Connect
← Return to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others
Discussion
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others
Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Sep 24 3:33pm | Replies (878)Comment receiving replies
I was diagnosed with RA when I was 18 and my knees had swollen up, turned red and were hot. Of course that was 42 years ago. I never had another flare up that I noticed. Eventually my knees became bone on bone and have a restricted range of movement.
I have other joints with pain and my opthamologist diagnosed RA, especially in my left eye.
All these years I've never had a doctor send me to a specialist for my RA and no meds for it. I just cope and keep going. Some days are harder than others of course.
Starting last Friday I've been having what I'd call a mild flare. It started with the backs of my hands between the knuckles. This morning it's my wrists too. Not huge swelling or bright red. My neighbor said they look bruised.
I have a doctor appointment the first week of March. Is this something I need to address now? I'm not having bad pain with this--just uncomfortable.
Replies to "I was diagnosed with RA when I was 18 and my knees had swollen up, turned..."
@pearlbaby7 yes...doesn't sound like RA...so first see a Rheumatologist not a GP...get your RA factor checked...(approx. 25% of those w/RA, including me, are factor negative, leaving 75%)...could be Lupus, or a worsening case of osteoarthritis (that's the bone-on-bone you mentioned...it's osteo not RA)
Connect
I am so sorry that your doctors have been so negligent in taking care of you. If you have RA it is constantly doing damage to your body inch by inch. You need to be on medication to stop the slow progress. RA does not just affect your joints it also can attack your heart, lungs, and even your brain. It is not something to ignore to a later day. Sometimes we have to tell our doctors what to do...after all, they work for us just like our yard man, plumber, and car mechanic.