Hi all, my name is Rosie. I will be 32 this month and was just diagnosed with RA about a month ago. I have two daughters, ages 7 and 4 and I am a single mom.
I have been dealing with the pain in my joints for years, was told I have gout at one point, tendonitits, bursitis... you name it... and then since nothing came up on blood tests, I was told some people's joints just hurt.... I spent five years believing that, even though I was in horrible pain every day. Recently I had an MRI done on my spine for a ruptured disc I have and the sciatica pain I also deal with. My doctor asked me if I had ever seen a rheumatologist and I told him no. He said I have damage all up and down my spine, so he gave me a referral. My rheumatologist did all the blood tests but also took xrays of my hands and feet. These showed joint damage as well.
This was kind of a vindication for me.... I had started to feel crazy almost!!! I thought, man I don't see anyone else my age going through the pain I go through.... except for my cousin that is, who has EVERY SINGLE symptom that I do... I mean I hurt somewhere ALL the time... I started to wonder if I just feel pain worse than other people... I even began to wonder if it was all in my head!! lol So when they finally put a name to it, it half way made me feel better, but the other half of me is horrified to think that this is never going away, and I could be deformed someday!!!!
The dr. put me on sulfasalazine, but I found out really quick I was allergic to that. Now she prescribed me something that starts with Meta or Metha. I haven't picked up the prescription yet cause I have had a cold and couldn't start it while sick.
My question to everyone is this. Do the meds help? I mean really help the pain? How long did it take to give some kind of relief? And has anyone progressed into visibly while on meds???
I am so glad there are other people out there that I can talk to and they know exactly what I am going through!
hi rose!
your dr might have given you methotrexate, and to be honest, I didn't have the best time while it took. It takes like 6 weeks to see results , and I started it at the beginning of this year. I took me 6 months to start seeing some relief. I still hurt somewhere all the time, as you put it, but I can at least get myself dressed and ready...which is a vast improvement. It did take a while, but you will see better days.
welcome to the group! check back with us gals, as we put up new info and new posts. also, I suggest you read the article on the potential cure, very promising news.
take care!
Thanks for the welcome! Yeah that is the name of the medication she gave me. I sure hope it helps... WOW six months???? do all medications take that long I wonder?? Well my other dr. put me on tramadol and that does take the edge off the pain at least. I just hope that this other medication will even stop it from happening... I read that article on the cure... man that would be awesome!!! And I'm sure insurace companies would pay for it considering the costs of treating someone over their lifetime... I hope it works and they get it out to us soon!!!
I know, I want the cure NOW. I have no patience. but, for me, the right combo of methotrexate with prednisone is what took so long to figure out, so ya, it took a loooong time. plus I had a newborn, whew! but, my experience did bring me closer to Jesus, so I do have something good that came out of that whole thing.
I have RA, am on disability, but need to work,,,,any ideas on childcare
- roseredinbak
on Nov. 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM