Newly diagnosed with ra help

Hi

so sorry to hear of your diagnosis and all your painful symptoms. I m afraid it is normal for RA until the meds start to work after 8 to 12 weeks I think.And you are right that the fatigue is all part of it

But the prednisone should help with inflammation and pain( it doesn't hold back the disease though ).  Everyone is different and it can take up to a year to find the meds that work. For me, I was in a lot of pain, taking painkillers and on prednisone for about 6 months then improved as other meds introduced. Now I am back to being able to lift up my grand daughters, go line dancing and cycling! So there is light at the end of the tunnel while you go through this difficult beginning. 

but some people notice an improvement much earlier. Keep talking to the rheumy nurse about what you are experiencing. That helps them decide the next course of action.

Like you I had to give up work. I was diagnosed 4 years ago.First it was fibromyalgia then ended up in hospital on steroid drip and told I also had RA.I have tried lots of RA drugs and am on sulfasalazine with prednisolone and pregabalin but I am constantly in pain. I know they say it's bad first thing in morning but as you know it's not just like that and the exhaustion saps the life out of you. Some medications work for some but not others but its the wait til you are started on something then if it doesn't work it weeks til you can start another.

Also with one autoimmune disease you seem to suffer with others.I now have Antiphospholipid syndrome. Life sucks but we have to learn to adjust our lives differently with reluctance.Have a nap when you feel like it.pace yourself and get your partner if you have one to help with chores.

Contact your RA nurse or consultant and say you can't cope. A booster of steroid will help you feel better for a while until RA drug kicks in.

Remember we are here for you so if you feel like a chat come on the forum.We all try to help each other.

Hang in there. It will get better than this. Sadly, you will never be as well as you once were but; your doctor will find the drug combination that works for you. And; you will learn how to manage this illness.

For me, methotrexate upset my kidneys, the sulpher drugs did nothing at all for me, but Leflunamide with Humira worked well. Other people who have tried leflunamide get an upset liver but not me. In the alternative treatments, regular massage helped a lot with the pain and stiffness although I know other people who got no benefit from it. I found a naturopath to be very helpful too but again, others get nothing from that. Some people get a big improvement by changing their diet but I found that had only a small benefit. Weight loss certainly helped my knee and ankle joints. My point is, you have a lot of trial and error coming up but you will eventually get there.

However there is one thing that works for everybody and its the hardest thing to do. REST. Folks who get RA seem to be the go-getters, always busy and determined to soldier on. If you push yourself, RA will punish you severely. If a shoulder hurts, put it in a sling. Sore wrist? Get a hand splint. Bad knee? Spend the afternoon with your feet up. Bad back? Go to bed. And yes, you will be bored silly but it works.

Hi,

As the others say, 'I think this is normal for RA. The pain and the fatigue. 

I went down a natural health route and after a steroid shot to help with a particularly awful flare I went on 'the diet' (grain/gluten/legume/dairy free, lots of eggs, coconut oil, veg, nuts & various supplements). It's worked for me - I've not needed any more steroid shots, haven't taken any meds despite dire warnings from the docs, and I'm almost completely better. Cycling, walking, doing yoga, fully back at my work as a full time teacher. Not a quick fix - it took a full year to get well (although I was much improved after a few months) and I imagine another year to be absolutely better, but worth a try in my opinion if it appeals to you. Good luck

 

Thank you all so much the info makes me feel better and I now know what to expect. 

Hi. Hang on. Hug. A.