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Date: 26.04.2010
From: Millie

Subject: Curious

Ok so after 7 years of aches and pains i've just had a blood test done aged 32, to find my rheumatoid factor is 35 so i shall be requesting a referral to a rheumatologist straight away.

After initial mixture of relief - finally i had an answer and reason for my pain but also devastation that i may become disabled and dependant.

I now think i'm having denial. i'm convincing myself that my pains are not arthritis because they don't sound the same as ones i read about.
I could not sleep for four hours last night as i had this ache in the front of my shoulder (have had this several times before) there is no way to relieve the pain - touching rubbing moving squeezing does not help absolutely nothing except patience for it to wear off - which it did eventually with the help of painkillers and ibuleve gel.
It feels like something should yank my arm really hard to make something click - but that doesn't work i've had my partner try! My wrist now has the same problem.

Can anyone describe their pain for me?
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: Kirstine

Subject: Re: Curious

Hi, i think everyone on here will have felt as you do at some point or other so you are not alone. My pains are like ive got are in my knees, shoulders elbows and wrists and fingers (all over lol), in my shoulders they feel very much how you described but in amongst the ache i get a feelin as tho ive got a knitting needle going through the joint. My elbows are the same as my wrists and get shooting pains in them and my knees feel very stiff and achey. In general i also get extream weakness where i cannot move as my whe body feels like its in conreate ( this is being looked into as it may not be the RA causing it). Hope this helps
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: Jill

Subject: Re: Curious

Millie, your shoulder sounds like Impingement to me, Ive had both shoulders operated on for that....the way u described your discomfort(altho sounds gneral) soundd like I had, couldnt sleep on it at all, u described it perfect.....U may have a spur(extra bone growth) pinching your tendons.....U need taht look at, it may NOT be that of course, but if it is, it doenst go away.........basically my pain is like a Rat gnawing on my joints and nerves, I get a lot of Nerve pain..... elbows and wrsits pain feels same , Like Kristine mentioned!.... I also get extreme fatigue, the house cld burn down and i wldnt know it.... Millie U must go see agbout the shoulders ok,......regards your furture, well, its as good as U want it to be, Positivity is everything(drops the stress levels) hard to be, but it can be worked on,.....if U get the correct meds immed, then u lessen the chance of getting damage to your joints, sadly mine was Misdiagnosed for years, now have MTX and Enbrel Anti TNF Bio meds...and todate had 7 corrective surgery ops 2003/2007, so a lot of corrective surgery sadly, however, all helped, so kinda know what im yaking about in terms of damage to a point, dont know it all cos im not a specialist, But I ma the Victim of this conditon, U wont be in denial for long, U have had a shock to the system ok, and are entiteld to feel the weay u do, but please get a referal fast, can take months to see a rhummy! get GP to send u as Urgent, mention it, or u will go on the routine waiting list, which is 18weeks....let us know what ya do...go see GP this week, its important tc Jill
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: KayJay

Subject: Re: Curious

Millie the feeling and pain you get in your shoulder is a bit like I get in my finger joints. I described the pain to the Rhuemie as a twisting pain as though someone was twisting the top part of the finger. Funnily enough I find I feel like twisting it the other way !! It just feels like if I did this the pain would go. It dosn't though becos I';ve tried it. Also you can get heat in the affected joint as they are inflamed. You can tell if you put your hand over the area and compare it with an unaffected joint. The inflamed area will feel hotter than the non affected joint. Sometimes my knees feel like they are on fire and sometimes [ usually when I wake up in the morning ] it feels like someone is hammering a nail into them.
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: KayJay

Subject: Re: Curious

Forgot to say my RA was at 80 before they put me on Plaquenil. Hope it won't be too long before you get to see the Rhuemie.
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: louloubelle

Subject: Re: Curious

Hi Millie

Your question "can anyone describe their pain for me?" is the best question ever 'cos I think people will come up with lots of different descriptions!!!

I have Psoriatic Arthritis which is a bit different but behaves in a very similar way to RA. I have it in both of my shoulders (as well as lots of other joints). If you lift your arm out in front of you or out to the side there is a natural resistence point before you have to really use your muscles to lift the arm. When I am having a flare up, I am only able to lift my arms a few inches. I would say, while it's painful, it's more stiffness that bothers me. There's generally a dull ache all over the joint (particularly under the arm pit). It can feel very tender to touch, almost as though it's badly bruised, so laying down can be very painful. Every so often, particularly when I move, I get a pain that is very much like having needles put into the joint (which I have had over the years so know from experience). Sometimes a joint can feel like it has a big bubble in it that needs to pop. Other times it feels as though I need a good massage. And then other times it feels as though all the bones need clicking!

I have found that sometimes the pain can vary with the weather and very much reflect it. For example, on a sharp, cold day I get sharp shooting pains and on humid or wet days get a really dull, heavy pain.

Having said all of the above, in more recent years the medication that is available is about a million times better than it used to be and now that you have your diagnosis you will be able to manage the condition (my rheumy has been amazing and perservered in finding me a medication to suit me - so much so that all symptoms of arthur have been minimized to practically none at all, although temporarty blip of not been able to take any meds at the mos as I'm pregnant). Please try and see your diagnosis as a really positive step in the right direction. It's quite scary but trust me, you will be fine.

All the best
Lou x
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: Verity

Subject: Re: Curious

Hey Millie!
I tend to get lots of different types of pain lol I get a lot of jolting pain and also a lot of really sore, almost stinging pain in my joints. Its really weird that it stings so much when there isn't any sort of surface wound!
I get the usual stiffness pains, and shooting pains, aching etc
Lovely isnt it! lol

Take care

xx
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Date: 26.04.2010
From: jill

Subject: Re: Curious

Louloubelle, how is baby doing? cant remember how far gone u r now, but must be a fair size Bump by now......and have u found out if your having a boy/girl? or keeping as a wonderful surprise? tc Jill x
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Date: 27.04.2010
From: louloubelle

Subject: Re: Curious

Hey Jill, I'm 15 weeks today, only 25 more to go :)

I don't have a bump yet!!! I've actually lost over a stone in weight 'cos I've been having issues eating very much and then got a tummy bug too. Also, as the pregnancy hormones haven't helped my PA at all I've been having a really super tough time with my joints and I always lose my appetite when they are bad.

I barely have any movement in my wrists at all now and have weird shaped lumps of fluid appear on the top of my hands. My right knee has blown up like a football again and, as I've already had it drained twice in two months. I'm leaving it as long as I can bear it before I mention it to my rheumy.

My fella is being ace and really looking after me, he's doing all of the housework, cooking and cleaning so all I have to do is go to work and nothing else! Can't wait to have the baby so that I can go back on my medication. I'm really lucky that I know I can go back on enbrel and that it works so amazingly for me!!! I might have to delay starting back on the meds though as I may have to have a c-section 'cos they think I have a fibroid that'll get in the way of delivering but find out at 20 week scan when we also find out the sex of the baby!!!! It's so exciting and definitely helps me get through the bad crap with all this pain and exhaustion knowing that I will have our little bubba at the end of it :)

Lou x
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Date: 27.04.2010
From: Jill14

Subject: Re: Curious

Awwwww Lou((((((masssive Hugs for u)))))),glad ya keeping positive, and its sooooooooooo exciting, wish I was having another......loved it so much.....just remember, U will soon be able to get back on those meds, and after all its worth it, once you get your Bundle of Joy in your arms.....nowt like it, absolutley nothing can compare to that!! stay strong, ginger is meant to be good, i was always sicky til 5 monthsd, ginger nuts biccies were fab for me.....try toast,little starwberry jam, helped.....tc Lou xxx
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