Hi Shirl,
It is so good to see you here..You must be busy at your board since I rarely see you on boards other than at e-health
....Actually, we are not certain of the RA diagnosis...That is the reason for more testing...Since the number was a low positive most docs would not consider it as a true RA. I do not think I have RA... I really am looking for a RA doc to help with the osteoarthritis and if I do indeed have Fibro, I wanted someone closer to home to help with this as well. The other RA docs I saw (both at the U of PA) diagnosed Fibro. This doc feels that even though the number is low, we should treat it as a low positive and prescribed the drugs I mentioned in my post. (This doc prescribed hydroxychloroquine and a low dose of prednisone for a flare.) He made it very clear to me though that he was not diagnosing me as having Rheumatoid arthritis. He would not do that until he has the test results from the blood work he just ordered. I do not think I have it, but do have osteo and want him to treat me for that...
Actually, I have a few friends that have RA and took the drugs for a year or more and were able to discontinue the drugs after that time...Some of the drugs and their side effects are worse than the disease...It does not mean that they are rid of the disease just in remission...
I found this on RA at one site...
Quote:
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis come and go, depending on the degree of tissue inflammation. When body tissues are inflamed, the disease is active. When tissue inflammation subsides, the disease is inactive (in remission). Remissions can occur spontaneously or with treatment, and can last weeks, months, or years. During remissions, symptoms of the disease disappear, and patients generally feel well. When the disease becomes active again (relapse), symptoms return. The return of disease activity and symptoms is called a flare. The course of rheumatoid arthritis varies from patient to patient, and periods of flares and remissions are typical.
When the disease is active, symptoms can include fatigue, lack of appetite, low grade fever, muscle and joint aches, and stiffness. Muscle and joint stiffness are usually most notable in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Arthritis is common during disease flares. Also during flares, joints frequently become red, swollen, painful, and tender. This occurs because the lining tissue of the joint (synovium) becomes inflamed, resulting in the production of excessive joint fluid (synovial fluid). The synovium also thickens with inflammation (synovitis).
|
A few docs that I have seen thought I had Ankylosing spondylitis. My pcp actually ran a test for it two years ago, but I did not test positive for it.
Quote:
|
The tendency to develop ankylosing spondylitis is believed to be genetically inherited, and the majority (nearly 90%) of patients with ankylosing spondylitis are born with the HLA-B27 gene. Blood tests have been developed to detect the HLA-B27 gene marker, and have furthered our understanding of the relationship between HLA-B27 and ankylosing spondylitis.
|
I think because my entire spine is showing degeneration he wants to rule out Ankylosing spondylitis. I had all of my reports with me and one was of the scan of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. I think because the degeneration is at every level he is making certain I do not have the marker for this disease, but wanted me to read about it. Also, I am not walking very well these days since my fusion, so my posture might have given him the impression that I have it.
As for the other surgeries...I am scheduled for surgery on the right hand for January. The surgeon I saw in Philadelphia wanted me to wait until January and then we will do the shoulder three months after that, but not both together. The local OS wanted me to have surgery on both the shoulder and hand together and right away. I did sign with him for the surgery since he seemed to give the impression it needed to be done immediately, but after meeting with the doc in Philadelphia I canceled it.
I have basal joint arthritis in the right thumb and arthritis in the right wrist. The carpel tunnel is actually in the left, but is not symptomatic at this time, so I am not dealing with that. Both the RA doc and the hand surgeon feel the numbness of the fingers on both hands is from the ulnar nerve and a cervical problem. This doc encouraged the surgery for the right hand. He said the surgery for the thumb is very successful and since the steroid shots are no longer effective after two years he thought the surgery was necessary. Rotator cuff tears do not heal, so they do not encourage you to wait. The school of thought with the tear is to have it fixed so that scar tissue does not develop and cause more problems.
How are things with you? Do you have more spinal surgery scheduled? Are you still experiencing headaches? What are you doing about the headaches? It is nice to see that you are getting out to other boards...You always give such great advice to those in need...