admin answers:

My answer to this your last answer would be ‘yes’ go to the doctor and get tested. There are a few tests which can be done to determine if you are more at risk of developing RA.

There is a genetic and heredity link with RA so it is possible you could develop RA, chances vary. For a more accurate questimation look back over your family tree and see if other people in the family had it and what percentage.

With RA it is becoming more common practice to treat the condition early on, rather than waiting till its bad. This is meant to increase your functional outcome.

I really suggest going to see your doctor, and these are all only my opinions.

Regards,
Lloyd

admin answers:

I also have rheumatoid arthritis, and was approved for SSI eleven months ago. As a progressive, inflammatory, musculoskeletal disease, rheumatoid arthritis is on the Social Security Administration’s list of accepted conditions. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to receive disability payments for your illness. However, it can be done.

The fact that you use crutches is in your favor, as this severely limits the type of work that you could perform. Swollen wrists and fingers — especially in your dominant hand — also severely limits your functional capacity. Your young age works against you somewhat, but children have been awarded SSI, so all is not lost. There are a few things you need to do.

First, you simply need to apply. You will be given a rather lengthy packet of questions to answer. Answer these questions from the perspective of your very worst days. For example, if the question asks how much weight you are able to lift, and you struggle with a gallon of milk (which weighs 8 pounds) then you would answer, “About 5 pounds.” When asked how far you can walk before tiring, give estimates in “block lengths.” Be as detailed as possible, describing exactly how your pain, weakness, inability to move certain joints properly, deformities, inflammation, fatigue, etc, affect your daily living.

If you have depression (as fully 33% of RA patients do) then seek mental health counseling. Don’t be embarrassed by this, as one of the standard questions on the intake sheet which asks why you are seeking help is “Rheumatoid arthritis.”

If you are not taking pain medications, or if they are not helping you sufficiently, then you need to visit a pain management specialist. Listed on the medical forms are various other options in relieving your discomfort besides pain medication. Some of these are biofeedback, counseling, meditation, physical therapy, water therapy, etc. Request a referral to water therapy if your doctor finds this would be beneficial to your health. Water therapy is easiest on your joints, feels great, and makes for a healthier you.

It may seem counter-productive to seek counseling, pain management and physical therapy while applying for disability, yet I assure you, it is not. At your age, you need to be showing that you are doing everything within your power to feel well, and that it is not working for you. Even if the therapies mentioned should make you feel better, they will require so much time and effort that holding down a job will not be possible.

If you don’t have a rheumatologist, then you need to see one. If your feet have deformities, then you need to see a podiatrist and possibly have custom orthotics made. If your knees are bad, then a visit to an orthopedic surgeon is in order. You don’t need to have any surgeries, you simply need to show that your joints are severely damaged, requiring surgery, bracing, cortisone injections, Synvisc injections, etc.

The trick here is to show that you have severe joint damage. If you don’t have severe damage to your joints, then you need evidence of moderate-to-severe damage in at least two weight-bearing joints, and damage to the dominant hand. Plenty of x-rays are in order. Document everything in excrutiating detail, keep meticulous records, and request copies of every x-ray taken. Keep lists of medications, dates of lab work, doctor visits, etc. Write it all down.

You will be sent to a doctor who works for the Social Security Administration, and he/she will perform a basic physical exam. Some doctors rush their patients through, but my exam lasted for an hour and included range-of-motion, moving into various positions, grip strength, etc. Again, you will be asked how far you can walk, how much you can lift, etc.

Chances are excellent that you will be denied, at which point you will hire a lawyer and file an appeal. However, if you do everything I have detailed and add a Functional Capacity Exam, your chances of winning an award on your first try increase dramatically. An FCE is a rigorous exam performed by physical therapists. They test your range-of-motion, grip strength, ability to lift, number of stairs you can climb, physical dexterity, fine motor skills, endurance, ability to follow instructions, the amount of weight you can push on a cart, the distance you can walk, etc.

You cannot “fake out” the therapists performing this, so if you take an FCE you must try your very best. They will monitor heart rate, blood pressure, pain levels, endurance, and keep a keen eye on everything you do. If you try to perform badly, they will know this, so give it everything you’ve got. I went into my FCE fearing the worst, did my best, and came out with the following result: “Work ability less than sedentary.” What that means is, there is no job available that I could perform for any length of time in any capacity. I won my case due to the results of the Functional Capacity Exam.
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admin answers:

Http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/ra_new.asp?aud=pat
If you have Rheumatoid arthritis, you need to see a Rheumatologist, and taking motrin or tylenol, isn’t going to do the job. There are certain drugs designed especially for RA – and the sooner you get on them, the better off you will be. RA can do some major damage to your joints, but it can also affect your overall health, and the inflammation isn’t just isolated to your joints. Pain medication, just masks the pain, it doesn’t decrease the inflammation – while I understand the need to ease the pain, you need to be careful with your joints, if you mask the pain too much, you can do some damage to your joints. If you haven’t seen a Rheumatologist, please, please go see one, they are much better at assessing RA and prescribing the best treatment. Physical therapy can also be helpful – ask the Dr about it. Good luck
If you have osteo-arthritis there are still meds that may work better than motrin – again, a Rheumatologist may be better able to help you – please be careful with the NSAIDS (motrin etc) be sure you have some food in your stomach when you take these – there are some prescriptions that are easier on the stomach that work better than motrin.
If you do have RA, I recommend you learn as much as you possibly can about it – while it may be a little scary, the more you learn about it, and are able to discuss things with your Dr, the better off you will be – and remember, not everyone gets some of the worst parts of RA. But, thats why seeing a Rheumatologist and educating yourself is so important. Again, the sooner the better.

admin answers:

It sucks, period. There really isn’t anything you can do other than take a nice hot bath. I take my prescribed anti inflammatory meds and a truck load of pain meds and it still hammers through. You might want to talk to your doc about ” tramadol “. It is fairly new in Canada, but it is a new pain med that changes the way your brain sees the pain. It is one of those that you just take it daily to maintain a level. There is absolutely no buzz with this, sometimes that is too bad lol, but it does help. The bottom line is your stuck with this thing and you have to find ways to deal with it, it isn’t going anywhere. Ask the doc about it.

admin answers:

To start you off, here’s a link for the Arthritis Foundation’s homepage. It’s quite informative, and you should find it very helpful.

Http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/DiseaseCenter/RA/default.asp

My sister and I both have RA, and it affects of us differently. That’s something you need to keep in mind-no one can predict the course of your disease, the meds that will work for you, or how well you’ll cope with this. That’s why it’s so important to discuss every little thing with your doctor. Tell him what works, what doesn’t, how you feel. All of this is very important in determining your treatment.

During your first visit, your doctor will take a complete history, discuss your treatment options, and probably take X-rays as well as perform additional lab tests.

I take 17.5 mgs of methotrexate once a week, along with 5 mgs of prednisone daily, and 2400-3200 mgs of ibuprofen. Currently, I am in the midst of a major flare. What this means is that I am frequently fatigued, and my joints are swollen and painful. You are familiar with what this feels like. Take heart-there are better days ahead once you begin treatment.

If you are prescribed methotrexate, you may experience some side effects. These aren’t so bad, and easily offset by the addition of folic acid in your diet. I take 400 micro-grams daily, and this seems to help. Talk with your doctor about folic acid if he should happen to prescribe methotrexate.

Side effects include nausea, although I rarely vomit. This is worse in the first few weeks. Once my body became used to this, it became less of a problem. When the nausea threatens to overwhelm you, try a few bites of applesauce, yogurt, or a pudding cup. For some reason, a bit of something sweet and smooth seems to cut the nausea immediately. If you’ve ever had a child, this is very similar to morning sickness.

Fatigue. Not only does RA make you tired, the methotrexate will too. If you are prescribed methotrexate, take it on a day that you can dedicate to rest and relaxation. If you work outside the home, dosing on the weekend would be best.

Hair loss. Minimal, and only for the first few weeks. I’ve stopped losing my hair altogether, now it’s simply a little drier than normal.

Mouth sores/sore throat. Both can be relieved by gargling with salt water. Again, once my body became used to the methotrexate, this became less frequent.

If you are prescribed methotrexate, you will need to have monthly lab work done to keep track of your liver function.

Prednisone also carries the risk of side effects. The most noticable of these will be weight gain. When I am taking 5mgs or less, this isn’t a factor. But when I was taking 80 mgs, my weight soared due to water retention. As my dosage was decreased, the weight literally melted off. I have enjoyed a 76 lb weight loss in just 8 months. Most people don’t gain so much, but I was on incredibly high doses for an extended period.

My sister takes Plaquenil, and thus far has experienced no side effects. However, due to potential eye problems, plaquenil patients must have an eye exam performed twice yearly.

How does RA affect my life, and that of my sister? In vastly different ways. She is older than me by 13 years, and has had RA for the past 5. She practically runs everywhere, has boundless energy, continues to work and has minimal pain and swelling. Her disease is much more mild, and affects only her feet and hands.

My disease affects every joint in my body, including my jaw and the bones of my inner ear. I don’t have much energy, I hobble, and I don’t work. My doctor has disabled me, and I have begun the process of applying for disability. I’ve been sick now for slightly less than 2 years.

I have some joint damage. My toes on my left foot are sliding out of place, as are the fingers on my right hand. Some fingers are becoming twisted. Surprisingly, this isn’t painful.

I occasionally suffer pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the sac surrounding the lungs. I currently have a cold, and have been having pleuritic pain for the past few days. If this happens to you, try to take shallow breaths. It helps.

RA is also a disease of the connective tissues and will affect many parts of the body. You’ll find that sometimes your muscles ache, and that your veins look and feel like chords. This is normal and nothing to be frightened of.

You’ll have days when you can’t do what you would like, can’t lift anything over 5lbs, and would like to crawl back into bed. If that’s how you feel, then do it. I nap daily and it has been a real life saver for me.

I’ve also found that if I take my prednisone at bedtime rather than first thing in the morning, I wake up with much less stiffness and pain. Days are easier to face this way. My doctor recommends taking prednisone in the mornings, but sees no reason why I can’t do what works for me.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a serious illness, but it can be managed. You will learn to live with it just like we all have. You’ll find little tips, tricks, and shortcuts to help you through your day, and you’ll find that on most days, life’s pretty good. Good luck to you.

For more information about methotrexate:

http://arthritis.about.com/od/mtx/Methotrexate_Dosage_Side_Effects_Drug_Interactions_Warnings.htm

For more information about prednisone:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601102.html

For more information about plaquenil:

http://arthritis.about.com/od/plaquenil/Plaquenil_Dosage_Side_Effects_Drug_Interactions_Warnings.htm:

The above links for methotraxate and plaquenil include loads of information on various arthritis drugs. Most everything you need to know is in the links provided.