It's official....I have Rheumatoid Arthritis (m)

[Angela74]

Well, I knew I had it. I just had to be diagnosed and now I have been. So why am I upset? I've suspected this since my first appt with my primary care physician.

Suddenly I feel like I am doomed, yet all along I've been so positive. Doc put me on Daypro and I am starting Plaquenil (sp?) next week. I also have to have my knees drained.

I guess the part that is getting me most is the baby thing. She won't treat me with anything other than Plaquenil until after my childbearing is complete. I am only 27 and really want another baby!! DH and I have been married for 2 1/2 years and have a 1 year old baby boy....he is my life! I guess I should say they both are, I love them so so much.

I feel a bit guilty about what life may bring to them now. I'm sure I am just overwhelmed and need time for this to "really" sink in. I am shocked I feel this way, I thought I had already accepted it. Guess not!

Anwyay thanks for letting me vent. If anyone has been on Daypro or Plaquenil please let me know what i can expect for improvement in my symptoms and side effects.

Thanks again!

Angela

[scbagrrrl]

Hi Angela -
I'm sorry you have RA - I know it seems REALLY overwhelming right now, but rest assured, it's not a death sentence! I'm 31 - a doctor mentioned I had RA when I was 18, but didn't give it a thought b/c I was "only 18". So, I consider my "official" diagnosis about 3 years ago...

Why don't you get in touch with your local arthritis foundation office and see what sort of services they offer? (arthritis.org) They might be able to offer you some support and education to find ways to effectively cope with the disease. Did your doc talk to you about options other than meds that won't impact your future pregnancies - ie exercise, diet, counseling, stress relief, nutritional supplements...?

How was your symptoms while you were preggers with your baby?

I've been on Plaquenil (you spelled it correctly) for about 9 months. I personally haven't noticed any improvements, but A LOT of people rave about it. I've been under a lot of stress in the past year, and my diseases have run amuck - my doctors say I would be a lot worse if I wasn't taking it. Most folks say it takes a couple of months to really get results.

Good luck, keep us posted and keep your chin up!

[This message has been edited by scbagrrrl (edited 08-01-2002).]

[Hellokitty1973]

Hi Angela -

I've been watching for your name to see how your Dr's appointment went. I am sorry it's RA. I totally understand how your are feeling right now. Remember my post a few weeks ago? I was a mental case and I can't tell you how much better I am now that i have accepted my RA diagnosis as well. YOu are just going through the natural stages. I actually even PHYSICALLY feel better since the mental side of me as calmed down!

I am on Plaquenil and Celebrex. The Plaq will take a few months to kick in, but so far it has not given me any side affects. I, too am concerned about getting pregnant and don't want to be on any harsh meds until after that. I just got married in October and we want to have a baby next year.

Definitely stay positive. You will be upset right now and are allowed to be. But, trust me... you will feel much better very soon. I have gained so much from just this site alone and I know I have support out there - from people we barely know!! I have also be reading up on this so much and am very confident that I will not let this interfere with who I am. They say a positive attitude goes a long way - and I'm trying for that every day.

I have my next Dr. appintment on Tuesday. They wanted to rerun all my blood tests and took xrays the first time I was there. I am also going to for a second opinion to a Dr. in NYC in September - at a very well known hospital for rheumatic conditions. I see you are from NY. I Don't know how far from NYC you live, but I would be more than happy to tell you about this doctor when I see if and tell you if he's good.

Take care and I agree - "Keep your chin up!"

[MegHurts]

Angela,

I too am 27 and am dealing with this. Although I havent gotten my actual diagnosis, I know I'll have to deal with this for at least a year or two (and maybe longer if my diagnosis comes back RA on the 8th). So I can defintely understand how you feel especially about having a baby. Im 27 and am getting married in May of next year and wanted to start a family right away since thats been my dream but now I feel like I might have to postpone that for a while, which upsets me because I didnt want to wait to have kids. I want to be just like every other young married couple and now I cant. I know how upsetting this is for you. Be glad you have your hubby and your son, together they will help keep your spirits up and will give you the support you need right now. Best of luck!

Meg

[mjdz]

I am a psoriatic arthritis sufferer. I have RA degeneration in the fingers and toes, and I have Osteo arthritis in every other joint of my body. Capitalize the word EVERY.

I was taking Plaquenil along with either Vioxx or Bextra for several years. That combination worked quite well. When both of those Cox-2 drugs were withdrawn, however, my life became a drug nightmare. It was hard to find a suitable replacement.

I tried just about every other major NSAID---including Daypro, Voltaren, Relafen, and Lodine. Daypro, the last one that I tried, produced the least amount of relief. (From what I've read, it was rejected by the FDA three times because the drug really couldn't do anything more than aspirin and other existing products. It's only advantage is that it absorbs more slowly, putting less strain on the stomach.) After using each of the above four drugs for just a little while, I began to experience an allergic reaction that increased the joint inflamation. Also, they all produced drowsiness. The tiredness problem forced me to drink caffeine, which, in turn, made the arthritis problem even worse. As a result, I had to search for something else to use.

Naprosyn appears to be the only solution for me. It is the best inflamation fighter by far, and it produces no drowsiness. I was concerned about the heavy burning sensation that the drug produces in the upper GI tract. My doctor explained, however, that any irritation that occurs is the result of the drug passing from the bloodstream into bodily tissues, not from the drug floating around inside the stomach. (That's why the enteric coated version of Naprosyn really doesn't do much more to protect the body. The problems don't begin until after the drug is in the bloodstream.) Furthermore, with Prilosec (the OTC version of Nexium), you can minimize the danger of excess acid thinning out the stomach lining.

I hope that this information helps someone who is struggling with how to choose the right medicine.