New Year, Same Stuff

Its 2012 … I know I’m not a calendar. I do have a point. For the past eight years I’ve dealt with a debilitating physical disorder. I guess maybe there is a better place to start.

Do I begin with the fact that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis? No, almost everyone knows that – and believe me, when it comes to jobs this is not a good thing.

Do I begin with I’ve had an RA flare for this entire time? Yep, it’s true; I’ve not had any relief from the pain, stiffness, fatigue and other issues that go along with RA. Not in eight years!

Do I begin with the fact that I feel all alone most days because my family doesn’t understand what I’m going through? My husband sometimes has his feelings hurt because I don’t feel like holding hands – and he forgets that my hands hurt.

Do I begin with the fact that I wish I’d had someone walk through this with me, someone who had been where I was, who knew what to tell or ask the doctors? Like a support group, yeah, that’s it. There used to be one in Longview for Fibromyalgia … which I also have.

I would like to remind my family and friends of what I deal with on a daily basis. In the beginning stages, it took a long time and five doctors to diagnose. It felt like a knee sprain, then a wrist sprain, and then I had low-grade fever. Next thing I know, I’ve got joint stiffness. These are the classic signs in the beginning. This disease is so sporadic that you can’t always pinpoint it and say “yeah, that’s what it is without a doubt.”

RA is a long-term condition where the body's immune system attacks not only foreign substances like bacteria and viruses, but also attacks the body itself. Once the immune system is triggered, immune cells migrate from the blood into the joints and joint-lining tissue, called synovium. There the immune cells produce inflammatory substances.

The increased number of cells and inflammatory substances within the joint will cause irritation, wearing down of cartilage (cushioning material at the end of bones), and swelling and inflammation of the joint lining. Inflammation of the joint lining stimulates it to produce excessive joint fluid within the joint.

As the cartilage wears down, the space between the bones narrows. If the condition worsens, the bones could rub against each other. As the joint lining expands, it may invade into, or erode, the adjacent bone, resulting in bone damage that is referred to as erosions. All of these factors cause the joint to become very painful, swollen, and warm to the touch.

Almost always RA or any other arthritis is coupled with Fibromyalgia. With fibromyalgia syndrome, the following symptoms commonly occur together:
• anxiety or depression
• decreased pain threshold or tender points
• incapacitating fatigue
• widespread pain

Fibromyalgia causes you to ache all over. You may have symptoms of crippling fatigue -- even on arising. Specific tender points on the body may be painful to touch. You may experience swelling, disturbances in deep-level or restful sleep, and mood disturbances or depression.

Your muscles may feel like they have been overworked or pulled. They'll feel that way even without exercise or another cause. Sometimes, your muscles twitch, burn, or have deep stabbing pain.

Some patients with fibromyalgia have pain and achiness around the joints in the neck, shoulder, back, and hips. This makes it difficult for them to sleep or exercise. It also makes it difficult to determine if the pain is RA or Fibro. Other fibromyalgia symptoms include:
• abdominal pain
• anxiety and depression
• chronic headaches
• difficulty maintaining sleep or light sleep
• dryness in mouth, nose, and eyes
• fatigue upon arising
• hypersensitivity to cold and/or heat
• inability to concentrate (called "fibro fog")
• irritable bowel syndrome
• numbness or tingling in the fingers and feet
• stiffness

I don’t know how you go about starting a support group but one would have been helpful for me. I’ve shared my experiences with others diagnosed with the same diseases. The internet is a wonderful thing but sometimes it’s nice to speak to someone face to face who knows and understands what you are going through.

My medical information came from WebMD, Rheumatoid Arthritis.org and life experience.

Until next time.