Ra affecting the cervical spine

[uponthesun]

Hello all! This seems like such a nice, supportive community I've stumbled upon here in my search for answers. I'm really looking for anyone with experience dealing with cervical spine issues. I'm 4 months into the 6 month wait for my appt. with a rheumatologist. Been dealing primarily with constant neck and back pain/stiffness with a visible 'hump' for 4.5 years now (I'm 30 years old) and finally brought myself to the doctor. (Waited far too long, I know!) He spent 5 minutes with me, drew some blood, had positive rheumatoid factor so he sent the referral. Well 3 weeks later and after 2 months of relentless neck/back pain it got so bad I suddenly was stuck sitting with my head calked to the side basically unable to move, sleep or do anything for 3 days. It was scary. I had called the doctor trying to figure out if I should go to the ER but he was out of town and the nurse advised I wait to see him as soon as he got back in a week. I regrettably waited and come time for the appt. he asked ME what I wanted him to do for me. He said it was a muscle strain!? and that he wasn't concerned and offered me pain meds. I was hoping for an xray or something to rule out my concerns with the spinal cord but he seems to not want to help. I'm left feeling a little defeated and misunderstood here and stuck in limbo waiting and wondering what's going on with me. Maybe I need to seek out a different doctor in the meantime idk? I think it will help my peace of mind just to talk with someone who's gone through something similar as I'm finding it difficult to keep my sanity here in all of this at the moment. Thanks for reading

[Hidden]

Hi uponthesun until your diagnosed you don’t know for definite it is RA, but I can tell you RA can attack any joint at any time I have had pain in my spine you can have inflammation just about anywhere with this disease. Sorry can’t help but do go back to your GP for pain relief good luck.

[uponthesun]

Hello and thanks so much for the response. I definitely know that until there is a diagnosis made I can't say what is causing this. And that's a big part of what's making me crazy, the suffer while you wait part. I did have months of migratory joint pain affecting both wrists and ankles, a knee and a hip before it seemingly settled into my spine where it's made a home ever since. I have hydrocodone for pain but it makes me nauseous and the stiffness, fatigue, headaches are always there.

[Ninaseven]

I have terrible pain there also. My RA doc informed me that RA does not attack your spine. So I had MRI and have a ruptured disc and will have surgery on the 25th. However, the disc is in lower back so now I have to have another MRI for upper back and neck. Hopefully no surgery needed there. So maybe ask GP to have tests done in your spine. I’ve had back issues since late 30s. Good luck. 👍🍀

[Bhasvic64]

Funny haha! Last visit to rheumy asked where was pain etc said usual hands wrists etc, now she says can't be ra as doesn't effect the back!! Makes you wonder doesn't it!?

[Candy]

Hi, I really sympathise with you as I had a very similar experience. Went for months back and forth to the GP, seeing a different one more often than not. The pain in my neck was horrendous, making me vomit at times and felt so unwell. I was fobbed off each time with the feeling they thought it was in my mind. Because of no diagnosis and one Dr even asking if I couldn’t just go back to work and do something different, I went on holiday to Croatia. Had to get a Dr out as soon as we arrived and spent two weeks in bed in a Croatian hotel. Back at home still no joy from GP, but plenty of pain relief that made me feel so unwell too. However after it affected my knees a registrar at the Drs asked what I thought it was and I informed her arthritis. She took bloods, and in two days was told it was borderline RA, and referred to Rheumatology. Diagnosed with sero negative poly inflammatory arthritis, and that’s when life eventually improved with medication. Have been on triple therapy for over 10 years and now just decreasing some under supervision of Rheumatologist. Sorry it’s long winded, but wanted to let you know, you’re not on your own with this experience and there is relief and light at the end of the tunnel. Hope things work out well for you and you get to see rheumatology soon. 😊