(no subject)
I've been suffering with severe pain in my hands, wrists, feet and ankles for some time now. The pain initially started just in my wrists when I was pregnant with Sam but the GP told me it was pregnancy related carpal tunnel syndrome and it would go once Sam was born, or within 12 weeks.
Suffice to say it didn't get any better and, in fact, got a lot worse. My fingers then started to get very stiff, sore and inflammed so I got a referral to a consultant who did a load of tests and came back to me with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome and De Quervain's tendonitis. He gave me several steroid injections and sent me on my way. The injections worked for about 3 months but then the pain and stiffness came back three times as bad and, around the same time, my feet and ankles started going.
I went back to my GP who put me on Diclofenac (anti inflammatory) and told me to come back in another month if things were no better. A month later and things are worse so I head back and demand another referral. As my feet and ankles were causing the most pain she sent me to an orthopedic specialist. After explaining everything to him and him doing some very basic tests (just moving joints around etc) he said that alarm bells were ringing to him and he felt that I probably had rheumatoid arthritis or some other kind of inflammatory arthritis. He arranged for blood tests and a MRI to confirm. After the test results were back I went back to see him and his diagnosis was confirmed. He sent me on to a rheumatolgist to discuss treatment options.
I saw the consultant this week who confirmed that I definitely have arthritis but that it is possibly psoriatic arthritis since I also suffer from bad psoriasis on my legs.
Anyway, the upshot is that he has put me on some pretty hardcore medicine. It's called Methotrexate and is actually a form of chemotherapy which, in this specific dosage, can be used to treat both arthritis and psoriasis. I have to take 6 pills, once a week and follow that up a few days later with Folic Acid which should combat the nasty side effects. I also have to have blood, kidney and liver tests on a monthly basis.
Am a bit freaked out by the whole thing but just praying it works. He said things should start to kick in after about 12 weeks. Fingers crossed, eh?
Suffice to say it didn't get any better and, in fact, got a lot worse. My fingers then started to get very stiff, sore and inflammed so I got a referral to a consultant who did a load of tests and came back to me with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome and De Quervain's tendonitis. He gave me several steroid injections and sent me on my way. The injections worked for about 3 months but then the pain and stiffness came back three times as bad and, around the same time, my feet and ankles started going.
I went back to my GP who put me on Diclofenac (anti inflammatory) and told me to come back in another month if things were no better. A month later and things are worse so I head back and demand another referral. As my feet and ankles were causing the most pain she sent me to an orthopedic specialist. After explaining everything to him and him doing some very basic tests (just moving joints around etc) he said that alarm bells were ringing to him and he felt that I probably had rheumatoid arthritis or some other kind of inflammatory arthritis. He arranged for blood tests and a MRI to confirm. After the test results were back I went back to see him and his diagnosis was confirmed. He sent me on to a rheumatolgist to discuss treatment options.
I saw the consultant this week who confirmed that I definitely have arthritis but that it is possibly psoriatic arthritis since I also suffer from bad psoriasis on my legs.
Anyway, the upshot is that he has put me on some pretty hardcore medicine. It's called Methotrexate and is actually a form of chemotherapy which, in this specific dosage, can be used to treat both arthritis and psoriasis. I have to take 6 pills, once a week and follow that up a few days later with Folic Acid which should combat the nasty side effects. I also have to have blood, kidney and liver tests on a monthly basis.
Am a bit freaked out by the whole thing but just praying it works. He said things should start to kick in after about 12 weeks. Fingers crossed, eh?