Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Thursday, December 10, 2009 T. Smith asks

Q: Is this RA and should I be doing more?

I have had pain in my hands/wrists and feet constantly for the past year as well as off and on pain in my knees and hips.  Initially tests came back abnormal but inconclusive.  The pain isn't excrutiating and I can live with it, but I have a very hard time opening lids, pumping gas, grasping and lifting items.  Do you think this is RA?  If the pain is tolerable, do I need to see a doctor?  I currently take 15mg of meloxicam daily. 

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Answers (5)
Brad, Health Guide
12/13/09 2:14am

Hi,

Like Ish said, there is no conclusive test that screams YOU HAVE RA! If you are not seeing a Rheumatologist you need to see one. They will do a full exam, blood tests, and take a full history to make a full diagnosis. There are many diseases that mimic RA as well.  Please see a Rheumatologist as living with mild pain may not be a good option, you may still be experiencing joint damage.

 

Feel Better

Brad

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12/10/09 7:25pm

Hi,

 

Are you seeing a Rheumatologist?

 

The thing with RA is that there is no single test that says YES! YOU HAVE IT!! So that's why you need to see a rheumatologist. They diagnose by labs AND symptoms.

 

Also, if it is RA, you need to do more. One of the main goals is to prevent joint damage.

 

Ish

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12/17/09 11:36am

I have RA, but the tests never showed it. It wasn't until I saw a RA specialist until I got diagnosed.

 

GO NOW, it gets worse when untreated it really can mess up your joints permanently if you dont get on the right meds.

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12/17/09 11:37am

meloxicam is just for pain, its not a disease modifying med. you will need to take both if you want to stop it in its tracks...

 

im no expert though, so please go see a specialist!!

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12/17/09 4:21pm

I can't tell you if you have it however I can tell you what my symptoms where and how I decided to go to the doctor to get a Rheumatologist opinion.  Feet hurt when walking on treadmill, wrists hurt when helping lift father out of wheelchair and bed and then knuckles on right hand began hurting and then the next year the left hand and never seeming to stop.  Then other things became difficult.  Making bed, drying myself off with towels, turning faucet knobs, opening jars. Then one day I saw that my toe on one foot was deformed looking.  I began to wonder what was going on.  However it wasn't until my knuckle on my right hand finally swelled up that I went to the doctor (RA).  She had tests done (RA factor neg) X-rays done and MRI which showed RA cysts in small joints of wrists and some in knuckles.  Started on methotraxate helped some and then it started affecting my liver count and had to add another med Enbrel and all this time pain and swelling was ceasing and I could begin to use my hands wihtout hurting and turning knobs and using my fingers without dropping things.  A big difference. There is no no tell test to determine if you have RA, however if you do and the medication you are put on helps you extremely I would say that it was RA.  And you can really tell the difference when you have to get off it for a couple of weeks then your symptoms all come back.  Best for you to go to a Rheumatologist and check it out.

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By T. Smith— Last Modified: 10/05/10, First Published: 12/10/09