Sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I have been having trouble doing just about anything I don't have to because of my joint pain. By the time I get home, I'm wiped. This last week has been the worst yet and I just couldn't get myself motivated to write a post. Unfortunately the pain affects my mood and I've been a little depressed lately. A person can only take so much constant pain without starting to get down about it. Thankfully, I finally get to see a specialist on Thursday, so I'm hoping to find out something soon.
UPDATE: I have since been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. This has actually been a blessing because I no longer feel crazy. I used to feel as if I had all these aches and pains that weren't connected. Now I know that all those aches and pains were due to RA. It is unfortunate to be diagnosed with a lifelong disease, but I'm glad that it was diagnosed and that I have good medication to cope with it. HUMIRA has changed my life!
Showing posts with label Joint Pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joint Pain. Show all posts
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Behind Again...
I'm really getting behind on my blogging. I just haven't felt like taking the time. I've been super busy at work trying to get papers graded and lessons planned, so I've been staying late most days. Then there is the joint pain...
I went to the doctor last week, then had my blood drawn. Found out that I do have elevated levels of inflammation. The ortho doctor (hand specialist) that I saw said that there was something big picture going on...something rheumatic. She said if I hadn't already had labs ordered, she would have ordered it for me. That tells me that it is definitely rheumatic and not bone related. I have an appointment with a rheumatologist at the end of the month.
I'm hoping to get a diagnosis soon, but I've heard a lot of horror stories about it taking years for some people to get a diagnosis. I'm praying that I'm one of the lucky ones.
Yesterday was a really bad pain day. I almost stayed home from work, but I had too much grading to do and all the papers were at the school. I would have had to drive in to work to get them anyway.
Here's hoping to find relief soon. I will try to do better with the blogging!
I went to the doctor last week, then had my blood drawn. Found out that I do have elevated levels of inflammation. The ortho doctor (hand specialist) that I saw said that there was something big picture going on...something rheumatic. She said if I hadn't already had labs ordered, she would have ordered it for me. That tells me that it is definitely rheumatic and not bone related. I have an appointment with a rheumatologist at the end of the month.
I'm hoping to get a diagnosis soon, but I've heard a lot of horror stories about it taking years for some people to get a diagnosis. I'm praying that I'm one of the lucky ones.
Yesterday was a really bad pain day. I almost stayed home from work, but I had too much grading to do and all the papers were at the school. I would have had to drive in to work to get them anyway.
Here's hoping to find relief soon. I will try to do better with the blogging!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Could This Be What's Wrong?
For the last year I have been living in pain almost daily. I could probably count the number of completely pain free days on my fingers. Every time I have some new pain, I just tell people it is one of my "random pains". I feel crazy; at least I feel like everyone else probably thinks I'm crazy. I've blogged about this before.
For the last three weeks I have been having consistent joint pain and stiffness every morning: neck, back, wrists and feet. My knees have also had stiffness and pain on and off for the last three weeks. It is so miserable getting up in the morning because it is almost impossible to walk because my feet hurt so bad. Luckily, the pain is at its worst in the morning, and then mostly goes away by late morning.
This morning I finally decided to go on WebMD and look up why my feet might be hurting (seriously...I have lost almost 80 pounds, they should be feeling better, not worse). After dismissing almost every disease (including gout), I decided to look at Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Unfortunately RA covers almost every pain I have had in the last year. Shoulder pain (maybe that wasn't bursitis), all my joint pain (including my feet) and it can even cause carpal tunnel. RA affects body symmetrically, and both my wrists hurt, both my knees, both my feet, etc. The more I read about RA, the more it seemed like a possibility, so I went to the doctor this afternoon to finally do something about all my "random" pains. The doctor didn't think I was crazy for suggesting RA, so I go in for blood work on Thursday morning and will schedule an appointment with a Rheumatoidologist after the blood tests come back.
RA is life-long and debilitating, so I hope I don't have it. However, I really want to know what is wrong with me, especially now that I believe the pains aren't random, but are symptoms of a larger issue.
I just want everyone, myself included, to know I'm not crazy or trying to seek attention with all of my pain.
UPDATE: RA is what I have! Instead of being depressed with the diagnosis (as a log people are with RA), I have found the drug that works for me (Humira), and I have been pain free for about 2 years! I just had a check up today, and my doctor sees no inflammation!!
For the last three weeks I have been having consistent joint pain and stiffness every morning: neck, back, wrists and feet. My knees have also had stiffness and pain on and off for the last three weeks. It is so miserable getting up in the morning because it is almost impossible to walk because my feet hurt so bad. Luckily, the pain is at its worst in the morning, and then mostly goes away by late morning.
This morning I finally decided to go on WebMD and look up why my feet might be hurting (seriously...I have lost almost 80 pounds, they should be feeling better, not worse). After dismissing almost every disease (including gout), I decided to look at Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Unfortunately RA covers almost every pain I have had in the last year. Shoulder pain (maybe that wasn't bursitis), all my joint pain (including my feet) and it can even cause carpal tunnel. RA affects body symmetrically, and both my wrists hurt, both my knees, both my feet, etc. The more I read about RA, the more it seemed like a possibility, so I went to the doctor this afternoon to finally do something about all my "random" pains. The doctor didn't think I was crazy for suggesting RA, so I go in for blood work on Thursday morning and will schedule an appointment with a Rheumatoidologist after the blood tests come back.
RA is life-long and debilitating, so I hope I don't have it. However, I really want to know what is wrong with me, especially now that I believe the pains aren't random, but are symptoms of a larger issue.
I just want everyone, myself included, to know I'm not crazy or trying to seek attention with all of my pain.
UPDATE: RA is what I have! Instead of being depressed with the diagnosis (as a log people are with RA), I have found the drug that works for me (Humira), and I have been pain free for about 2 years! I just had a check up today, and my doctor sees no inflammation!!
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