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Date: 09.02.2010
From: Amy

Subject: hello........

Hi,

My name is Amy, I am 29 and a mum to my 18 month old daughter. I am concerned I may have rheumatoid Arthritsis and, I guess i'm looking for some answers.
10 years ago I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrme and operated on, I've recently had flair ups of pain in that wrist but put it down to that, but I've realised I get awful pains in the other wrist too, they both feel stiff....I often feel like my big toes are 'stuck' like I want to click the jpint but cant, I get sharp atabbing pains in both knees...I am constantly tired and irritable...

I have been diagnosed with anaemia and over the last 8 years have been diagnosed with 4 seperate auto immune disorders.

Am i barking up the wrong tree here or does it sound like RA could be he problem

Many thanks, Amy
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Date: 09.02.2010
From: Angela

Subject: Re: hello........

Hiya Amy,
I would go and talk to your GP and mention all this,if he has anything about him, he should check your blood and see whats going on.
If you have 4 autoimmune disorders anyway, it may have something to do with them,or it maybe RA. You really need to see your GP dont keep suffering, and hopefully he will refer you.
Take Care
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Date: 09.02.2010
From: sally

Subject: Re: hello........

Hi Amy, it's difficult to say. RA can be difficult to diagnose, even the bloods are sometimes confusing. Ask your gp to refer you to a rheumatologist if you don't already have one. They can do the blood tests but with a rheummy you will be able to get them to look at the bigger picture.
good luck.
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Date: 10.02.2010
From: Jill

Subject: Re: hello........

Hi Amy Big welcome to the Forum.....after my first baby in 86, had terrible pain in my writs and upper arms..I wanted to chop the buggers off...and it was worse at night, didnt sleep for months and months, not beos of my newborn, but becos of my pain....My gp thort I was going Mental due to having just had a baby, and wanted to refer me to a Psychaitrist!!!! lol told my Mum who new the GP well...she rang him up, told him what for, and next day got an appointment to see a Nurosurgeon....went to Kings college in London, has the tests, and guess what.... was the worst Carpal Tunnel they had ever seen!!!!...op on right hand, and often after an op, the other hand can get better, its due to compression on the merdian nerve running from wrist into hand...but had to go back 3 weks later for left hand to be operated on too! so had a new born and two hand ops!!Nightmare!....since 84ish had pain in other joints.....on and off for years had pain in neck, back, knnes etc....told it was Non Progressive arthritis, i carried on with life.....2002 went down hill, misdiagnosed all those years ago...rammbling here sorry, Carpal Tunnel is or can be(was told by rhummy) that its part and parcel in some people and is to do with the dreaded arthritis!...also so is the Thyroid, which I have also had removed(most of it) in 1994!!May I be nosy ans ask what the other auto immune conditions U have? like Angela said, mite be to do with the other health issues u have ?? tc Jill
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Date: 11.02.2010
From: Amy

Subject: Re: hello........

Thanks for your reply Jill, my auto immune conditions are hypothyroidism, restless leg syndrome, pernicious anaemia and vitiligo.
Bless you having your ops with your newborn too....I was never convinced that I actually had carpal tunnel syndrome, I didnt have anytests done on my wrists until after the op, when they told me it had gone!!! The pain in my wrists now doesnt fit the symtoms of carpal tunnel, and it doesnt seem to be made worse by anything. My fingers feel really swollen at the moment and have limited mobility, and the pain I get in my toes can be excruciating., I alos get back pain and knee pain. i have made an appointment with my GP for next week so will keep my fingers crossed, not literally, as I can't!!
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Date: 11.02.2010
From: Jill

Subject: Re: hello........

Hi Amy, well we do have some things in common LOLOL, I had most of my Thyroid removed due to a Growth on it,My Mum had Over active Thyroid, and my dad had Growth on his Thyroid too and had that removed, in the past I have had (never ever mentioned this on here b4)..Acromegaly(gang go google it, lol give u something to do hehehehhahe)...Amy talking to the regulars on here, anyway Thyroid and acromegaly runs in my family....lots aunt have overactive thyroid, or like me, sub total thyrodectomy(mines regrowing tho) if a lump appears on the thyroid, these days they remove the lot(due to regrowth) and then given Thyroxine for life, which I guess U r taking....pooor u, my Thyroid tests come back Normal, Most of the time, my GP says there is a window of allowance, but sometimes it just hits the top end where I feel I need Thyroxine, but next text it goes back down again, so guess ive been lucky not having to take that med along with everything else I take..... all I want to say is, was told by Thyroid specialist that Thyroid, acromegaly, carpal tunnel, all go hand in hand with Arthritis.... sounds tome sadly, that u do have some form of artha(arthritis) soz we call it Artha in here, when U go to see your GP(assuming its for the furst time with regards this new pain??) anyway, dont let him say to U, come back and see me in two weeks, Do NOT let him do that, U ask him to be refered Immed to see a rhumatologist, becos with your other Health issues, Id say from what u explained, tht it cld be the Dreaded Artha! also there is often a waiting list to see a rhummy(2/3months) so dont pout it off any longer, get in to see one asap, and he/she can help u understand what is going on, and give u decent pain killers, nowt to be scared of, U have been thru the system like me, lol many times with one thing and another, but take someone with u, it does help.......Amy take care and hear from U soon Jill x
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Date: 11.02.2010
From: Amy

Subject: Re: hello........

Thanks Jill, yeah I have a few relatives with thyroid problems, my dad had a growth so had his removed and my aunt had thyroid cancer, mine just plain packed up! I take a lot of thyroxine but generally its under control. I've had an inclining for a while tha I may have arthritis but I guess Ive never wanted to admit there may be another problem, it was only when I read somewhere that it is autoimmune I thought oh bugger there we go then! Seem my own body doesnt like me very much! I will continue to snoop around here if thats ok and see what happens on wednesday when I se GP
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Date: 11.02.2010
From: jill

Subject: Re: hello........

Amy U stay as long as u like here, the more the merrier, ive been on this site for over a year, find it helpful, and also good to feeel that we r not coping alone...wish I found this site years ago...I enjoy the posts, and when U get to know some of them in here, well we like a giggle too....as this can get alll too much for us, mind U, one thing I never do(guess becos im a Vetran of the rotten old Artha) is think that everything that is written about the affects of this condition, means that we will all get it, we r all at differnt stages, and altho mine is blidddy chronic, doenst mean that others will be, so its important to remember(im sure u do) doesnt mean tht things will get so bad for u, especailly if they give u the correct meds quick, sadly for me, I didnt! yea my bod hates me too!! lol mind U I hate it back, so guess im even ....speak soon x
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