Aches and pains
Question:
Hi Amy, Yes arthritis can be found even if you are completely clear of "P", there is fluid retained in all joints, in joints with arthritis there is less thus the creaking sound in the joint, a sample of this fluid can be taken and analyised to determine whether it is PA or another form of arthritis. If you have injured any fingers or joints in your hands, then the probability is very high. I know for a fact that fluid can be taken to examine the type of arthritis because I had it done to both my knees, this was instructed by the Courts to determine whether the arthritis that I developed was due to "P" as the insurance company claimed or if it was due to a car accident I was in. David – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> OK, question here for anyone who might know… > Can a rheumatologist diagnose PA if your not currently having a flare? These > symptoms sound suspiciously familiar to me but my hands are fairly clear > right now. Could a decent evaluation be done now or should I wait until my > next flare? > Thanks, > Amy Ann
Response:
I agree. I had only scalp psoriasis when I first started having pain. I then had no idea it was related. Neither did my dr unfortunately. It took awhile but pa was eventually diagnosed. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi Amy, > Yes arthritis can be found even if you are completely clear of "P", there > is fluid retained in all joints, in joints with arthritis there is less > thus the creaking sound in the joint, a sample of this fluid can be taken > and analyised to determine whether it is PA or another form of arthritis. > If you have injured any fingers or joints in your hands, then the > probability is very high. > I know for a fact that fluid can be taken to examine the type of arthritis > because I had it done to both my knees, this was instructed by the Courts > to determine whether the arthritis that I developed was due to "P" as the > insurance company claimed or if it was due to a car accident I was in. > David > OK, question here for anyone who might know… > Can a rheumatologist diagnose PA if your not currently having a flare? > These > symptoms sound suspiciously familiar to me but my hands are fairly clear > right now. Could a decent evaluation be done now or should I wait until > my > next flare? > Thanks, > Amy Ann
Response:
Sorry it took a couple of days to reply. There are a lot of meds out there. I took methotrexate myself. It didn’t work so well for me though. I couldn’t take the side effects. My p.a. has been in remission for a couple of years now. The only thing I can figure is this: I was taking Soriatane for the psoriasis and it dried up the mucous membranes in my intestinal tract so bad that I developed Chron’s – like symptoms. The diarrhea got so bad that I was dehydrating and had to go to hospital. I was evacuating 40 to 60 times a day. I was in hospital for 2.5 weeks. Two weeks of which I was on intravenous because I couldn’t eat. I had to stop ALL meds. I thought ….this is it….I’ll die of pain or I’ll flake to death. They put cortisone in my i.v. drip. A steady diet of cortisone and no food for 2 solid weeks and my arthritis was kicked into remission. My psoriasis even got better (although it quickly returned as soon as I started to eat again). Which leads me to believe that diet does have a lot to do with the severity of it. I suggest you post your questions to the news group, as they have more meds info than I do. I wish you the very best of luck. Fran – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ——Original Message—– Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 1999 2:51 PM I cant believe the resemblance, when I read your post… I feel the EXACT SAME WAY.. I cant get out of the bed until atleast10:30am.. I feel paralyzed and achey. How do we treat p.a.?? Could you tell me? And do the meds have side-effects? ANd how worse does this get, Is it as bad as regular arthritis? I lost my fulltime job because of this.. I also went to a shrink because I was going nuts, And then I realized that , that wasnt the problem… Unbelievable similariries… I appreciate anything you could share with me.. Thank-u << Message: Re: Aches and pains >>
Response:
> Hi, Sarah… and welcome! It does sound suspiciously like you may have some PA > there, but of course you need to see a rheumatologist to get that pinned down > for sure. > When PA flares in a joint, that joint will sometimes become swollen, hot to the > touch, and painful. You may have stiffness, especially first thing in the > morning. The length of time this stiffness lasts is diagnostically of > interest, so make a note of it to discuss with the rheumatologist. You should > also describe your pain in exact and infinite detail… what it feels like, how > long it lasts, what makes it better, etc.
You might like to take a look at http://www.Magna-Heal.freeserve.co.uk for information on using magnetism for pain relief. Queens Hospital in Mottingham uses magnetism extensively for arthritis and rehumatism treatment. Dave —
Response:
OK, question here for anyone who might know… Can a rheumatologist diagnose PA if your not currently having a flare? These symptoms sound suspiciously familiar to me but my hands are fairly clear right now. Could a decent evaluation be done now or should I wait until my next flare? Thanks, Amy Ann
Response:
Interesting that you should ask. This is why my p.a. was not diagnosed for almost 8 months. I kept going to the dr. and complaining of pain, swelling. Sometimes I could not even get up….I felt paralyzed. It was scary. The dr. tried to tell me that my pain, etc…was psychological and/or self-induced. He sent me to a shrink. Next time I had a p.a. attack, I had someone drag me into the dr.’s office without an appt. in extreme pain. I didn’t have any nail polish on that day. He noticed that my nails were covered in pitts. I used nail filler and polish to hide it usually. Didn’t know what it was from. After a bit of research, he apologized for telling me it was all in my head and told me I had p.a. All this to say that sometimes the blood tests are not that ‘telling’ . It’s rare enough so tell your doc what to look for. The evaluation will go a lot better if he/she knows what to look for. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > OK, question here for anyone who might know… > Can a rheumatologist diagnose PA if your not currently having a flare? These > symptoms sound suspiciously familiar to me but my hands are fairly clear > right now. Could a decent evaluation be done now or should I wait until my > next flare? > Thanks, > Amy Ann
Response:
Hi, Sarah… and welcome! It does sound suspiciously like you may have some PA there, but of course you need to see a rheumatologist to get that pinned down for sure. When PA flares in a joint, that joint will sometimes become swollen, hot to the touch, and painful. You may have stiffness, especially first thing in the morning. The length of time this stiffness lasts is diagnostically of interest, so make a note of it to discuss with the rheumatologist. You should also describe your pain in exact and infinite detail… what it feels like, how long it lasts, what makes it better, etc. Ibuprofen is an NSAID, a nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug. It works on pain and inflammation, but does nothing about the underlying disease progression, and this can potentially cause permanent joint damage. You should also be careful to follow the usual NSAID precautions to avoid side effects which can be serious, even with over-the-counter versions of these drugs. (that means take with a full meal, do not mix different kinds of NSAIDs, and stop the drug and report to your physician if you have any signs of blood in the stool, black or tarry stools, "coffee grounds" stools, or sharp pain behind the breastbone.) Please do not delay getting to a good rheumy to put a name to those knee and hip pains and start proper treatment. The following noncommercial website has lots more information on PA and its treatment: http://www.arthritis.co.za/ Start with the Index Pages… the diseases… then psoriatic arthritis/spondyloarthropathies. Best regards,
Response:
> OK, question here for anyone who might know… > Can a rheumatologist diagnose PA if your not currently > having a flare?
Not really. A positive ID of PA is typically a matter of a process of elimination, so the doc needs to see the condition in progress mainly just to verify that it isn’t something else. > These > symptoms sound suspiciously familiar to me but my hands are fairly clear > right now. Could a decent evaluation be done now or should I wait until my > next flare?
There are a couple of good reasons to go ahead and schedule an appmnt with the RD now. First, you can get a feel for whether they seem competent and concerned. If not you’re better off finding a different doc BEFORE you get in worse trouble later. Second, assuming the doc passes your initial once-over inspection, a non-flare visit would allow you to establish a "baseline" so that when you come back when you’re really hurting the doc can hopefully see the difference. — Nathan Engle Electron Juggler Indiana University Dept of Psychology "Some Assembly Required"
Response:
I can’t tell you if what you have is Psoriatic arthritis. All I know is that when I had it, I WAS better off when I was moving. Long periods of sitting still made it agony to get moving again. I nearly needed a crane to get me out of bed in the morning.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi there, this is the first time I’ve written to a newsgroup so hopefully I > can get it right ! > My name is Sarah and I’ve had p for nearly 9 years now. Although it never > disappeared, for the > last couple of years I have managed to keep it under control. In February > it started to flare > though and I am already covered again – due to start UVB in the next week or > so (at least I’ll get > a suntan which is always good when you live in Scotland !!) > Anyway p is not my main concern. For the last couple of days I have been > unable to stand or sit > for long periods of time because of terrible pain mainly in my hips and > knees. Industrial strength > Ibruprofen numbs it after an hour or so however I am worried that it may be > related to my p. The > only way I can describe it as a sort of burning sensation/stiffness that is > almost better when I am > on the move than when I am still. I have never experienced anything like > this and would appreciate > any ideas you may have. Can anyone describe what PA is like for example ?? > Thanks.
Response:
Hi there, this is the first time I’ve written to a newsgroup so hopefully I can get it right ! My name is Sarah and I’ve had p for nearly 9 years now. Although it never disappeared, for the last couple of years I have managed to keep it under control. In February it started to flare though and I am already covered again – due to start UVB in the next week or so (at least I’ll get a suntan which is always good when you live in Scotland !!) Anyway p is not my main concern. For the last couple of days I have been unable to stand or sit for long periods of time because of terrible pain mainly in my hips and knees. Industrial strength Ibruprofen numbs it after an hour or so however I am worried that it may be related to my p. The only way I can describe it as a sort of burning sensation/stiffness that is almost better when I am on the move than when I am still. I have never experienced anything like this and would appreciate any ideas you may have. Can anyone describe what PA is like for example ?? Thanks.
Response:
i only developed p.a. about 3 months ago,primarily in my fingers,but now also in my knees and ankles.at first it felt like little pin pricks and then about a week later a burning sensation.then stiffness and pain followed by a huge amount of swelling.like you,if i keep moving the affected parts the pain is reduced,but the longer i use them the greater the pian and swelling is later on.i take neoral for my p and ibuprofen for the p.a. but as yet have had no reduction of swelling.
Response:
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