Mixed feelings

By Jill Thursday, August 21, 2008

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I went to my Rheumy today. I have been on Enbrel now for 4 weeks and it's actually something that seems to be helping. I have been on Plaquenil for about 6 years for very high ANA levels. Never knowing what I was really being treated for was frustrating. A few months ago I was given a diagnosis of RA. After trying MTX I thought my life had taken a bad turn. MTX gave me terrible bleeding mouth sores. I had to get more Rx's to take care of the sores. Now, just Plaquenil and Enbrel seem to be the trick for me. I don't want to take either one, but what's a person to do? Everyone wants to live a "normal" life, right? Unfortunately, for us RA sufferers our lives won't ever truly be normal. Although in pain, I am hopeful.

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bucky badger

8/22/08 12:28pm

I understand 100% about mixed feelings of RA. I have days where I feel really well and think I am getting close to being normal and then go out and play with the kids for an hour and feel like an old man with severe pain. I too have been on Enbrel for a few months and it seemed to help a lot of my symptoms. I went to my Rheumy yesterday and he conducted ultrasounds on my elbows and he kept saying, "you must be in a lot of pain". I said no worse than normal. I too have been striving to deal with the pain and not let it get to me. I know it is hard to stay positive sometimes but try and keep your head up! Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

spirithere54

8/24/08 5:28pm

I agree knowing the diagnosis helps us and also will help others to understand what we are going through. It is hard to have RA that can limit us from things we once enjoyed. I am 54 and I remember someone saying when I turned 50 every thing goes down hill from there. I sort of chuckled then because I felt I looked good for my age and did not have many limitations for a 50 year old like some people. Well the bomb hit me last year and the many years of smoking (although I quit the end of June 07)

emphazema and last summer hospitalized and given a pace maker for SSS for my heart was beating to slow. Now this year the diagnosis of RA answers why I have aches; fatigue; inflamation and at times the simple things of picking up something off the floor and I feel I loose my balance and I am on the floor and it takes a bit more effort and a different way to get off the floor. Yup over 50 now . I can not say anymore i am one of the fortunate ones that is doing super for my age and will be scuba diving this wknd. No I am writing in a site for people with RA and this is good for I am not alone with this illness and possibly with treatment I will beable to increase my physical activity level. Each day is a new day.

Spirithere54

Mixed feelings

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