help me please

am new to this .have i guess just ignored what happening to my joints ,,,not nice to be honest its grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ... my right hand well its gone north south every which way .....just not sure whats gonna happen next .....dont know really if i want too...i just know its gonna be painful .am 51 but feel 90 at times ......is it just me ????????

[Hidden]

no its not just you it commonly affectets hands... thats were mine started...

alison

[Judi]

Hi Annra

Mine started in my hands as well. My right hand fingers were going each and every way. 2003 (about) I had 4 replacement knuckle joints put in, and what a difference that made to my life. Sounds drastic but it made such a difference. I know you said 'you perhaps didn't want to know what could be in the future' but please don't loose hope - sometimes there are answers out there.

I am now a pensioner (only just) and I get peeved when I see on TV all the 'super fit pensioners'. Feel 20 years (at least) older than my actual years, you are definitely not alone in feeling more than your years.

Judi

[Hidden]

Hi Ann. It's not just you, you are not alone!

I would ask what on earth you are doing up at that hour But I can guess. Been there. I don't know whether you are newly diagnosed or new to the site? But you are now in a good place! Honest. Tell us what's going on. What meds you are on? You are not alone with how you feel, loads of people on here can offer good advice,help, support, whatever you want or need. I was 53 when I was properly diagnosed but had trouble with joints for yonks. Keep posting and look forward to getting to know you.

Julie x

[Hidden]

Hello

Here's my blog nras.healthunlocked.com/blo... if you are interested.

RA commonly affects the smaller joints of the hands and feet. I have had several operations to my hands, including a wrist replacement, thumb fusion and joint removal. I've also had much surgery to both feet.

The answer is for your rheumatologist to find a disease modifying drug that is suitable for you and which will slow the progression of the disease. Treating the symptoms does not alter the course of the disease.

680,000 people have been diagnosed with RA in the UK, you are not alone!

Lyn

[Judi in reply to Hidden]

680,000 people with RA in the UK - wish I couldn't be included in that number in fact, wish the number was 0 !!!!!

[Tricia-P]

welcome Annra

I too have very painful hands I have not had any joints replace my knuckles swell but don't go red and hot etc. Yesterday I was told I have synovial fluid leaking into my hands around the joints, sometimes there seems to be something new to you each day.

I look forward to hearing more about you

Tricia x

[Hidden]

Annra, when you say you are new to this do you mean you are new to the site or new to RA?

Just asking because if its that you are new to RA then I can say it will get easier with medication.

At the start I was affected in all my joints well I still am however it has got a easier with medication like predisolone, methotrexate, enbrel and lots of other meds and pain killers.

Every day is different but before the medication and diagnosis I could not even lift my own head off my pillow and ended up in hospital as I was that swollen in different parts, I had the fluid removed and within a few days it was back!

It takes a long time to get any relief from meds like methotrexate about three months, and it wont get rid of your swellings and pain however it will make day to day life a little more barable.

[Hidden]

HI Anra

as you will see from the responses to your blog you are not alone, we all understand where you are at and possily where you are going. I was diagnosed with RA and began treatment just over two years ago. Felt so fed up and sore and angry. Medication does help, but this blog site is brilliant. You will get lots of support and advise from those who really know what it's like.

Keep blogging you are amongst friends

Take care

Sue x

[Hidden]

Hello Annra,, and welcome, the way you are feeling at the moment is perfectly normal so many changes to you and your body the pain so bad you don't no where to turn. We on here have all been, and some still going through that experience of excepting what is happening to them with RA. Mine along with many others also started in my fingers but unfortunately for me that was many years ago when drugs for RA were few and far between.

Now it's completely different there are many drugs to help you its just finding the right one to suit, your Rheumatologist will help you with this process.

Tell him exactly how you feel as he only knows what you tell him, he needs to know so he can put you on the right drug formation.

your certainly not alone as Lyn said there are thousands of us all affected in a slightly different way, come on here any time to ask us anything and we will help as much as we can by comparing our experiences with RA.

[RichardG]

Hello,

Mine started with my fingers and then wrists shortly after and got bad enough to see the specialist about 2 years ago. (I am now 56) At this point I could no longer make a fist. a steriod injection and Methotrexate seemed to fix the problem and I considered myself 95% back to normal with little affect on daily life. Then the RA got a lot worse with severe pain in random joints which lasts about 2 days before another joint takes over. Another steroid injection (these are fantastic with relief within 12 hours) and the introduction of Hydroxyquinine seem to have got me back to almost normal. Still get painful wrists, knees, shoulders and feet but generally this is bearable and does not affect daily life that much. Even managed to play golf again! To sumarise RA is quite frightening at first but with the right treatment I think it can be controlled at least to a level where you can do what you want most days.

Richard

[Hidden in reply to RichardG]

Yes your absolutely right there's so much on offer now where drugs for RA are concerned, no need for people to panic as you can live quite a good life once you can get onto the right drug regime. It's still hard to live with but positive attitude, acceptance and pacing ourselves is the key I feel.

To late for me though, I was diagnosed 17 years ago when there was hardly any RA medication, well nothing to control the disease anyway not like there is nowadays.But, I still make the most of the life I have I have to.

Blimey! I sound so old! lol

mand xx

[Hidden]

so positive richard thats brill

alison

[jenna]

hi, read all your comments and it is good to see that every one is so together over this disease. (just joined this site today) I have had RA for 10 yrs then i go and get skin cancer on top of that 7 yrs ago so the doctors hands are tied to the drugs they can give me,,,, but hay ho thats life ,,,,, try meditation, have the steroid injections, and infusions and you will feel like a new person,,,, and live in the moment when the pain subsides, and do not forget to smell the roses

[Seffarig]

I have decided to remind myself everyday, that I am still simply ME!

I always wanted to get letters after my name, til I saw my file at the GP's with my first name, surname and RA.......not exactly what I had in mind.

[ismael]

hi Annra i had the same problem even to turn on the light in my flat i had to use my head instead of my fingers because of the pain so it start always (crazy) so you are not alone.regards

[Hidden]

am just so overwhelmed at the responce to my post .. thank you all have had trouble with my comp.. so havent been able to reply to you all ....i feel so much better knowing i can talk to people who feel the same as me :(... my friends and family just say awwwwww , and i dont like to tell them how i feel . again thank you so much all of you xxxxxxxxx