Health Boards
Mon-10-04-2017, 04:24 AM
Thank you everyone for the welcome, support and sharing of advice and information.
So update... I managed to get a rheumatologist appointment sooner than I thought. The doctor diagnosed me as having spondyloarthritis- a form of psoriatic arthritis that affects spine, pelvic joints and can be seen asymmetrically. My hands and toes look fine, my left foot is swollen and sore though, upper back, neck and shoulders are in pain and stiffness. The doctor saw the huge rash on my leg and was concerned. She did not hesitate and went ahead to prescribe me a DMARD, sulfasalizine. She also ordered blood work tests. (but surprisingly didn't require a wait for results before prescribing the med). The med was prescribed in that same single office visit, and i was able to pick it up two days later. ($0 copay). The blood work results came back and it did reveal my c--reactive protein and ESR were highly elevated - indicating inflammation. I will have to wait 1-3 months to see if the medicine works or not.. My doctor told me that if sulfasalizine does not work, then we could jump into trying a biologic.
I told my parents of the news of my diagnosis and treatment plan. I was very afraid that they would "blame the victim" or start lecturing me about things I have already attempted or know. Surprisingly they did not flip out as had imagined. I don't think they will understand the difficulty and discomfort that I truly go through. At the same time, I try to hide it from people.
I don't know what to think. It was a shock to me to think that I could end up having arthritis at such a young age. I worry about my ability to continue my work. I am glad I don't have to worry about not knowing about a diagnosis, but at the same time I have worries about my uncertain future. I don't want to end up severely debilitated or wheelchair bound. I am afraid of the treatment medication causing me more harmful side effects that could be permanent or life threatening. At the same time, what can I do? If I do nothing, surely my joints will receive permanent damage if I don't attempt to slow down or stop the inflammation. I don't know if i can ever go back to the way I felt where I felt healthy and pain free....
Everyday seems more of a challenge waking up and getting tasks done. I am trying to make lifestyle changes regarding my diet. There are times where I feel tired where I want to lay in bed and sleep a lot, but I know being sedentary is going to hurt me more in the long run. This all sucks... but I guess it could be worse. -____-
So update... I managed to get a rheumatologist appointment sooner than I thought. The doctor diagnosed me as having spondyloarthritis- a form of psoriatic arthritis that affects spine, pelvic joints and can be seen asymmetrically. My hands and toes look fine, my left foot is swollen and sore though, upper back, neck and shoulders are in pain and stiffness. The doctor saw the huge rash on my leg and was concerned. She did not hesitate and went ahead to prescribe me a DMARD, sulfasalizine. She also ordered blood work tests. (but surprisingly didn't require a wait for results before prescribing the med). The med was prescribed in that same single office visit, and i was able to pick it up two days later. ($0 copay). The blood work results came back and it did reveal my c--reactive protein and ESR were highly elevated - indicating inflammation. I will have to wait 1-3 months to see if the medicine works or not.. My doctor told me that if sulfasalizine does not work, then we could jump into trying a biologic.
I told my parents of the news of my diagnosis and treatment plan. I was very afraid that they would "blame the victim" or start lecturing me about things I have already attempted or know. Surprisingly they did not flip out as had imagined. I don't think they will understand the difficulty and discomfort that I truly go through. At the same time, I try to hide it from people.
I don't know what to think. It was a shock to me to think that I could end up having arthritis at such a young age. I worry about my ability to continue my work. I am glad I don't have to worry about not knowing about a diagnosis, but at the same time I have worries about my uncertain future. I don't want to end up severely debilitated or wheelchair bound. I am afraid of the treatment medication causing me more harmful side effects that could be permanent or life threatening. At the same time, what can I do? If I do nothing, surely my joints will receive permanent damage if I don't attempt to slow down or stop the inflammation. I don't know if i can ever go back to the way I felt where I felt healthy and pain free....
Everyday seems more of a challenge waking up and getting tasks done. I am trying to make lifestyle changes regarding my diet. There are times where I feel tired where I want to lay in bed and sleep a lot, but I know being sedentary is going to hurt me more in the long run. This all sucks... but I guess it could be worse. -____-