Rea tive arthritis?

[cornerhouse]

Has anyone been diagnosed with this and if so what treatment has been suggested?

[oldtimer]

There is accurate information here: arthritisresearchuk.org/sho...

Fortunately it does usually settle down quick quickly.

[helixhelix]

My lodger had reactive arthritis. He was treated with methotrexate and it went within a year. He said it was a miserable year......

[PFKAAde]

I was originally diagnosed with ReA after presenting with post-viral arthralgia, multiple joints (pretty much all of them) painful, inflamed, red and hot to the touch, anaemia, low-grade fever, elevated ESR / CRP but sero-negative for RA antibodies.

Was put on 20 mg prednisolone and diclofenac. After about 12 months and with symptoms the same I was put on methotrexate. After another 4 months I was admitted to hospital for 2 weeks for observation and around this time was told the ReA was ‘becoming chronic’. My ESR and CRP were both in 3 figures and I was really not very well.

After another year or two, and after going through all of the DMARDs and either having no response or having an adverse reaction I needed biologics and for that needed a diagnosis of RA. So I was diagnosed with RA.

This all started in 1999, I have so far had both hips resurfaced and one knee replaced. I am now on Humira alone, 4 weekly injections and have been in remission for about 7years.

A good friend has a diagnosis of ReA, his started in the late 90s and has mainly affected his knee / foot on one leg. He has been on MTX briefly but didn’t stick with it. He has no erosions and has not needed any joints replaced. He would agree with me that his experience has been less of an ordeal than mine, but it has still affected him quite badly and he struggles to keep doing his (fairly physical) job.

All the best.

🙏🏻

[PFKAAde in reply to PFKAAde]

I read this back and realised that it might have sounded quite negative for anyone reading about reactive arthritis. Sorry, wasn’t my intention.

I think rather that my original diagnosis of ReA was wrong (or the worst case ever!) and that maybe slowed down the treatment of my own condition. Most cases of Reactive Arthritis are temporary as far as I know.

Reactive Arthritis was described to me as a temporary thing that might have good and bad spells, but generally improves and goes away, hence treatment with meds that work in the short-term to help get through the temporary situation.

It also usually presents after an infection of some sort, and I had just had a bad flu-like illness that totally floored me for 2 weeks, and then ultimately morphed into swollen joints.

🙏🏻

[MolMoon]

I was diagnosed “probably” with ReA over a month ago, after presenting with multiple joint pain, slight swelling and morning stiffness (hands,wrists, elbows and feet) after an ear infection in November. I have an existing under-active thyroid and a strong family history of autoimmune disease, including RA. I have been offered Naproxen which did not agree with me and now taking Meloxicam which helps with the pain. All bloods seronegative. I have seen no improvement in my symptoms and now approaching 6 months. I am due to go back to Rheumatologist in June.