Monday, October 13, 2008
I am 28 with four kids, a job, and I was recently diagnosed with RA. I am living with lots of pain, have not seen the rhemetologists yet, and don't really know what to expect.
Recently Diagnosed.. In lots of pain
Disabilty
10/13/08 3:24pm
I was just dignoised on Friday. I was very impressed with my Rheumatologist. He sat down with my husband and I for a good long time answering all of our questions. It did help that I researched what I could to know what to ask. I learned alot on this site. I also learned a ton from watching video's on You Tube. This one for exaple http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djZfEi-ztVQ . I hope you getting into see the doctor soon. I was on prednisone, so I didn't make a apointment right away. I had no idea that you have the best out come if your treated early.
10/15/08 9:24am
Thanks for writing. It's so hard to find good doctors that will really listen to you. I have been in so much extreme pain. When my fingers first started twisting up, I thought I had broken them somehow. I wasn't even aware of this disease untill two months ago. I'm having an awful time trying to work, and take care of my family. I'm hoping to get more info about getting on disability. I work in a library, and it's so painful to do the work.
10/15/08 10:43am
I don't work. I have been a stay at home princess for 30 years. My husband has always pampered me and I have not had to do much. I do cook dinner when I feel OK but he does the cleanning, which he loves to do. Thats even what he did for his birthday last Sunday. I use to have 29 horses. I felt I needed to cut back since I felt it is just getting to hard to care for them all. I sold 22 of them this year. 
I know some people looked at me as if I was lieing when I said I couldn't take care of them because my bones hurt. They would say things like your not old, I am older than you. Somedays I do sirprise myself and my husband. When I was on prednisone, I was in no pain. My husband was on a fishing trip. I had to pick up hay and grain from the feed store. Normaly I leave it in the truck but I felt so good I unloaded the whole truck. My bails weight aprox. 125 lb. My grain comes in 50 lb bags and we buy a ton. I am not taking prednisone now but I have found if I never miss my medication for inflamation and pain I seem to stay ahead of it. If I miss I pay the price, sometimes for days.
By Stephanie— Last Modified: 09/04/10, First Published: 10/13/08
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It's a long process of trial and error. Meds, lack of energy, pain, fatigue and goodness knows what all. Your rheumatologist may order more tests just to make sure. Good luck!
I have already lost my right hand to this. My fingers are swollen, crooked, and twisted. It's so hard to do simple things anymore. And the mornings are so painful. I have such a busy life, it's going to be nearly impossible to balance it all with this pain. And my knees hurt so badly, they make all kinds of creaks and cracks when I move. It's a very scary disease.
All of us that have this terrible disease understand how you feel. Both my hands are like yours and my biggest thing is my neck. I'm flirting with disaster. My vertebae are very near the point of severing my spinal cord. Hopefully they can get you on some meds that will help to slow the progression and relieve the pain. As I've said here before, I have no insurance and don't qualify for anything so I'm stuck. There is nothing I can do.