Comments on: XY With RA

By: Sylvia Reynolds

Sylvia Reynolds — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 06:25:53 +0000

It doesn’t matter what sex we are when it comes to ra,it is still the same pain whatever sex you are and we are in this altogether.xx

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 21:13:56 +0000

I am the wife of a man with RA. He was diagnosed years ago when we
were actually at doctor for numbness in his toes. A blood test came
back with RA markers but he had no symptoms and was never treated. My
man is also a Vietnam Veteran that served a year in Saigon. We are
convinced Agent Orange caused him to have RA but the VA doesn’t
acknowledge RA as AO caused. The last 10 years my husband has gotten
stiffer and stiffer. His toes are taking on a claw hammer position and
he has the tiniest of bumps (nodules) on the middle joint of some of
his fingers. He hurts all over in his hips, shoulders, knees and
ankles. He has also been diagnosed with dry eye by the VA and uses
artificial tears.

We went through all kinds of tests thinking he had Parkinson’s but the
movement specialist told us last week he does not have it. So now we
are going forward asking his VA doctor for treatment for RA. They will
probably send him to another rheumatologist for tests since it has
been over 10 years since he saw one.

My question to all of you guys with RA is this. Do any of you have all
the pain without visible swelling? My husband does not swell that we
can tell on the outside. This is the one thing that confuses me since
everything I read about RA and the women I have talked to that have it
always mention the horrid swelling that is visible. I am still not
convinced my husband does not have Parkinson which presents with many
of the same symptoms. He has been diagnosed with Essential Tremor for
the shakes he has. But we are ready for any treatment that will
control his constant pain.

By: Parker

Parker — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:30:58 +0000

David,

What were your RA symptoms?
I’m a wreck.
My Chiro just diagnosed a C6 problem, & I have what I think are symptoms of RA & am overwhelmed. Seeing MD tomorrow.

Just wondering what your first symptoms were. Thanks!

By: Wayne

Wayne — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:10:46 +0000

Glad to see all you guys posting! I was starting to wonder if I was the only RA guy on the planet! I was just diagnosed a week ago, but after reading up on this think I have probably been overlooking the symptoms for a long time. Going to see a rheumy next week. RA Guy – thanks for the blog!!

By: David

David — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 19:59:12 +0000

I was diagnosed with RA just last week……my symptoms have presented themselves concurrently with a cervical disk problem. I will have a C5-6 decompression and fusion next week. The following week I will start on Methotrexate. I am overwhelmed.