Autoimmune Diseases

[3900stabler]

Are you sure that what you're suffering from is rheumatoid arthritis and not osteoarthritis? Because rheumatoid arthritis doesn't affect a single joint, it's systemic and afflicts multiple joints (as well as organs in servere cases) at the same time. Also the telltale sign of rheumatoid arthritis is the symmetry of joint pain.

When my right ankle hurts, my left one does. When my right toe is stiff and swollen so is my left one. If there isn't symmetry, then i know that eventually, in a day or two, as soon as my right knee starts feeling okay my left one will flare.

It's like a never ending game of musical chairs for my joints. What's going to hurt today?


The cold does hurt though, I live in Arizona actually but I love pumping up the AC at all times but lately my body is just drawn to sitting under the sun. It helps.


Did you get labs done? What was your rheumatoid factor? Normal range is under 14. I'm at 63.

My physical referred me to a rheumatologist my confirmed my medical condition. What bothers me the most is joint stiffness especially in the morning after a good night's sleep. Once I warm my body up thru stretching I'm good. Also fellas, look into weightlifting to help deal with the pain. Weightlifting increases flexibility.it has been a great help for me.

 

[HEATHEN]

My physical referred me to a rheumatologist my confirmed my medical condition. What bothers me the most is joint stiffness especially in the morning after a good night's sleep. Once I warm my body up thru stretching I'm good. Also fellas, look into weightlifting to help deal with the pain. Weightlifting increases flexibility.it has been a great help for me.

Yeah after avoiding physical activity for a while I started lifting again and it does help.

 

[HEATHEN]

Mind if I vent?


So I was supposed to see my rheumatologist two weeks ago and the day of her office called me and cancelled because their air condition broke. Now I'm in Arizona and I understand that a lot of her patients are older, and such an issue could potentially introduce some liability.

Fine.

This ***** has the audacity to tell me the next appointment is a month away and with an entirely different doctor than the one my PCP referred me to. Mind you the doctor they're trying to book me with has horrendous reviews all over the internet. I'm not talking just horrible bedside manner, I'm talking being so brief she's bordering on neglect. She's not properly looking over her patients and they're airing her out all over the web because they're just not get proper treatment and medication.


These medications are no joke, so if she's being that impersonal with her treatment plans she could conceivably get someone killed. The medication I'm told I'll likely be on comes with a black box warning from the FDA. **** has killed people.


So after trying to get my PCP and insurance to find me another office to no avail I finally got the office to get me in with my original rheumatologist but I'm still three weeks away from being seen.


Then I read that my disease could be turned off if treated early. It's rare, and usually only works within the first three months. I'm about 8 months into this but still, I feel like if there was a chance for me to shake this I'm not being afforded it. I feel like I'm outright being neglected. Worst part is no matter how vocal I am, doctors and family don't get it and don't care.


I'm trying to stay positive but some days all I feel is anger and loneliness. It's frustrating when I can go to the gym and feel fine but if I get home and just chill on the couch for a while my body just flares up and I have to literally ******* crawl to bed some nights. **** is frustrating.


Funny part is, if the shoe were on the other foot and I cancelled my appointment the day of I'd be billed. Doctors are given carte blanche to drop you at a moments notice with no repercussions. We live in a country where healthcare is treated like a business so why is it that customer service is suddenly an exception for doctors? Never mind the fact that these doctors always have me waiting an hour in the ******* exam room before they come see me. My pops was a doctor, pediatrician, if he had to he would stay late to make sure all his kids were properly cared for and he tried his best never to overbook them.

 

[guzzy]

^^^^^

Moms had Melanoma, so Ive been the one handling every visit, medication, scheduling.
We got diagnosed in Dec, tumor removal Sugery in March then barely started Biotherapy last month in June.

America'a healthcare system is a ******* joke bro. Going through this with moms really opened my eyes. Insurance should not be in healthcare tbh, theyre the ones ******* everything up

 

[HEATHEN]

^^^^^

Moms had Melanoma, so Ive been the one handling every visit, medication, scheduling.
We got diagnosed in Dec, tumor removal Sugery in March then barely started Biotherapy last month in June.

America'a healthcare system is a ******* joke bro. Going through this with moms really opened my eyes. Insurance should not be in healthcare tbh, theyre the ones ******* everything up

I'm sorry your mom had to go through that but good on you to be there every step of the way for her. That means a world to people going through health issues. Good man.

 

[yeah]

I have a family history of Scleroderna, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't worry about it.

Wish you the best of luck with your diagnosis SneakerHeathen, and sorry to hear that you're having a difficult time navigating the healthcare system. My family has had similar experiences. Hope you find your way to better treatment.

 

[ootherocoo]

My wife suffers from RA, and when she has a flare up, she can barely move...

She's used prednisone, but is not taking a bi-weekly at home injection of a drug call Cimzia, which has been really good.  The funny thing is, I've been having sever joint pain in my shoulders, knees and feet for a couple months now.  So I need to get checked.

 

[riverdale road]

My moms has RA. Alot of people dont understand that its a autoimmune disease. They hear arthritis & thats it.

She's actually doing alright aside from the medication which sucks. I think she's on her 4th one. One almost messed up her liver. Reading this thread I teared up because she has to go through this. All my NTers that suffer from some sort of autoimmune keep yall in my prayer becuase its so rough.

 

[dipsetgeneral]

God bless y'all. My nuts hurt every now and then. Went to the doctors last year, had a catscan, did bloodwork. They said everything is fine. You just have "hydrocele". Which is just swollen capsules that form inside of the scrotum. They gave me some antibiotics and they went away. They've started up again, and i am getting scared.

 

[guzzy]

Stay up Dip. Dont wait, go get checked.

 

[HEATHEN]

My wife suffers from RA, and when she has a flare up, she can barely move...|I

She's used prednisone, but is not taking a bi-weekly at home injection of a drug call Cimzia, which has been really good.  The funny thing is, I've been having sever joint pain in my shoulders, knees and feet for a couple months now.  So I need to get checked.

My moms has RA. Alot of people dont understand that its a autoimmune disease. They hear arthritis & thats it.

She's actually doing alright aside from the medication which sucks. I think she's on her 4th one. One almost messed up her liver. Reading this thread I teared up because she has to go through this. All my NTers that suffer from some sort of autoimmune keep yall in my prayer becuase its so rough.

Thank you both for chiming in. It helps to hear from folks either going through it themselves or have a close family member who has it.

If I may ask, are they able to do the same things they used to once on medication? I just want to move like I used to.


And Roc, pls go get checked bro. There's a chance to turn off the disease with treatment if caught early.


Not going to lie. Having to take medication already is something I'm not looking forward to, hearing that RA patients have to change medications often throughout their lives is even more disheartening.


I don't want to put that stuff in my body...but I have to.

 

[HEATHEN]

God bless y'all. My nuts hurt every now and then. Went to the doctors last year, had a catscan, did bloodwork. They said everything is fine. You just have "hydrocele". Which is just swollen capsules that form inside of the scrotum. They gave me some antibiotics and they went away. They've started up again, and i am getting scared.

Get that checked for sure bro. You've gotta make sure the twins are good money.

 

[ootherocoo]

 

My wife suffers from RA, and when she has a flare up, she can barely move...

She's used prednisone, but is not taking a bi-weekly at home injection of a drug call Cimzia, which has been really good.  The funny thing is, I've been having sever joint pain in my shoulders, knees and feet for a couple months now.  So I need to get checked.

 

My moms has RA. Alot of people dont understand that its a autoimmune disease. They hear arthritis & thats it.

She's actually doing alright aside from the medication which sucks. I think she's on her 4th one. One almost messed up her liver. Reading this thread I teared up because she has to go through this. All my NTers that suffer from some sort of autoimmune keep yall in my prayer becuase its so rough.

Thank you both for chiming in. It helps to hear from folks either going through it themselves or have a close family member who has it.

If I may ask, are they able to do the same things they used to once on medication? I just want to move like I used to.


And Roc, pls go get checked bro. There's a chance to turn off the disease with treatment if caught early.


Not going to lie. Having to take medication already is something I'm not looking forward to, hearing that RA patients have to change medications often throughout their lives is even more disheartening.


I don't want to put that stuff in my body...but I have to.

Yea man, I'm going to see the doctor next week.  I can't even sleep some night due to the pain..SMH.

Having RA is very tough.  Most people don't really understand the huge toll it can take on you.  But with the medication, you should be able to return to normal activities, or most normal. 

Keep ya head up @SneakerHeathen  Make sure and be on top of your medication and don't let the disease get your spirits down.

 

[riverdale road]

HEATHEN my mom just be tired & sometimes in pain. But for the most part she still lives a normal life. She has to take shots every Friday she be tired for a day or so but she keep it pushing.

 

[AZwildcats]

Fortunately I don't have one, but my heart goes out to y'all that do. Good luck HEATHEN

 

[HEATHEN]

Fortunately I don't have one, but my heart goes out to y'all that do. Good luck HEATHEN

Thank you bruh.


And thank you roc & riverdale, again for the insight.

 

[smokey13]

Have any of you seen the movie Fat, Sick, and nearly dead? The guy had an AD but I can't remember what he had. He went on a juice diet for 60 days. After the 60 days, he lost a bunch of weight and was able to get off all his meds. Might be something you guys wanna check out

 

[htg designs]

OP, whats good wit you? Hope you on the up and up. Just started this new diet to cure my daughters asthma (the whole family doing it, we ride or die together). Met some folks who did it successfully with their children to cure severe asthma and food allergies. In my research I have seen that it can cure auto immune diseases (and even autism. This blew my mind. There are tons of youtube testimonials on this). It's called the GAPS diet: Gut and Psychology Syndrome protocol. If you haven't heard of it, check it out. I'm gonna post on it in the Gut health thread soon. Stay up.

 

[nawghtyhare]

omg
just happened to click on this thread
and just saddens me reading these posts
sorry for everything yall are going through

 

[ASE]

Reading up on this GAPS diet and it seems pretty simple. Good to see it’s not forcing people to make radical changes

 

[riverdale road]

Since I posted here a few months ago Ma dukes on her 6th meds for RA. Forgot the name but this one is actually working for how long no clue. She got her blood work back & everything checked out. Prayers to everyone & their fams in this struggle.

 

[HEATHEN]

Thanks for the words of encouragement all. I’m doing well. I feel like myself again. Methotrexate isn’t a cure but it has been a miracle treatment for me. I know longterm it may give rise to some complications and ultimately play a role in my demise but in the interim quality > quantity of life.

OP, whats good wit you? Hope you on the up and up. Just started this new diet to cure my daughters asthma (the whole family doing it, we ride or die together). Met some folks who did it successfully with their children to cure severe asthma and food allergies. In my research I have seen that it can cure auto immune diseases (and even autism. This blew my mind. There are tons of youtube testimonials on this). It's called the GAPS diet: Gut and Psychology Syndrome protocol. If you haven't heard of it, check it out. I'm gonna post on it in the Gut health thread soon. Stay up.

I’ve been slowly eliminating/reducing things from my diet. Think grains is the hardest part. A lot of people swear by these kinds of diets.

Dude named Abel Gonzalez who is actually a competitor on American Ninja Warrior “had” RA and “cured” himself through dietary changes. Another guy named Seamus Mullen who is a chef also claims to have cured his RA from dietary changes.

I’m apprehensive. As both of these guys have something to sell. Spontaneous remission does happen in less than 1% of those afflicted but not in those who are seropositive, which I am. I’m a proponent of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet in general for heart health. I may try GAPS in time but right a hybrid of the latter two is what I’m going with.

I’m good though. Feel almost 100%, only thing that brings me down is my weekly dose of methotrexate, which is a reminder I have this bull****.