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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / August 2007Is this typical for RA?
I am a 59 year old male that was diagnosed with RA a couple years ago and put on Plaquinil. I really don't think the plaquinil is working. So be it. Now the problem: In the last couple months the pain in my joints ( ankles, wrists, knees and etc.) has been getting worse. No surprise....right? But, about once every 10 days or so I get a low grade temperature(101.6) and feel ill with flu-like symptoms. During this illness, and a couple days later, the pain in my joints are lessened greatly and have much more movement. Blood tests are all normal and the family doc don't know whats going on. The questions: Is this typical of RA? Is my immune system concentrating more on the illness and less on the joints, or is it something else? Anybody else experience this? Thanks in advance for any input. Hank <~~~ totally confused >I am a 59 year old male that was diagnosed with RA a couple years ago >and put on Plaquinil. I really don't think the plaquinil is working. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >Hank <~~~ totally confused When I get the flu my RA symptoms lessen or disappear. Thumper >I am a 59 year old male that was diagnosed with RA a couple years ago > and put on Plaquinil. I really don't think the plaquinil is working. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Hank <~~~ totally confused Hi Hank,,,, that is a question that I have thought much about. I knew a woman that had more joint damage in two years of having RA than I have in 30 years. I try to remember that when I get the "wooo as meeesss". In my early years when my knees had to be drained a couple of times a year, most of my knee damage took place. Active, uncontrolled RA is when most of the damage gets done for me butttt I know a person or two that never had much pain and swelling but has had their knees replaced or ankles fused. It is why we have to stay under the care of an RD and why that care is such an art. Harv > I am a 59 year old male that was diagnosed with RA a couple years ago I'm going to ask a common question used in ASA: Diagnosed by who? What kind of doctor? > and put on Plaquinil. Again, by who? > Blood tests are all normal and the family doc don't know whats going on. What does your rheumatologist say is going on? Or have you ever been to a rheumy? On Aug 22, 3:18?pm, "california_chief" <Fire_Chief@Jamacha_Junction_FD.ca.us> wrote: > > I am a 59 year old male that was diagnosed with RA a couple years ago > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Or have you ever been to a rheumy? I was diagnosed by my family Doctor and was sent to a RD. RD concurred that I have RA and kept me on Plaquinil. I haven't been back to the RD yet because it takes months to get an appointment. Hank > I was diagnosed by my family Doctor and was sent to a RD. RD concurred > that I have RA and kept me on Plaquinil. I haven't been back to the RD > yet because it takes months to get an appointment. > > Hank You definitely need to get in to see the RD again. S/he should be following you on a regular basis and almost certainly will after this. You need to be on a stronger DMARD and those require regular monitoring. It was good of your family doc to pick up on the possibility of RA and send you to an RD. It might be easier to get back in to see the RD this time as you'll be a returning patient rather than a new one.  SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare ?It > might be easier to get back in to see the RD this time as you'll be a > returning patient rather than a new one. > > -- > Nann Well, that's what I though too. It seems that since I haven't seen him (RD)in a couple years, I am considered a "new patient" and I must go to my family doc first and then have him "refer" me. That pissed me off. Hank <~~~stubborn old man > ?It >> might be easier to get back in to see the RD this time as you'll be a [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > to my family doc first and then have him "refer" me. That pissed me > off. I just went thru that with two of my favorite specialists. Feel good and don't go in for a follow up every three or six months and they pretend they don't know you. (Well at least the office staff does) Jo > I just went thru that with two of my favorite specialists. Feel good and > don't go in for a follow up every three or six months and they pretend they > don't know you. (Well at least the office staff does) > > Jo For some reason there are only 2 RDs in the whole Central Ohio area. Both are an hour away, which isn't too bad, but still sucks. I am thinking of going to the "other" one since I have a problem with docs that seem to think they are gods. Especially when even the Arthritis foundation admits that no one really knows for sure what RA actually is and what is the best treatment for the different severities. Hank <~~~not a god, just a saint :-) > For some reason there are only 2 RDs in the whole Central Ohio area. I don't know where all these cities are located, but here is a list of RDs in Ohio. I went through the first 7 places to get an idea about the total number in the state. Ohio Members Providing Patient Care Akron - 8 Avon -1 Beachwood - 1 Brunswick -1 Canton - 5 Cincinnati - 35 Cleveland - 41 Columbus - Dayton Elyria Euclid Fairfield Findlay Gallipolis Hunting Valley Independence Kettering Lancaster Lima Lorain Mansfield Martins Ferry Marysville Mason Mayfield Heights Mayfield Village Mentor Middleburg Heights Middletown Monroe Oberlin Orange Village Parma Perrysburg Portsmouth Ravenna Sandusky Shaker Heights Solon South Euclid Toledo Vandalia Westlake Willoughby Willoughby Hills Wooster Youngstown Zanesville On Aug 24, 7:12?pm, "california_chief" > I don't know where all these cities are located, but here is a list of RDs > in Ohio. I went through the first 7 places to get an idea about the total > number in the state. Hi Chief, Where did you find this info? Do you have a link? I do know that a couple of the cities you listed don't have any RD's listed in the latest phone book. Thanks, Hank "Hustlin' Hank" write and asked: > Hi Chief, > Where did you find this info? Do you have a link? The American College of Rheumatology http://www.rheumatology.org/index.asp?aud=mem Left side of page, click on FIND A DOCTOR. You'll be asked to enter a STATE, then you'll see the list of cities I cut-and-paste earlier. There is a list of doctors - names, addresses and phone numbers - under each city. ... Epitaph: JANE EYRE -- Vanished into Thin Eyre On Aug 25, 6:07?pm, "california_chief" > The American College of Rheumatology > > http://www.rheumatology.org/index.asp?aud=mem Thanks for the link Chief. I'll call a couple next week for sure. Hank <~~~retired Fire Lt. I come and read about RA...but usually don't post, but today, i'm gonna....I was diagnosed in 1999.....my primary care dr did the right thing and sent me to a rheumatologist...who sid I didn't have RA.....my PCP had did all the blood work and my sed rate was high.....well the RA dr said I have FMS...maybe I do....but because he took me off all my RA drugs I now have swollen joints most the time......swan neck syndrome in my fingers....exhaustion...it's in my lungs....I've had Respiratory failure 2x......my eyes are getting bad......all because he looked at me and saw something else....well after 4 dr appointments I never went back.....an hour drive in one direction just to hear the same thing.......Now I see this dr list someone has graciously posted and I see there is a dr within 2 miles of me......THANK YOU!!!.....Monday I will make an appointment.....if I have to wait it's ok.....i've waited this look.....my PCP just has me on feldene....and I'm getting to the place where I need more.......Again THANKS.....Celeste > I come and read about RA...but usually don't post, but today, i'm > gonna....I was diagnosed in 1999.....my primary care dr did the right [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > this look.....my PCP just has me on feldene....and I'm getting to the > place where I need more.......Again THANKS.....Celeste I hope you get the help you need. I looked over the list and noticed many more RD's that are NOT listed in the latest phone directory under the heading of RD's. A couple RD's (that were listed in the phone directory and I tried to call) no longer had a phone number. I hope the list is up to date. Hank <~~~pessimistic > Well, that's what I though too. It seems that since I haven't seen him > (RD)in a couple years, I am considered a "new patient" and I must go > to my family doc first and then have him "refer" me. That pissed me > off. > > Hank <~~~stubborn old man heh, it figures. Someone here has named those office functionaries the "dragons at the gate". You might get in earlier with your family doc referring you and wanting you to been seen "soon". I find I get appointments much faster when my docs really want those referrals to happen. And he might be willing to refer you if you just call and ask rather than having to go in to see him too. OTOH, you thought about trying the other RD in your area sounds like a good one to me. It concerns me that this guy put you on plaquenil and cut you loose. They should have been scheduling follow-up appointments with you - at least every 6 months if not more frequent. What part of central Ohio and how far are you willing to drive? We have some contacts in Ohio who are now on another board who have an RD they love in the area. We can either check with them, or you can join the boards on http://rheumorweb.com/ and ask there about Ohio RDs. It's a valid site - we know the owners. SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare > > Well, that's what I though too. It seems that since I haven't seen him > > (RD)in a couple years, I am considered a "new patient" and I must go [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > loose. They should have been scheduling follow-up appointments with you - at > least every 6 months if not more frequent. Not only that, but if you're on Plaquenil, you should be seeing an ophthalmologist (*not* an optometrist!) every six months or so. My Blue Cross can get quite picky about what they cover, but they don't blink at all about the ophthalmologist. SignatureAF "Non Sequitur U has a really, really lousy debate team." --artyw raises the bar on rec.sport.baseball ? > Not only that, but if you're on Plaquenil, you should be seeing an > ophthalmologist (*not* an optometrist!) every six months or so. My Blue [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > -- > AF I need to get an eye exam anyway. Thanks for the advice. Hank > It concerns me that this guy put you on plaquenil and cut you >loose. Did he also refer you to an ophthalmologist for an eye check every six months while on the Plaquenil? That is important. Joan |
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