Is there anyone out there suffering form these two diagnosis? I have been in so much pain since 2003..well not that severe back then but enough that it motivated me to seek help and I have been diagnosed with everything under the sun from Lupus to polymyalgia rheumatica! Anyway I have peripheral neuropathy and it has gotten worse since the last year and then I started having the same pain in my hands and arms that felt like my feet! So my doctor sent me to a rheumatologist and I am finally relieved to know that what I have been dealing with is truly real! I am not glad I have the disease, but I am glad to know I am not imagining this. So now my biggest problem is pain. I can not hardly walk and when I do it hurts so bad but I grit my teeth through it, but when I get home it hurts so bad that I am in tears. If I use my hands, the same thing. I am currently taking the maximum dose of neurontin and relafen and cymbalta, and diabetic medication..I don't remember the name as my doctor just changed it. Does anyone out there have any advice and understand my pain. I am only 42 and I am trying to get on disability because I can not work and another depressing thing...my memory is shot! I was always a quick learner and fast on my feet...not anymore. I am sorry if I am sounding like I am whinning I have just found all this out and I still have to go to my follow up appt with the rheum. does anyone have suggestions on good questions to ask him regarding seronegative arthritis? First let me say that I am in the process of applying for disability so I have only seen my rheumatologist one time. He drew alot of blood, so I called and explained to the nurse what I was doing and that I needed to know my diagnosis and that is when she told me seronegative arthritis. She would not give me any more information because I did ask and she told me that the doctor would rather discuss it with me when I come back in for my follow up appt. which is next tuesday. I am not a lazy person by any means! My primary care doctor encouraged me to apply for disability before we even knew about this seronegative diagnosis just because of the neuropathy and all the pain that I have been in. My career path is administrative assistant which means alot of sitting, using my hands and walking. My last job had stairs I had to climb and it about killed me! Anyway, right now I am on Relafen 500mg 2 pills once a day. My primary doctor had me on darvocet 1 pill 4 times a day which I feel managed my pain alittle better than the relafen..it put my pain to maybe an 8 on my good days, but my rheumy said it was addictive so he changed it. I Take Neurontin 3x a day, Trazadone for sleep-ha ha if I am lucky, I am also taking a new diabetic pill once a day, I was on glucophage 2x a day, and cymbalta 60mg 1x a day. I have not started any treatment for the seronegative diagnosis. Is there a treatment for it? Is it as serious as a positive diagnosis?

yes i know your pain and your diagnoisis i have them to i havent gotton any better i finally got my dissability after 3 years of fighting dont give up it gets frusterating fighting for it i hired a dissability laywer after the first denial they almost always denie first time i am only 45 mine started back in 2001 i thought it was due to surgury i had but kept getting worse i feel for u its very hard to make it through the day i am also diabetic with noeropathy the rhumitiod has affected all of my joints just hang in there and take one day at a time i do what i can do and when i dont push it good luck

Do you have any advice for me as far as trying to attain disability? My regular doctor supports me, but he does not want to fill out any paper work. He is going to send my medical records though. I am not sure that my rheumy can do to much since I have just started out with him. I know mine started in 2003 and they thought it was because of some bad disc in my neck, but I had the surgery and I have said all along that I felt no better. The sad thing is, I am over weight, so naturally the majority of the doctors I have encountered blow me off and chalk it all up to my weight..except for my regular doctor..he sees beyond that and knows there is a problem. Thank you for taking the time to share with me!

did your rhumy diagnose u with rhumotiod arturitis.call ss or u can do it on line fill out the paper work and a ss office will send u papers and call and ask u few questions do u go to doctors reg.if there is enough documation there are some people who get it first try i didnt have one pacific thing they went by they added up everything that is wrong there is a dissability board here go into it it is very helpful they denied me firstand then i called a laywer but do the first inishal paper work and go from there where do u live i live in michigan

Yes, I have started the process. I live in Missouri. I will check out the board that you advised. Thanks!

hi, I am one of those "naturalist" that believes in exhausting all options before taking drugs. I strongly believe neuropathy and arthritis are INFLAMMATORY diseases which can be reversed through diet. I would strongly urge you to read books on ANTIFLAMMATORY DIETS (there are a number of them out there), also you should learn the difference between alkaline and acid foods through the internet, a lack of PH balance will cause inflammation in the body

I posted a sample of my antiflammation diet already, but here it goes again:
5-6 small meals a day
NO SUGAR AND NO COFFEE (green tea is OK)
Supplements: l-carnitine (for neuropathy), cinnamon, multivatimin, alpha lapoic; flax seed oil is very important for inflammation
Sample meals: freshly ground cashew/almond/peanut butter w/fruit; hard boiled eggs w/ small salad w/vinegar and olive oil; lentils with rice and vegetables (the key is to always eat a protein w/ a complex carb and good oil, such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil.