Arthritis

[pericat]

Anybody being treated for rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis as after years of pain I may be diagnosed with one of them. what is medication and does it take pain away completely?

[sqad617]

Which one is it? Rheumatoid or Psoriatic?
Treatment and response to treatment may be quite different.

[pericat]

Don't know yet what or even if it is either. Blood test results on wed. Doctor seems to think psoriatic but I have had 20 years of pain and no reason so far

[sqad617]

Then you will have to endure another 4days of pain until the blood tests get back.

Surely you have not suffered 20yrs of pain without analgesics or a diagnosis.

In the UK there are doctors and a NHS.

[pericat]

Pain I treat with anti inflammatories and pain killers and I have had all the test and up to now there has been 'nothing' wrong with me but I have got worse over the last few months. People can suffer from unexplained muscle pain you know - happens all the time. Oh and I am aware of the health system thanks

[sqad617]

Unexplained? For 20yrs?

[pericat]

Yes now unless you actually have something useful to add goodbye

[marval]

HI, well I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, I was diagnosed a short while ago. There are different medications for it, I take Methotrexate tablets along with Folic acid tablets. They don't take the pain away completely, but they have been great for the inflamation. I have blood tests every two months. If they do diagnose you, and put you on medication, that has got to be better than taking piankillers all the time. If it is one of those you mentioned, you should see the specialist at the hospital. At my clinic there is a lady who is the specialist's assistant, she is brilliant. I can talk to her any time I need to, and everything will be explained to you.

Here are a couple of sites to look at that might help.

www.arc.org.uk/arthinfo/default.asp
www.dailystrength.org/c/Rheumatoid_Arthritis/forum


Good luck, let us know how you get on.

[pericat]

Thanks marvel will keep you posted. At this stage I think I will just welcome a diagnosis. My father had RA but that was 30 years ago and he was in dreadful pain all the time but I am assured things have come a long way since then.

[marval]

Yes, things have moved on, new treatments etc. I am sure your doctor will advise you and explain.

Take care

[shaneystar2]

It can creep up on you very insidiously over a long period of time and I know just how you feel .I had all sorts of aches and pains for ( for which they could find no proper diagnosis ) for several years before I went down with a hell of a bang over ten years ago with RA .Take heart there are even better treatments now and mine was luckily mild ( though it didn't feel mild at the time :) and has more or less burnt itself out although I do get attacks now and again . The only downside being it has left me with severe osteoarthritis .
Pay no attention to sqad ..he thinks everything is no big deal and his bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired .
Hope you soon get a result and soon feel better .

[sqad617]

Shaneystar..LOL

[pericat]

Thanks marvel and shaneystar. Will let you know outcome next week.

[lindapinda]

Hi Peri ! So it's yourself then;-)...Was just looking around there now,and saw your thread in CB,but its better to leave a post here.Welcome back..long time no speak. Hope you get sorted out with the meds soon and we'll have a chat bout all the good tv shows!

[pericat]

Hey linda great to hear from you. On way to bed now so will catch up, hope you're doing ok

[VINNY100_2]

Is that you yerself peri...(birthday 6th december.)?Long time no see.I do hope you get some relief from the dreaded arthritis.

[VINNY100_2]

7th dec...I mean.

[pericat]

wow vinny right 2nd time and I love the bit of a brogue

[PeteHull]

I have Psoriatic and have been on med since 1992, I was first diagnosed due to aches in the big toes and the doc used to say it was Far wear and tear, I saw a different doc when he was off and he noted some little red spots on my body which I hadn't given a thought to, he said I had Psoriatic Arthritis.
I was sent for tests and put on a drug called Sulphasalazine and a whole lot of other tablets, they knocked me for 6 i can tell you, with all sorts of side effects.

I have now been put on Methatrexate and again all the necessaries to keep side effect under control, I am told that Methatrexate is a cancer treatment and so knocks the immune system, I allways have mouth ulcers and various spots etc and I catch colds from 6 miles away.

The treatment has helped me from the point of pain, although I know about it if I miss the Ibuprofen which I take 4 times x 500mg per day along with Co-codamol, Folic acid, Paracetamol, Iron, amatryptaline and some others too. I suffer lots with RLS restless Leg Sydrom which I take other tabs for. and it still drives me mad, (always when I am trying to relax)
No it certainly isn't fun to have this condition and I wouldn't wish it on anybody, but I get the comfort from telling myself that there are people out there with worse problems then me and it seems to help.

Pete

[pericat]

thanks for the info pete. I have had pains in most joints from head to foot for almost 20 years. I have had swellings on different joints and as I said everything was always clear. I am most nervous about side effects so I will be asking a lot of questions based on the information I have received

[PeteHull]

There is a lot of information on the net if you google psoriatic Arthritis, it is a minefield and very hard to get diagnosed apparently.... Think GP's don't consider it as a problem as they are unlikely to be trained in that field... I don't think many of them bother to be retrained, they seem to be happy to just write prescriptions for colds....

Pete