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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/12/2011
Posts: 79
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Hello everyone.. My first ever post hoping to make new aquaintances..hopefully friends..
Well I am 45 years old male, Asian Indian origin, happily married with 2 kids.
I discovered this website and charity after the toughest few weeks I can remember.
Basically I have pain, stiffness symptoms in hands/wrists, knee, ankle, shoulders, sometimes elbow, neck..
I have been pro-active about this as working in IT I jumped on the internet and googled "joint pain" after beginning to limp in February. The spectre of it being RA was apparent quite early. I got my GP to refer me to private consultant as I had private cover.
I have already had blood tests for a lot of checks.. RF, anti CCP, CRP, ESR all abbrevaitions I had no clue about 3 months ago!! I was RF negative but antiCCP positive and CRP/ESR high. From this diagnosis was made.
So am early in only 10 weeks of constant symptoms..have had 2 steriod jabs already..they helped immensely.
I have already started MTX at 10mg and last week also Plaquenil (hydroxychroloquine).
I already feel that perhaps the MTX - methorexate might be working..
But still highly anxious and frustrated and worried about the future...this thing is horrendous and I wouldn't wish it on anyone..
Thanks for reading..
Darshin
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 1,524 Location: W. Yorkshire
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Hello Darshin and a warm welcome to the forum! You sound to be in very good hands there and I'm pleased to read that your meds are working for you! You will be feeling absolutely and totally shell shoked at the moment but certainly not alone now that you've found this forum. RA doesn't mean an end to life, it means a little bit of tweaking here and there! I look forward to getting to know you. Julie, 59, married 2 children and 2 grandchildren, diagnosed 3 years now and on MTX, Humira.diclofenac and co-cocadamol. YES I'VE CHANGED, PAIN DOES THAT TO PEOPLE.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/20/2010 Posts: 244 Location: Cornwall
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Hello Darshin,
Welcome to the forum where you can get all the friendly advice and support you're going to need. I'm Sara 45 married, no kids, our choice so all good there, live in Cornwall and was diagnosed in November. Been on 15mg of MTX since and they say its working, all my bloods say that everything's under control but it doesn't feel like it some days! This is such an unpredicatble disease and its difficult to plan things and frustration can come in buckets.
But your life isn't ruined its just changed and by trying to laugh about it and staying positive (easy on good days, not so easy on bad ones) you'll get through. One thing about working in IT I was recommended a huge pile of equipment to prevent joint damage, keyboard, mouse etc. So if you haven't done so already get yourself an OT assessment and your employer should make these changes for you. Or if you're self employed you'll need an Access to Work Assessment. Good luck, keep posting especially if you need a moan, we've all been there and know exactly what you're going through and want to help as best we can.
Sara
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/6/2009 Posts: 177
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Hello Darshin
Sorry to hear you have RA but at least you have found this forum where you will get lots of support, advise and make new friends that understand fully what you are going through.
Sounds like you have had a good start to treatment and i hope all goes well for you. The most difficult part is friends/family understanding what's happening with your illness as normally you don't look 'ill' and people often say that and don't understand how much pain and discomfort you are in.
I'm Shirley, almost 50. married with 3 children and 3 grandchildren. I was diagnosed 2 years ago and only on MTX at the moment as i have just failed on my 5th other companion drug so back to the drawing board for me.
Good luck.
Love Shirley x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/28/2011 Posts: 956 Location: North Preston
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 Hi Darshin Sorry you have RA but lovely to have you join the forum. I am Sheila, married, 2 grown up sons and have had RA for 9 years. I am on mxt and I have found it very good for me. I am afraid you will have ups and downs as we all do but it doesn't mean your life is over just different and you have to change the way you do some things but you will start to feel much, much better for joining the forum. It doesn't matter how down you feel, the guys on here are wonderful and we all try to help each other out. It might only be words but sometimes they are the best medicine. It is difficult for your family because they want to do something for you but can't and they can't possibly understand what it is like unless they have it themselves. I hope you stay in touch. Joining this forum is the second best thing you can do after getting yourself diagnosed and treated. I look forward to speaking to you again Sheila G x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 3/8/2010 Posts: 914
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Hi Darshin, Welcome to our forum, the place to be when you are alarmed and worried about the future with RA. I am Lorna I am 51 and married with 3 daughters. RA is a difficult condition to accept but to help yourself you MUST try to be positive. Yes I do know how hard that is....... I myself was extremely ill with RA 3.5 years ago. In 5 weeks I went from being fit and active to an invalid who needed almost everything done for me. My hands were decoration ( they did not move AT ALL) I had lost the use of my right arm, I could not turn my head, I was bent over with the pain I was in. I could hardly walk, I could not hold a cup or hairbrush or anything for that matter. I was in agony all of the time. BUT I never gave up hope, I was sick at the thought of all the tablets I now had to take, but then I thought I could not feel any worse than I do at the moment. I struggled to hang out 2 items of clothing with the help of my Husband, who was an angel to me, and was absolutely wonderful at helping me. I had been busy painting my sitting room before RA and just had the ceiling edge to do. I did this myself...... being helped onto a chair and positioning the brush in my right hand and then supporting my right arm with my left arm I painted about 8ins in length along the ceiling edge. I did this each day until my room was complete. The point I am making is I NEVER GAVE UP HOPE I WOULD BEAT THIS. RA has never beaten me completely, I am now almost as well as before. I still take my drugs for it and I DO NOT have any pain at all now except if I over do things I can ache. But you learn very quickly what you can and cant do. I hope I have given you some hope that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. My heart goes out to you, I was diagnosed a few weeks before Christmas. Before I had it diagnosed I thought I was dying, I got steadily worse each week and no one could tell me what was wrong with me. Then week 5, I was desperate when I saw the doctor again and she recognised what it may have been and I was seen the following day by a Rheumatologist. The RA doctor diagnosed me there and then and gave me a Steroid Injection,( a total of 3 in 6 weeks) and said the blood test would prove it. My levels were also very high when the results came back, both mine were positive. I am on the same as you MTX and Hydroxychloroquine I was also on Sulphasalazine mine was the triple therapy. I was taken off the Sulph after 2.5 years. You're drugs will be working, they kicked in with me after 6-7 weeks but 12 is the usual. Keep posting and do not think your life is over its definitely NOT. Take care and ask away anytime. Lorna
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/5/2010 Posts: 364 Location: mid glamorgan
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Hi Darshin
Im Ceri 43 and diagnosed 2 years ago. Welcome to the site Im so glad you found us it really is a lifeline and you can pretty much ask anything and someone on here will be able to help!
Ive been on methotrexate alone for 2 years and have just started anti tnf therapy (infliximab) still waiting for an improvement though.. Really hope your meds kick in soon and you start to feel less anxious your right it really is a horrible disease but at least we're not alone. Take care and keep posting.
Ceri x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 263
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Hello Darshin welcome to the forum. You will get a lot of good advice and make friends who understand how you feel.
I am Kathleen aged 67 and have Ra for about six years. It was horrendous for the first few months. With 20 mg MTX and Plaquinel i am quite well most of the time.
I have two adult children and one grandson. You will soon start to pick up when the medication kicks in . Your life changes but we just have to adapt here and there. I do most of the things i done before , probably not quite as good but i have a fairly active life . Good luck.
Kathleen Mc.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/25/2010 Posts: 1,289 Location: Buckinghamshire
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hi Darshin,
welcome aboard.
there's no doubt being diagnosed with RA is a total shock ( i managed to lose over half a stone in the week in was diagnosed with the stress !! )
it sounds like you have good care, agree the Bloods readings are all a mystery to start with, for me i just concentrate on what mt CRP and ESA readings are monthly .. and i know i will be contacted if there is a problem. i have fantastic care in my Hospital but it doesn't unfortunately happen nationwide as you will learn by reading the Forum.
pleased to hear your Drugs seem to be helping, i am on the same as you currently ( diagnosed a year now ) but unfortunately they haven't worked for me so i am currently in the process of going onto the next stage i.e. Anti-TFN i.e. Humira.
i'm 58 married with a grown up daughter.
do keep posting there is always someone here to help you,
best wishes,
Suzanne
P.S. one thing i don't do is think about the future, yes i have asked my Consultant what to expect but the answer is we are all different and there is no true answer. so for me i take it day by day.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/3/2009 Posts: 3,157 Location: Huddersfield
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Hi Darshin,
Welcome to the forum, where we all know exactly what you are going through!
That's good that you were diagnosed so quickly and got straight onto the drugs, hope they work well for you.
I am 61 , married with one daughter (22 ) . I have had RA for 10 years and now take mtx and humira.
Looking forward to getting to know you.
Doreen xx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/8/2009 Posts: 124 Location: Wolverhampton
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Hello Darshin
Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear you have RA. You did well to get such a quick diagnosis.
I'm 42, married with a six year old son. I was diagnosed two years ago, my problems started in October 2008 - I always tell people I got RA for my 40th! I take mtx (injection), leflunomide, prednisolene and various other drugs to keep everything balanced. However, I don't respond well to treatment or treatment tends to be ineffective for me. I am shortly to embark upon tocizullimab - am seeing the biologys nurse on 19 May to sort this out.
One thing though, drugs take a while to embed, you need to be patient. Very difficult I know as this disease is frustrating, not to mention painful.
Look forward to getting to know you.
Nina x
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/12/2011
Posts: 79
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Well I am quite overwhelmed by all the replies. Thank you all so much. Bit late and tired, took my son to cricket match. I will respond further tomorrow hopefully.
All ladies..! - statistically I believe women get this horrible ailment more than men. I feel for you all.
Back soon.
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 4/20/2010 Posts: 1,749 Location: Somerset
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Hello Darshin
Welcome from me. Rose aged 57 from Somerset. Diagnosed late 2008. Been on MTX, plus 2 other
DMARDS but all failed. Been accepted now for TNF and accepted Humira, unfortunate for me for the
past 14 months they have not been able to control this dam RA. other than depo injects and laterly
on prednisalone. Humira is awaited quickly for me now.
I agree it is a horrid disease, and everything does react to drugs and management of the actual
RA very differently. However, this is a greast forum do keep posting
Rose
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 11/26/2010 Posts: 71 Location: London
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Hi Darshin, So sorry to hear you've joined us all :-( I was diagnosed in November and still not settled onto right meds. I'm on prednisolone at the mo, but am a bit limited by also having kidney disease. It's great that they've got you onto drugs so quickly, hopefully that will minimise the 'knocks-you-out-flat' factor! I first had symptoms in July last year but didn't get meds until Nov on diagnosis. Hope the cricket went well (my chap's captain of his Sunday team so I'm very into cricket ) I'm sure you'll find the forum a big help - I can highly recommend it! Vicky x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/13/2010 Posts: 786 Location: east anglia
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well done for taking the plunge to post, im 2yr 25mg mtx and hydroxy and folic plus co-cods thrown in,now started 25ml mtx injection,,got new rhummy nurse and learning so much more about ra with this girl its such alot to take in, but be patient i have always got a question list ,widowed age 53 2 grown kids and 1 mad dog, all the best,this is the best place to be,dorothy. 
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Rank: Advanced Member Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/25/2010 Posts: 1,289 Location: Buckinghamshire
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hi Darshin, just to add we do have a few males amongst us, but yes RA does hit more women than men .. i went to an NRAS meeting last year and they gave the statistics which i have forgotton now !!  Suzanne x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/4/2009 Posts: 346
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Hi Darshin welcome to the forum, sorry we're mostly women!
It sounds as if you are getting good treatment early on in your diagnosis which is a good thing.
I'm Bev, 53, and have had ra 15 years, married with two grown up children.
Bevxx
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 8/30/2010 Posts: 507 Location: Gravesend
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Hi Darshin , welcome to the forum , i am mostly man ;) hehe. Rich , 47 , no kids and single :) currently on MTX and Leflu :) R:) "The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."
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Rank: Advanced Member
Groups: Registered
Joined: 5/19/2010
Posts: 384
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Hi Darshin,
Welcome, its the place to be if you have any questions or worries, some one on here has seen it, done it, had it and the rest.
I'm Anne 51 years and diagnosed one year ago. I'm on 25mg weekly MTX and fingers crossed alls well, hope it works for you soon.
Anne x
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Rank: Advanced Member  Groups: Registered
Joined: 12/13/2010 Posts: 118 Location: Shrivenham, Oxfordshire
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Hello
Welcome to the forum. I'm Becky 35, I have 2 children (a 5 year old girl and 18 month old boy) I was diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago. I am currently take methotrexate (by injection) sulphazalazine and diclofenac. I started on hydroychloroquine (plaquinel) but I couldn't tolerate it so had to stop.
As others have said my advice would be to try to stay positive and laugh about things (but I appreciate this is sometimes much easier said than done).
Becky
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