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And how long after you start treatment did you see improvement?
I have psoriatic arthritis (a type of RA), that is very aggressive. It went from 0 to I can't walk in a matter of months.
I was already on methotrexate for psoriasis, then it stopped working, and they gave me some high doses of prednisone which didn't work.
I then went on Enbrel and it worked great for 5 years, then started not working as well, and now I am on Taltz. So far so good, but I still have flareups.
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I'd look at sciatica as a probable result of sitting wrong or too long. Lying down or sleep will help a lot. They say your hips should be above your knees when you're sitting. You can do stretches and other exercises, especially walking, to increase your leg strength. Aspirin will help also.
If you didn't get the classic bullseye; it's not Lyme. If you are a female with vaccination within the last year, it could be an adverse vaccine reaction.
If you didn't get the classic bullseye; it's not Lyme. If you are a female with vaccination within the last year, it could be an adverse vaccine reaction.
If you didn't get the classic bullseye; it's not Lyme. If you are a female with vaccination within the last year, it could be an adverse vaccine reaction.
The "classic bullseye" appears in 10%-70% cases...studies are all over the place on the rash, but it clearly isn't 100%....so obviously...YES it could by Lyme without the rash.
You probably have RA and the degeneration and weakness in muscles and joints in the lower body is causing pain and stiffness in other muscles and joints that all work together or are dependent.
You can tell it's a hip flexion if the pain is in the small soft area where the hip meets the thigh on the side. The car seat is a give away. You've already some degeneration in joints.
The "classic bullseye" appears in 10%-70% cases...studies are all over the place on the rash, but it clearly isn't 100%....so obviously...YES it could by Lyme without the rash.
You have probably encountered the spider bite VS MRSA phenomena? Two holes in the wound, looks like a bite but the patient never actually saw the spider? Tests + for MRSA & patient is told it's not a spider bite.
I'm afraid something similar is happening with the massive increase in reports of Lyme disease. Rarely do the patients report being bitten by a tick or finding the tick. Surely tick bites are not the only way to encounter Borrelia burgdorferi. I think something is making people more susceptible to Borrelia burgdorferi in the environment, to where a puncture wound is not necessary.
Yes, vaccines can cause RA. Especially seasonal influenza, MMR & Hep B. Initially it was thought the swine flu vaccine wasn't as likely but evidence has been found against that. If the OP has been recently vaccinated, this should be investigated.
Quote:
Seasonal influenza vaccine has been documented to cause many rheumatic complications, such as, reactive arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and polyarteritis nodosum (PAN), but there is very little evidence in the literature for any association between swine influenza vaccination and RA. However, in 1976, 44 million adults in the USA were immunized with swine flu vaccine. Subsequently many claims were filed against the USA government for various rheumatological adverse reactions including RA.
I have had RA for 40+ years, so I can give some insight from my experiences.
First, I'm sorry you're having such problems. Its good you're looking into the matter in depth.
Concerning blood work:
It sounds like your doctor is laying a good foundation for a diagnosis. He will probably run numerous tests for both basic health and factors that may affect joint problems. Just one caveat---Don't rely exclusively on the RA Factor. That's a specific blood test, and he's probably checking that. It can be negative, and you still do have RA. There are many different sub-types of RA, and many are sero-negative for circulating rheumatoid factor. It is not diagnostic in itself.
RA is NOT a disease of aging, overweight, laziness, sloth, stress, lack of prayer, or any other such of the "deadly sins" It is a disease of the immune system.
The word "arthritis" in itself is not a diagnosis but rather a symptom. It literally means inflamed joint. Technically, person can fall and injure their knee and it swells and they would have a traumatic arthritis, although its not typically used in that manner.
The hallmark sign of RA is joint pain and stiffness which are pronounced in the morning. It tends to get better as the day wears on. They even have a name for this, called Gel Time. I have no idea how this term came about, but it is a diagnostic term. My Gel-Time was around 90 min to 2 hours (or more) back when my RA was not under control A treatment regimen is considered effective if Gel-time is 30 minutes or under. That's about where I am now.
You said you're "only" 40 years old. Please, RA is NOT a disease of aging. Its a different disease than Osteoarthritis, sometimes referred to as Grandma's Arthritis .
It does not affect other parts of the body other than joints.
The word "arthritis" in itself is not a diagnosis but rather a symptom. It literally means inflamed joint. Technically, person can fall and injure their knee and it swells and they would have a traumatic arthritis, although its not typically used in that manner. There are many different types of arthritis. The two major types of arthritis, which are Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.
A basic definition--
OA = Osteoarthritis is a disease of aging, a wear-and-tear on the bones and joints.
RA = Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, and can strike at any age. It is most common in white females under 40. (I was 21 at age of diagnosis). RA is a disorder of the immune system wherein the body's immune system does not recognize its own collagen tissue and attacks it. The preponderance of collagen tissue (AKA connective tissue) is found in the joints, hence joint pain and destruction. However collagen tissue is found throughout the body, in the kidneys, heart valves, even the eyeballs. Its a systemic disease.
RA is NOT a disease of aging, overweight, laziness, sloth, stress, lack of prayer, or any other such of the "deadly sins" It is a disease of the immune system.
Ok, so....I wish you the best in your quest for a diagnosis. There is no cure for RA, but there are many highly effective treatments now available which can result in a complete remission. If you do have RA, the sooner you start such treatments, the better your chances to avoid joint destruction.
Take care, and keep us posted!
Last edited by MaryleeII; 09-05-2020 at 05:34 PM..
You might want t look into low carb keto way of eating. Lots of information about it. My OA is totally controlled with low carb keto. Give it try it won’t hurt you and who knows it might help. Good luck!
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