reactive arthritis

Hello,

My husband was diagnosed with Reactive Arthritis two years ago.His blood sedimentation was 115, it was decreased to 52,and in the past three months it is 106. His CRP is 60.His Reuma factor is negative. He has taken medications like Sulfasalasine six tablets per day, Prednison, Pantoprasol, and he feels terrible.He has pain in arms,neck, chest. Also his "glans (glands)" (on the penis) has some white liquid and the skin peels it is very bad.He is 39years now.Could you pls tell me if it could be some other desease like some allegies or something else.

[carolanivey]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_arthritis

From reading this article, it seems like your husband is experiencing many of the common symptoms of reactive arthritis, also known as Reiter's Syndrome. Only a doctor can make that determination, though.

It sounds to me like a return visit to the rheumatologist is in order. If his current medication regimen isn't working, there are many, many other meds out there to try. One of them, or a combination, could work better than what he's taking now.

[Ana551]

Thank you very much for your comment, would you please tell me some reference for other medicine which may be more effective?

[carolanivey]

Only a rheumatologist can advise you on medications. What works is different for each person - what works for one person with the same diagnosis may not work for him. If you want to simply know what kinds of meds out there before he goes to the doctor, this is a fairly decent overview http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15144

[Ana551]

Thank you very much for your answers, the web page you sent me is wonderful, it is full with information.

[Ana551]

I have one more question to you, well,as I saw in your profile you are mother, how old are your children and do they have some diagnose connected with RA, because we have one child he is very young only one year, for now everything is ok with him, but I am scared because this is inherited disease. I haven given birth to him before my husband got sick.
Can you tell me also, do the medicines that patient take like corticosteroids, sulfasalasine , affect the fetus? I am scared to have one more child.
Thank you for responding me

[carolanivey]

The tendency toward autoimmune disease can run in families, however it can pop up at random, as well. Anything that stimulates the immune system, like a common infection, can at random trigger it to suddenly, without explanation, begin attacking its own healthy tissues. No one knows why this happens, otherwise they might have found a cure or prevention by now. :)

If your husband seems to be the only one in his immediate family who has RA, look again - there could be other disorders that aren't RA but are classified as autoimmune, such as diabetes.

My maternal grandmother had rheumatoild arthritis two of her sons (my uncles) had it, one started as a child and the other started with it after he retired. My own mother does not have it, neither does my sister. Of ten children in my generation, I'm the only one who has it. I was diagnosed at age 5 thanks to my mother's knowledge of the disease; there was no mucking about with "what is wrong with this child?". :)

Both my children, now 19 and 24 are healthy so far, and to my knowledge none of my cousins' children have any autoimmune disorders. I had uneventful pregnancies and delivered normally, no C-sections. For both kids, I went off any potentially harmful meds a few weeks to several months before trying to conceive (depending on the medication). Some have since been shown to be okay to take during pregnancy, but this applies to women. I'm not certain how it applies to men and their sperm - this sounds like a question for your rheumatologist or a fertility specialist.

Based on my own experience, if you want more children, have them! Life is extremely random, but chances are pretty good that your children will be healthy.

[Ana551]

Dear carolanivey,

Would you please tell me what kind of medicines do you take? Do you maybe take biological medicines, here in our country they are very expensive that's why they are given to very sick patients. I have read that they are more effective than corticosteroids and sulfasalasine that my husband takes ...
Could you also tell me are there any other things (alternative medicine for example)  which relieve the pain?

Regards