I was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and I’m only 20 years old. My Arthritis is in the very early stages, and has only really been going on for about four months. My left jaw, knee, and wrist are the only three joints that have been giving me problems. My doctor wants to start me on Methotrexate. My aunt also has RA, and she said that Methotrexate made her stomache hurt and she was nauseous all the time, so she was switched to Humira (Adalimumab) and no longer has those issues.

Is Humira also a disease modifying medicine? (My doctor wants to put me on Methotrexate to stop the disease before it spreads). Would Humira be able to do this too, or does it just allieviate the symptoms? Is it only prescribed for advanced RA (like my Aunt has), or can it be prescribed for mild Rheumatoid Arthritis like I have? Sorry I am asking so many questions, according to my Aunt Humira sounds like it has less awful side effects, so I just want to find out a little more about it. I haven’t even started Methotrexate yet, so I don’t know how it effects me personally.
Also, I can’t swallow pills and have a difficult time getting down bitter medicine without throwing up (I know I’m a big baby), so I’m going to have to get injections with either Methotrexate or Humera. And My Aunt said she takes her Humira through a pen type thing, which is easy and painless, which also makes Humira sound a little more appealing to me.

I was having pain in my big toes, knees, wrists and fingers. I saw a doctor who diagnosed me with osteoarthritis and recommended some gentle exercises (he was a sports medicine doctor) which did help. I still do have some pain though, particularly in my fingers and big toes. I have noticed that this pain is worse when I am cold.

I am confused, I thought osteoarthritis was from wear and tear, is painful when worn joints are used, and is non disfiguring, whereas rheumatoid arthritis is autoimmune, painful due to inflammation, and disfiguring – and that RA patients were the ones sensitive to cold.

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Just recently had blood tests and was told that my sed rate was high and I had a positive RA factor. Please tell me what this could possibly mean? I really haven’t had symptoms outside of joint pains here and there.

I had JRA–juvenile rheumatoid arthritis– in my knees and ankles when I was a kid, from age 2-8, then I was in remission. I am 20 now and have recently experienced symptoms of arthritis–stiffness in my ankles when I wake up in the morning, my ankle and knee joints have been hurting, and they’ve also been swollen and warm to the touch. The onset of these symptoms was rather rapid. What are the chances that this could be a relapse of arthritis or a flare?

Also, I run 4 times a week or so, 2.5-4 miles, so I’m hoping that my recent joint aches are a result of this…. but I just thought I’d ask to see some other people’s opinions regarding arthritis. Thank you!

Im 34 and have had RA since I was 24. It doesnt run in my family I just have it. I just wondered will all the medication ever stop or will I be on it the rest of my life. Also is there a chance my son or daughter could get it? Ive heard it’s hereditary, but not in my case. What does my future hold with this disease?

Ok I am a 17, almost eighteen year old female. I’m having s medical problem, but I don’t want my parents to know, because they would either (1)take me to the doctor, and since they are already going to help me with college and we are not exactly rich, I don’t want to make them spend more money, or (2)not believe me, which would be devastating in itself. And I can’t visit any type of free clinic because my mom would know that I’m taking the car, and my sister comes everywhere with me.

Here is a synopsis of all the info you may need to tell me what is wrong:
~I have chest pain which makes my whole chest throb with a dull pain, but with sharp, needle-like pain right through the center.
~It makes my fingers and legs numb, and I feel like I can’t breathe without extreme pain;moving is really difficult
~These “attacks” have been happening sporadically since eighth or ninth grade, but have become more frequent lately
~The pain recedes slightly with pressure
~There doesn’t seem to be a trigger, because they’re just as likely to happen when I’m sitting on my couch as when I’m exercising
~I feel REALLY tired for a day or two afterwards

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Ok, I’m really confused and I’m hoping someone might be able to help me.

I have been having lupus symptoms the last few months….rashes when exposed to sunlight, fatigue, EXTREME joint pain in my fingers, knees, and feet, and mouth ulcers. I went to the doctor and told her my symptoms and got some blood work done. I was tested for a variety of things….lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia, diabetes, etc…and everything came back normal except my urine for some reason…I have to go back and give another urine sample. I was relieved that I wasn’t diagnosed with anything, but also confused. I am still having these symptoms and I feel terrible. I don’t understand. Is it possible that I might have lupus, but for some reason it didn’t show up in the blood work? My doctor told me to come back in a few months if I didn’t feel any better and get more blood work done. I have been eating well and trying to exercise more…but it hurts and I’m just so tired all of the time. I’m only 19.
My grandmother has lupus.
I didn’t even think of Fibromyalgia, Turtle. I do have a lot of those symptoms…that could definitely be it. I will make sure I talk to my doctor about this. Thank you so much!!

I seemed to have given you people the wrong impression about myself. I sold my home 2 years ago to move in with them to take care of my 3 grandchildren and do household and laundry chores while my son-in-law and daughter work outside the home. I was diagnosed last year with cancer of the eye, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and COPD to name just a few of my health problems. However, I am still caring for the children and doing my daily chores. I have applied for disability but it has not been settled yet. I have no money at this time as I helped them get into this new house with the money I had when I sold my own home. So please understand I am not a freeloader by any means. I just used the term our house because I live here. It really is not my house. Some of the answers below have been pretty mean-spirited and not very helpful. Get rid of all your sarcasim and pointing the finger at me and just answer my question. I really need some good advice right now.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease for which there is no cure. In the lab where I work, we do “rheumatoid factor titers.” We goggled RA titers and found that the severity of the disease is tied to the titer (higher titer, greater severity). If you treat the symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms decreases, will there be a decrease in the RA titer, or will this remain the same, as you’re not curing the disease, but remedying the symptoms?

Okay, here it goes. My mother and I are questioning if her dad was really her biological father or not. We do know that my maternal grandmother was a “player” throughout her two marriages, and had atleast one child out of wedlock (17 yrs after my mom), so there’s already a little suspicion.
Between my mother having rheumatoid arthritis (and no one else does) as well as me and my daughter are silent carriers (me with anemia, she without) of alpha thalasemmia- and we’re supposed to be of European (poland, germany, scotland, england) descent on ALL sides we’ve started to wonder. Here’s the part I am most interested in. My maternal grandfather had traditional male pattern baldness with onset at 24-27 years of age. My brother (he’s all mine unfortunately!) has a ton of hair with NO signs of recession (he’s 40yrs old). Is it possible (likelihood) for my brother to be the biological grandson (maternal) of a man with such an early onset of baldness? Thanks in advance for “real” answers!