My hubby found this site for me. Hello all.

Hi and Welcome !!

Angela here, I was diagnosed two years ago !! I often wonder how do doctors really know we for sure we all have RA, what if its something else? That's what I keep asking myself...  I've read about a number of things that can contribute to this disease, but nothing is really clear and cut.. What if we are taking all these rotten medications for something completely different?  I guess I'm living in hope that maybe one day when I go for the regular visits to the Rheumy that he'll tell me, "guess what, we were wrong all along, you actually don't have RA"  Wishful thinking huh!!!! 

My index finger hurts today and has lately, and my feet hurt too !!

Ange

I'm so sorry that you even have to be on this site.  Everything you said is how I feel.  I'm 39 and have had this since my early twenties.  It got called all sorts of different names but finally, a new primary doc sent me to a rheumy.  The rheumy says that most people come there because it's the end of the road.  I have way too much pain, flares last weeks to months but each time I get pms, it comes around again.  The sulfalazine helped my inflammatory bowel, which I had for years........not cool to look pregnant because of a distended stomach.  Other primary docs I saw for this thought the stomach issue wasn't a big deal.  Primary docs that pretend they are specialists.  I thank God my new doc sent me to a rheumy.  The inflammatory bowel let out bacteria for years and it went to my joints.  I'm on about 15 different meds and soon will get a second opinion from another rheumy.  My normal one is literally 78 years old. Yes, he has experience.  His physican's assistant deals with me mostly because the old guy goes south for the winter.  The PA treats symptoms, the old guy wants as few drugs as possible.  So the new rheumy, I pray will be somewhere in the middle.

I have suffered depression and it was like living in hell.  Don't ever want to go back there.  I'd rather have pain. Much of the pain meds trigger the depression. Stuff like oxycodone.  I just stopped it and withdrawal takes a lot out of a person. Now, I just take darvocet, which actually works quite well.  I did Remicade infusions, four.  After I stopped the RA went to my left hand. Hurt so bad, I literally thought I broke my thumb.  I'm so stooooooooopid, never thinking it was the RA. I have a large bumb on my thumb and sometimes my joints next to it, in my other fingers turn red and hot and I refuse to lose more of my hand.  I have it the worst in the joint in my lower back. Shots in the back each time I go to the rheumy.  The worst was the shot in my hip. OUCH!  I'm actually used to it now.  I was to begin Oracia but the docs thought me too weak.  I had hundreds of bruises on me.  I counted fifty just on one thigh.  I had them on my back, my ribs,  my arms, etc.  This from laying in bed.  Confusion is the cause of my anxiety.  Just want an answer. 

I wish you the most luck and I'm glad you are here. 

Warm Regards,

KelleyBME

I have been taking Celebrex ( 200 mil ) for 5 years and to this date I have had no side effects , it has giv'in me my life back. I know I would"t be able to do the things I do today without it.

Hi, I'm Marlo and this is my first posting. You are correct about this disease has no prejudice.  After being in four car accidents and my worst one was at the age of 36 my body started to digenerate and arthritis started to form in my lower back, joints and knees.  I couldn't stand or sit for long periods of time.  Actually, I wasn't sure how long I could work or hold a job.  Then I started on some natural products that have made all the difference in the world. I now work a full time job averaging about 50 to 55 hrs a week and I get through it with basically no pain.  I do get flare ups if I over do it with lifting or standing too long but if I can take anything that takes the edge off my pain I'm happy.  I went to the chiropractor for five months and the day I left I was still in pain.  Now, I go see him every six month.  Everyone knows that there is no cure for arthritis but if we can just slow down the progression and take the edge off the pain, life is better!  I have a cream that's three times better than Bengay and the form of glucosamine that I use is awesome!  The products I use are unique and exclusive and more importantly, Life changing!  These products are from Melaleuca.  My life goal is to share these awesome products with anyone who has suffered the pain I have and want to take the edge off!  LIFE CAN GET BETTER!