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Old 09-13-2019, 11:09   #1
frostfire
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rheumatoid arthritis

or rather seronegative rheumatoid arthritis ( impression is chronic inflammatory oligoarthritis). Negative anti CCP, negative ANA, negative RF., but 38 ESR and over 40 CRP. Swollen, tender wrists for a week. Can't even pick up pillow from ground.

Anyone ever deal with a patient diagnosed or such or yourself?
Is it as "done deal" as regular rheumatoid arthritis?
Currently on diflofenac (NSAIDS), prednisolone (steroid), metotrexate (DMARDS).

When one goes from being able to hold .45 match load in one hand slinging 5 rounds to 2 inches group at 25 in less than 10 sec to having to ask someone to open a juice bottle, one either loses mind or grows humble Come to think of it, I've had "flare up" since back in active duty, but less than 24 hours and resolved with NSAIDS and rest. Army diagnosed only as tenosynovitis. This time it was over a week and NSAIDS/splinting didnt do anything...I had to rotate ice and hot water to make the pain subside !
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Old 09-13-2019, 13:43   #2
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Originally Posted by frostfire View Post
When one goes from being able to hold .45 match load in one hand slinging 5 rounds to 2 inches group at 25 in less than 10 sec to having to ask someone to open a juice bottle,

Not a doc,, but is there a "carpal tunnel" syndrome for pistol shooters??
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Old 09-14-2019, 13:05   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frostfire View Post
or rather seronegative rheumatoid arthritis ( impression is chronic inflammatory oligoarthritis). Negative anti CCP, negative ANA, negative RF., but 38 ESR and over 40 CRP. Swollen, tender wrists for a week. Can't even pick up pillow from ground.

Anyone ever deal with a patient diagnosed or such or yourself?
Is it as "done deal" as regular rheumatoid arthritis?
Currently on diflofenac (NSAIDS), prednisolone (steroid), metotrexate (DMARDS).

When one goes from being able to hold .45 match load in one hand slinging 5 rounds to 2 inches group at 25 in less than 10 sec to having to ask someone to open a juice bottle, one either loses mind or grows humble Come to think of it, I've had "flare up" since back in active duty, but less than 24 hours and resolved with NSAIDS and rest. Army diagnosed only as tenosynovitis. This time it was over a week and NSAIDS/splinting didnt do anything...I had to rotate ice and hot water to make the pain subside !
Frostfire, I real feel for you. My father had a good dose of rheumatoid arthritis when he was in his late 20s and pained him for many years. He was generally a very positive guy but that disease constantly did a number on him. Hopefully drugs are better now to alleviate the pain associated with that.
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Old 09-15-2019, 09:26   #4
frostfire
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Not a doc,, but is there a "carpal tunnel" syndrome for pistol shooters??
Yea, got myself checked mid season few years back for it but the nerve test was negative.Truly it seems in the nature-nurture-choice continuum, I have all the training, will, desire n mindset to achieve high performance....but not the genes to sustain it!
Come to think of it, every year at Perry during the weeklong nationals I was maxed out on ibuprofen everyday + ice. The team SGM was always eager to put me in every team relay. Too prideful n eager to achieve to look after no. 1 I guess

Thanks Chucko. The signs were there all along I guess. Certain atmospherics n long flight had always done me a number. Yes, meds are doing their job n I’m back in the gym. Follow up in a month
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"Aide-toi, Dieu t'aidera " Jehanne, la Pucelle

Der, der Geld verliert, verliert einiges;
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Old 09-16-2019, 12:04   #5
mcarey
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My wife suffers from RA, she was on meds for years, but now controls all but flare ups with diet.

Patriot Power green supplement in AM (reduces inflammation) I take this to just for my inflammation level.

Stay away from night shade plants (tomatoes, mushrooms, etc. and cut down your carb intake).

No processed foods. (If it comes in a box or bag or has preservatives)

Works for her and she still goes every 3 months to have her blood work done and see her rheumatologist.

All the best to you!

Last edited by mcarey; 09-16-2019 at 12:06.
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Old 10-17-2019, 04:45   #6
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My wife has had RA for ten years and has tried a wide variety of med, diets, etc. She is finally on Remicade and it has worked wonders. She gets an infusion every six weeks. It is very expensive but Tricare covers it.
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Old 10-17-2019, 09:01   #7
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thanks fred.

Currently on methotrexate, steroid and NSAID. Hardly any symptoms left, but boy the side effects of methorexate are something else...
It didnt help that I volunteered to escort multinational VIPs for 20km rocky trek at 6000 ft. I just thought back in the day, 12 miles in 2:45 to 3 hrs with 35lb+, no problem. Well, back in the day is just that....back then lol Slept 14 hours afterwards
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"we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" Rom. 5:3-4

"So we can suffer, and in suffering we know who we are" David Goggins

"Aide-toi, Dieu t'aidera " Jehanne, la Pucelle

Der, der Geld verliert, verliert einiges;
Der, der einen Freund verliert, verliert viel mehr;
Der, der das Vertrauen verliert, verliert alles.

INDNJC
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Old 10-19-2019, 05:51   #8
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My wife was on the methotrexate, steroid, NSAID cocktail and it caused her more problems than it solved. Remicade has worked wonders. No more steroids or NSAIDs.
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Old 10-19-2019, 15:57   #9
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Hey, Frost, I hate to hear you’re going through this. My wife has had RA for 7-8 years and she’s only 38. She has done the whole gamut of TA meds and is on, supposedly, the last one there is, which is a biological called Xeljanz. I know she’s tough as hell, because she never complains, but there are some days she just cries and says it feels like someone is crushing her bones. As the previous post mentioned, methotrexate was hell for her. It made her feel like shit, she was losing her hair, and it even caused forgetfulness. She also doesn’t want to be addicted to pain pills, so she want let them give her opioid Rx. If you ever have any questions or need anything, feel free to ask me (and I’ll ask her, LOL). Good luck and stay positive!
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Old 10-22-2019, 19:25   #10
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Twitchy: Rheumatoid Arthritis pain does not respond to opiates / opiods. Believe me, I know. Back in 2011 I thought I had dislocated my right hip. Pain was so bad that any movement at all of that leg was excruciating. I gave up trying to get any sleep and called 911 (again, because I thought that I had actually dislocated my hip). I had never had an RA flareup in a large weight-bearing joint before.

To make a very long story short, at the hospital they took x-rays. Could find no dislocation, but an indication of severe inflammation in that hip joint. They gave me a shot of Dilaudid. It gorked me out for awhile, but did absolutely nothing to reduce the pain in the right hip.

Later, when I got to see my rheumatologist, she told me that RA pain does not respond to opiates / opiods. I told her I figured that one out already.

For two years now I have been on Remicade infusions every 8 weeks, still taking the Methotrexate and 4mg of Medrol daily. That is the only way that I can function at all with my RA - which was diagnosed back in 2006.
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Old 10-22-2019, 19:35   #11
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thanks fred.

Currently on methotrexate, steroid and NSAID. Hardly any symptoms left, but boy the side effects of methorexate are something else...
It didnt help that I volunteered to escort multinational VIPs for 20km rocky trek at 6000 ft. I just thought back in the day, 12 miles in 2:45 to 3 hrs with 35lb+, no problem. Well, back in the day is just that....back then lol Slept 14 hours afterwards

Frostfire: Please watch the NSAIDs. They can absolutely cripple your kidneys. (Your doctor should be monitoring your creatinine levels for sure.) The Methotrexate dose that I am on is 10mg once per week. Medrol (cortico-steroid, better than Prednisolone because dosage is smaller) is 4mg once per day. I was put on Remicade infusions (every 8 weeks) two years ago; and so far, that has made all of the difference.

Please find the best Rheumatologist you can in your area. Talk with him (or her) about all of this. I have RA (over 400+ count when first diagnosed back in 2006). My sister, while not having RA, was diagnosed with "Unspecified Inflammatory Disease" - but she wound up on the same treatment as me.

Best of luck to you, sir. I know what it feels like to go from hiking, skiing, running, being active in general, to being, well... you know. Take care of yourself.
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Old 10-22-2019, 23:07   #12
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Thanks for the reply, Stobey. As you mentioned, one of her biggest problems is trying to sleep through the pain. And I’m sure she agrees the opioids don’t help, which is good as she doesn’t take them, anyway. Also, I said Xeljanz, is a biologic, but she corrected me and said it’s not. We don’t really know how it works. Good health to all of you. I know it is a crappy disease to have.
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