'The Incredible Shrinking Nodule'....

[wishbone]

.... I've had a nodule on my elbow for many years. Approx the size of a grape at its largest, now the size of a pea. Can't be sure when the shrinking process began...I first noticed it a few months ago. Can anyone explain why it's got smaller?

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Wishy, nice to see you! Well, rheumatoid nodules are odd things, they can shrink, even disappear completely but be warned they can just as easily grow back again, months or years later.

Hope you're ok?

[wishbone in reply to nomoreheels]

Drat!...was hoping it was the beginnings of a natural remission and the end of all my pain! Hope things are ok with you and H?

Been a bit down in the dumps with all that's going on with me so haven't felt up to posting here for a while. My main concern has been my lung condition, but the latest scan/tests back in May have been positive, so that's lifted my spirits a bit, plus it seems to have put an end to all those bad tramadol induced dreams I was previously having. There's been no change in the lung nodule so no further monitoring required there. The lung function tests for my pulmonary fibrosis also positive. In fact they showed an improvement over previous tests. I'm not out of the woods yet though and have to go back for another test next May. My consultant said if things haven't deteriorated any by then, he won't want to see me again. It was reassuring to see him smiling. Keeping fingers firmly crossed for the next 9 months. I've still got other stuff to think about and have to go into hospital for surgery on the 29th, but on the whole am feeling a site better than I was.

Thanks Heelsy

[nomoreheels in reply to wishbone]

You can live in hope! We're plodding along thanks. H not yet sorted, we're living in hope for some relief from a form of nerve block & acupuncture.

I'm pleased to hear your lung investigations have been positive, any reduction in nodules must feel good. I hope for further improvement at your next test. All the best for your op, a swift recovery too. 😊

[maccnc in reply to wishbone]

Hi. I have no idea why nodules do what they do and have never gotten much information about them from Internet searches or medical persons. Early in my "career" with RA, I developed large ones on my forearms, very close to the elbow which stay for several years. When I started Remicade {about 15 yrs ago}, they went away. However, recently one has returned to the same spot on my right arm only. RA nodules seem to be some sort of oddity.

The only person I know of who did go into remission was a woman when she got pregnant, tho RA did return after the baby was born. Don't give up on experiencing it yourself as we all need something to hope for. Take care and best wishes!

Gail

[wishbone in reply to maccnc]

Hiya Gail, thanks for your reply and best wishes.

Yep, nodules do seem to be a bit of an oddity. I've had RA for approx 15 years and the fore mentioned nodule for at least 10. You would think it would have shrunk when I was taking enbrel and MTX, not now I'm on a much weaker med in the form of Hydroxy. I used to have a small nodule above my heel but that seems to have disappeared. Hopefully the one in my right lung has shrivelled up into nothingness too.

Take care

[maccnc in reply to wishbone]

The one. On the lungs would worry ne most. Hope 🙏 it continues shrinking and completely dissapears. You take care yourself. This is a strange, painful roaf we're traveling.

[wishbone in reply to maccnc]

Yep, you can bet it's worried me! I've had two MRI scans 12 month apart. My consultant is happy with the results and said that no further scans are required. Apparently it's not uncommon for people with RA to get secondary lung nodules, especially if you have surface nodules like the one near my elbow, plus I have smaller ones elsewhere.

Thanks for your good wishes.

edit... Correction - they were CT scans not MRI.

[wishbone]

Thanks Heelsy, it's just to remove a few bladder stones, but am worried about ending up with sepsis again, which is what happened when I had a stone removed a year ago.

Hope the nerve block and acupuncture has a positive effect. H could do with a change of luck by the sound.

My rheumy recently told me that there's a new (expensive) RD drug about to come on the market in Wales Not sure about the rest of the country(?) For the life of me I can't remember the name of it. My rheumy was hoping that it might suit me, but I've since found out it's yet another med that will leave me open to a serious infection. Think I need a minor miracle as far as new RD meds go, and I sure don't see one of them on the distant horizon.

[nomoreheels in reply to wishbone]

I can understand why you'd be concerned about getting sepsis again. Thing is as you know having a weakened immune system puts you at higher risk, as does having an op & of course being in hospital so you'll just have to cross everything that's crossable that it doesn't happen again.

Is the drug Xeljanz (tofacitinib)? It's the latest I'm aware of, it's a janus kinase inhibitor & recently added to the list for treating RD waleshealthcare.com/pfizer-.... As you'll see it's a tablet, that's got to make things easier. If it is I hope you're considered for it Wishy, that is if the benefit outweighs the risk.

Thank you for your good wishes & again I hope all goes well for your op, with no complications.

[wishbone in reply to nomoreheels]

I think it was Xeljanz that my rheumy told me about, and she did say it was taken in tablet form. She also said that she would look into it further and if suitable would get in touch. I ain't heard nothing yet though, and don't think I will as I believe it's another type of immune suppressor, which as you know I cannot take. She's going to refer me to an immunologist as well, but did add not for me to raise my hopes too high.

Because of my antibiotic resistance, I'm a bit concerned about what I'm going to be given to cover me for the op. They wanted to prescribe a course of nitrofurentoin as pre-op lab tests on my urine show it to be sensitive to that antibiotic. Problem is it ain't! The lab tests said the same for my previous op, so I was duly given a course of nitrofurentoin to cover me and ended up with sepsis. Goes to show, what works in the lab doesn't necessarily do so inside the body. I'm sure they'll work something out instead, hope so anyway!

Definitely a case of keeping all digits firmly XXXXXXXX.

Thanks for your best wishes for the op. Take care