On Behalf of My Wife

[Anxiety Man]

Hello ~ I'm new to this forum, though not new to Healthboards. I'm posting about my wife, Barb. Part of this post was put on another thread when I realized I need to post it separate. I'm at my wit's end to get help for her, but some of the following will maybe describe her problems.

She's had r.a. for years, but over the past year, she has had unbearable back pain, and can only get by on Darvocet right now. We've had everything imagineable tried and tested. It finally came down to a very spendy MRI last week! She also had a Dexascan. We will learn results of it next Tue. This was for her back. She has something like nerve jumps or spasms that kick her like a mule and hurt her horribly! She even has them while sitting or laying down, and not even moving! This is aside from the constant pain.

She got up the other a.m. with a swollen finger on her left hand, and her rt. elbow looking like a golfball with swelling. I took her to the clinic where she was given a steroid shot with two kinds of meds in it. One was Decadron, the other, I forget.

There are no rheumatologists in our town now, but we were told she needs under close supervision of one. The nearest now is 90 miles away.

She's been on Prednisone since 1997 because nothing else they had at that time, would touch it. She was in so much pain, prior to starting Prednisone, she could hardly walk! It did do miracles, but now, it's effects seem to be minimal. She runs fever most of the time. How she gets tapered of prednisone is beyond me, though it could be worse, I guess, if she wasn't taking it.

The results of the MRI may determine what the FNP wants us to do, but for certain, she needs closely watched by a rhematologist. This is what the clinic told us the a.m. I took her in.

I'm just plain worried sick about her, and have been for about a year now. She's also on blood pressure meds, two of those, for that problem.

Thanks for reading of our problems and for those who do, we will appreciate all prayers for some better days for Barb. The two days she was under the influence of the steroid shot last week, she was pain free! I had her back for two days out of the past year of suffering. She's having to take Darvocet almost daily, something else that is not good, for obvious reasons.

Again, thanks for reading.

[wastefulltick]

hi anxeity man
sorry to hear what your wife is going thru i am a chronic pain sufferer and last week went to see my pain management dr who is also a chronic pain sufferer and i got to witness first hand an attack of nerve jumps that happened to him while i was in his office it was unbearable to watch and he excused himself for a few minutes i think to take what i think was actiq a lollipop like think he stuck in his mouth and this seem to help him within a few minutes i will ask him at my next appt and reply back to you
bob

How is your wife? Has she seen the rheumatologist yet? I had great luck with a rheumatologist when I started to have problems. Hope she is under a rheumy's care.

[Anxiety Man]

Hello, Gemi ~ It's been so long since I posted that original, I'd forgot all about it! Thanks for whistling at us.

My wife sees an r.a. Dr. next Wed., March 31 in another city about 90 miles from here! She's really been suffering with back pain, pain in joints, so bad, she cries from it. That's when I really hurt to see her that bad. It gets to me. She's been in an e.r. since my original post. It hit her in the leg and all one side on March 8, and I had to take her in, after first having fire paramedics and emt's look at her to be sure she wasn't having a blood clot or something. We were in that e.r. until 8:00p.m. til 3:00 the next a.m.! Whatta night! This tells me if ever again, bring an overnight bag and picnic lunch! They love to let you hurt and wait for hours! It's a new e.r. too, but grossly understaffed.

Hi Tony, How did the 3/31 appointment go? How is she? Are they going to send her home? Were they able to help her? The overnight bag is a good idea. I hope she is getting help and feeling relief.