So what is rheumatoid Arthritis Like ?

I was diagnosed in early 2020 with Rheumatoid Arthritis, specifically psoriatic arthritis. At the time, I was not convinced of the diagnosis but the symptoms have been getting a lot worse now in early 2021 so I am convinced.

Symptoms :

  • ‘Bone pain’ – a deep ache seemingly from deep inside my limbs. Shoulders, arms, hands, legs and feet. Level varying from 1 – 5 out of 10. Especially bad in the mornings and evenings. Finding a comfortable position to sleep involves lots of wriggling to finally find that position with no pain. Its great for a few minutes and then it starts again. It takes me ages to sleep.
  • Specific pain – it began at the rear of my heels, I could not lay on my back because of heel pain, but now it has moved to fingers and toes. Level up to 7 / 10
  • Fatigue, exhaustion. All I could do was to lay down, too exhausted to read, watch Netflix, listen to the radio. Too tired to sleep.
  • Brain-fog – inability to think straight, to get the right words out. Clumsy. Easily upset. Depression, hiding.

So far I’ve tried hydroxychloroquine which seemed to enhance the symptoms, methotrexate tablets which made me rather sick and now methotrexate injections that wipe me out for 2 days and another 2 to recover. However, after 3 days of just starting steroids a lot of the aches have gone – steroids are not a long term solution.

How will I know that the medication is working ? I’m currently having biweekly blood tests showing two inflammatory markers and liver function indications. Hopefully the inflammatory markers will lower before the liver damage becomes significant. Its all a bit of a balance.

And the prognosis ? Well I hope to find a medication that will successfully blunt my immune system so that it stops attacking my joints and I can get back to some sort of normal life. There are a number of RA medications to try yet, all I need to do is to find one that works.

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