:51:00 +0000

I just finished reading your great blog. I’m so frustrated right now. My mother-in-law left today after visiting for a few days. She lives in another state and we see her once a year. She was asking about my hands which are visibly damaged and constantly in pain. Then she made the comment “Well, my doctor says I have arthritis in my hands too, but mine don’t hurt. It’s because I’m so active.” People just don’t get it.
Thank you for your wonderful blog.

By: Becky Smith

Becky Smith — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:02:53 +0000

Oh can I identify with you both, have had the same bra moment! Plus I love it when you try to put a t shirt on and it gets stuck right at the shoulder level. My upper arms are weak as it is, makes me want to give up wearing clothes.

By: Valeri

Valeri — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 19:56:11 +0000

Oh I feel for you Kristen…your bathing suit comment struck a chord in me. Not funny (well, sort of), but totally relatable. Last night as I finished my bath I had one of those darned moments when the skin is still slightly moist and I found myself wrestling with my bra. By the time I’d gotten the straps all untwisted I was so frustrated, tired and achy I just flopped backwards on the bed to recover from the episode! I think I a better strategy is in order. Perhaps a little powder. Keep smiling.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:01:43 +0000

I have just been diagnosed with RA and still await my first appointment with my rheumatologist (4 month wait). Everyday feels like a fight to just get through the day. But when I am in the swimming pool – I feel great again. My shoulders, hands and feet still hurt a bit but for some strange reason I can move. I often thought if I could just live in the swimming pool – life would be better. But sometimes it is such a task to get to the swimming pool – even just putting on the bathing suit seems like such a hard task. I find myself real sad on somedays especially starting to see one of my fingers start to indent. I am only 41 and worry what the future is to bring. Thx so much for your blog – I think it will help me especially to get through to the next month when I finally get to see the specialist I have been needing.

By: Kelly Young

Kelly Young — Mon, 30 May 2011 23:13:24 +0000

Mary, I’m sure you are doing the best you can. And when you are more able, you will do more. It’s not in your head if there are different limits now than before. I hope your treatment brings relief so you can do ALL the things you want to do.

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 30 May 2011 12:42:09 +0000

Thank you so much for this website it has been a great help to me. I was just diagnosed with RA in Jan. of this year. I have been trying so hard to exercise and I do for about three days and then it seems that I would start getting a flare up so I would stop. Was begining to wonder if it was all in my head and I was just getting ‘lazy’ one thing that I have never been. Thanks again for the info maybe it’s time to try something different.