Hello to all,
My contributions are few and far between, simply because I feel I have nothing to offer those of you who have learned to manage this wearing condition called RA!

I saw a stand in for the consultant ( a research fellow) in May, in the same month I saw the respiratory consultant, again one of his trainee's. My next appointment with either is November.
The RA man said when I was complaining of painful fingers and feet that not all pain and swelling means you have active RA. He would arranged for me to have a scan, which I did at the end of May. (Neither my
GP or myself to date has received the results of this scan). He also said no change in my minimal medication could be made until the outcome of this scan.

Throughout the summer I have had swollen and painful finger joints, feet and wrists, I also took photo's of these swellings, some were very large. When I travelled to Brittany in the middle of July, the group I travelled with
included a lovely woman who would you guess was a Consultant Rheumatologist!!! (Did I feel lucky!) She took pity on me and chatted with me three times in the week including taking some more photo's.
She said she considered it to be in an 'active' phase, and she said she would be happy if my GP wanted to send me for a second opinion as she felt I was not receiving good care . (Possibly some of you will understand the implications of going for a second opinion should I decide to do it) A second opinion is always available to us but using it means we will upset some people and may need to change consultant. This consultant I mentioned did say that respiratory care wasn't at it's best at her hospital and therefore it probably wasn't a good idea to go there as I needed both.

I went to see my GP on the 1st August, he agreed with me and said he would send an urgent letter to them as they weren't fulfilling 'NICE' guidelines. ON Monday 5th I received a phone call from the hospital inviting me
to attend for a further scan on the Thursday 8th. After the scan yesterday I was told there was minimal activity, there was no need to change the present minimal medication nor the November appointment. I was told that I have osteoarthritis in all my fingers and that is the cause of the pain and swelling!, and the cause of the joint disfiguration. She then looked at the photo's on my phone and said ' that is definitely active RA, should that occur again ring so and so and we will give you an earlier appointment - that was only three weeks earlier! Now I'm totally confused.

All this pain and swelling has occurred only in this last year (I was diagnosed with RA in July 2012), not before. When I was initially diagnosed I had presented with similar finger joint pain and swelling, just different
joints, and then following blood tests was diagnosed with RA and Pulmonary Fibrosis secondary to RA.

So now I have RA and 'osteo' but if they appear to present in the same manner, how am I to know? What if I call it 'osteo' pain, and it's RA flare up? There's a big difference as you know. Both are painful but one
can seriously damage your health.

I just feel like stopping all my meds and seeing what happens, but first I decided I would write to you all because I know you give good, sound advice.

Many thanks.

Dear gogs so sorry to read how hard things have been for you lately.

I'm Fiona AND HAVE HAD R.A for many years (since I was 38). I'm 56 now!

For the last 4 years I have been diagnosed with four Spinal fractures due to Osteopaenia/Osteoporosis.

I do hope that you get the good care that you deserve.

Has anyone suggested a bone density scan for you?

At least that would rule out Osteopaenia or Osteoporosis and it is painless and well worth having done.

I don't know your age but once into the menopause it is a good idea to have this test done as women lose bone density

very quickly at this time.

Thinking of you.

Best wishes,

Fiona