Reactive Arthritis
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Following C Diff
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Notes on Reactive Arthritis
miserable9059 angela_48192
Posted
Hi Angela, I was also diagnosed with RA following c-diff which was contracted while hospitalized after a double mastectomy. My symptoms started 5 weeks ago and so far are limited to my knees, one ankle and one wrist. The pain was initially unbearable....actually much worse than the mastectomy! Luckily, i was diagnosed right away, so sorry that you had to go through all of that.
It may be reassuring for you to know that despite my early diagnosis and treatment, it is still severe, so not sure even the best treatment really helps.
My doctor put me on NSAIDS, but my CRP was still over 200. At this point, she prescribed steroids, but i refused to take them due to the damage they cause, so I am trying to stick it out.
I am taking turmeric and astaxanthin, along with fish oil and a high dose of vit C. Have you tried adhering to the natural anti-inflammatories? My swelling has reduced, but the pain really hasn't changed much. I am frustrated at the lack of information available. I am allergico to sulfa, so that rules out the sulfa drugs.
Anyway, hang in there and know that you are not alone.
bTW, I am 54 and have the HLA-B-27 gene.
angela_48192 miserable9059
Posted
Hey miserable9059,
I can see how you choose the name,I'm sure you are with all that you have gone through.Getting through a double mastectomy is hard enough much less adding the c diff and RA to it.I sympathize for you.I agree it is the worst pain I have ever experienced,including child birth and surgery from cancer.
I have tried the sulfa drug Sulfasalazine and broke out all over in a rash.I cannot take steroids because it has thinned my bones from so much use.I now have osteopenia the precursor to osteoporosis.I have not heard of the ones you're on,natural remedies are an opportunity I should look into.The Methatrexate leaves me tired the next day,a little nauseous,and my hair is thinning.So,I'm just trading off symptoms.
May I ask was the double mastectomy from Breast Cancer?The pain does get better,mine is much more bearable now.At first I was bedridden for 2 months and could barely get out of the bed.My right ankle especially felt like a rubber band was wrapped around it with no blood flow and just sitting up to pivot off the bed was a pain like I never knew.By the time I found the right Dr. it was the size of an elephant red and warm to the touch.When she aspirated,it was hemorrhaging into the joint.
With your knee I know how hard that is just to flex and bend it.It started in my left knee and right ankle along with multiple sites so I had both legs affected.I have read about the gene the you have,I never was tested for it but in all the research I read most of the time it was listed as a reason for RA.
If the natural inflammatories are working I say stick with it and away from the steroids.It did bring me relief for the pain and swelling but my bones have now paid for it.There is not a lot to research and not a real known cause from why it reacts to bacteria from what I've read,Dr.s still have unknown reason for it.
I hope you are recovering from your mastectomy and c diff.I'm just sorry you have the RA to add to the healing process.Thank you for your input and reply and I hope you too can have some relief from the pain and swelling.
Here's looking forward to better days for you!
Angela 😊
miserable9059 angela_48192
Posted
I am now about weeks since i was diagnosed and had been gradually getting a little better, but the c-diff came back and the joints flared right back up again. I was so upset to be set back like that.
I strongly suggest that you look into the natural antiinflammatories. Especially probiotics to get your gut good and healthy. Some believe that the inflammation is coming from the gut as an unhealthy gut becomes leaky and inflammation occurs throughout the body.
Look into florostor. I started taking it after this most recent flare and i swear it is helping to calm things down. Otherwise, fish oil, tumeric and vitamin C. Read about the doses for rheumatoid arthritis as there is a lot out there on that.
I hope you are doing better. Hang in there!
Nancy
angela_48192 miserable9059
Posted
Hey Nancy,
I'm glad to hear you are Cancer free.I'm a survivor of 22 yrs.this month to malignant Melanoma.I could not imagine you tackling all of that at once.Oh no! I heard that once you get C Diff you're at a higher risk to get it again.I know that has to be frustrating making some progress then regressing back.Were you diagnosed in a timely manner to start treating it again?
I took Florostor when I didn't have a clue I had C Diff and took it for about a month.It surely wouldn't hurt me starting it back up again.The Methatrexate I'm taking now which is a chemotherapy drug has now been increased to max.dosage orally as of this week when I went to the Dr.She said the next step will be injections.The inflammation is the main concern and now have tendinitis in the left Achilles heel versus right.Thank you for the advice,I hope you get some relief soon from the C Diff .Are you on an antibiotic?