First rheumatology steroid injections today and nervous bevause of coronavirus!

[Geb777]

I'm 20 years old and feeling very anxious about my upcoming hospital appointment as I have recently had the flu and am still recovering but I'm meant to be starting my steroid injections today. With all of this growing concern surrounding the coronavirus I'm scared as I know this weakens your immune system and having RA I know it puts us in a vulnerable position. I'm also concerned as, as I'm just recovering from the flu will these steroid injections make me worse? It feels like one thing after the other and these past few months have already been tough learning about my RA at such a young age and now this pandemic of the coronavirus just makes me feel even more anxious - I would love some advice or some reassurance

[Pippy25]

Hello Geb777, I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling anxious and have just had a bout of flu too and send my heartfelt wishes to you. Perhaps it may be an idea before you go today to spend a little time writing some questions and any concerns and anxieties you may have and don't be frightened to ask. As I know sometimes when you are at an appointment it can be hard to remember things and the last thing you want is to come away feeling I wished I had asked this or that. I hope that your appointment goes well and take care x

[charisma]

Welcome to the NRAS community!

You did not say what type of corticosteroid injection you are to get... intramuscular to benefit the whole body/into a specific joint?

How long ago were you diagnosed with RA and is the disease now pretty much controlled?

I understand why you feel concern but nursing/specialist staff will be ready to answer questions and give reassurance where needed. Just tell them, and good luck!

[Hidden]

So young to be dealing with this 🥺we don’t know enough about your treatment to comment. Place your trust in your Rheumy team as Pippy said take some notes with you as you are bound to forget to ask something. Stay calm stress plays havoc with RA. Let’s us know how you get on

[Geb777]

Thanks for the advice so far guys, some more info this is all very new for me, after a year of issues I finally got sent for blood tests and had very abnormal rheumatoid factor and have a strong family history of RA. They're thinking I have seropositive RA and today is my first time having injections I know that they're scanning my hands with ultrasound today and then giving me injections. However, I have pain in multiple joints so I'm really not too sure what kind of injection I'll be getting!

[springcross]

All the best Geb. Hope all goes well for you.

[Geb777]

Just an update the appointment didn't go great the ultrasounds didn't show any signs of inflammation which is so frustrating bevause I experience so much pain in my hands. This is just getting worse for me and I'm getting pain my shoulders/back and my knees and hands. It's progressively affecting more joints and the pain is getting worse. I'm worried now as the ultrasound hasn't shown any inflammation, that I won't get a diagnosis. She didn't give me any steroid injections either she essentially told me it was up to me. I just queried about coronavirus and whether she thought it would be a good idea to do it due to coronavirus and she just put me on some different NSAIDS instead. I had some questions for the rheumatologist but she didn't really give me any reassurance and told me to wait until the next appointment at the follow up as she had other patients to scan. She's going to be doing a follow up in three weeks but I'm so scared she's going to rule out RA as the ultrasounds show nothing. I just want a diagnosis as this has all been such a long, painful, confusing journey. I have a strong family history of RA and autoimmune diseases and my rheumatoid factor and crp blood tests all were abnormal and indicated RA. As I now have to wait three weeks I was just hoping to get some insight in the meantime? Do you think she's going to completely rule Out RA because of the ultrasound even though I have a family history and the blood tests showed up abnormal. Sorry for the long message I'm just really anxious that I'm going to be thrown back at square one. This whole process has taken me a year to get to where I am now after a year of unexplained pain and I'm scared of not getting a diagnosis as no one takes you seriously unless you have one

[Gnarli]

It's a horrible thing to be waiting for diagnosis and we've all been there, not knowing if we want to be told whether our condition is RA or not. Your Rheumy will be using bloods/examination/exray/ultrasound/experience to reach their diagnosis. All you can do at the moment is hang on in there and, maybe, get some reliable information from NRAS. Their website gives sensible and reliable information plus their helpline (0800 298 7650) is available Monday to Friday in office hours if you need to talk to someone. Wishing you all the very best x

[medway-lady]

I echo Gnarli's comment, it's a good idea to ring the NRAS helpline and talk to a human being.