Finally (maybe) Diagnosed

[nanascraps]

I went to my rheumatologist on Thursday to go over my lab results and he told me that my C-rp was really high but everything else was unremarkable. He has given me a diagnosis of "autoimmune arthritis". I tried looking that up on the internet and all that comes up is Rheumatoid arthritis. He has put me on Plaquenil and Celebrex. Do I have RA? I am going to ask for a copy of my labs to see exactly what is on them and he also told me that as far as my x-rays go my feet and knees show signs of wear and I have a bone spur on each heel.

[nanascraps]

It took getting used to. I was diagnosed 13 years ago at the age of 22. When I was pregnant with my daughter at 20 I had gestational diabetes and 2 years later it came back full time. Your poor doggie! I have 2 dogs a toy poodle Jody and a Heinz 57 Missy. My poor Missy is 14 years old and was just diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We have had her since 1995 and it is going to be a very sad day when she is no longer around.  

[txsilver]

5 shots a day - wow.  I am dealing with giving myself a shot once a week ok and my dog a shot twice a day (he's diabetic), but I cannot imagine 5 shots a day.  I bet you are hoping for the pump!  Keeping my fingers crossed for you and the plaquenil.

[nanascraps]

Wow! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this works. So right now I am on the Plaquenil, Celebrex, Levemir insulin 2 shots a day and Humalog insulin 3 shots a day. Good news is that my insurance might pay for an insulin pump for me. So I am waiting and hoping! My copay for it will be about $1500.00 so that is not too bad. Hope to hear in the next few weeks. It will be nice to get rid of the 5 shots a day! :)

[txsilver]

I feel for ya.  The 3 months I waited for the plaquenil to work were long and, in the end, disappointing.  I got a dx last August and only last week did we find a treatment that is helping!  9 months of trying meds and doses and, in the case of MTX, changing from oral to injections.  
Relafen is an anti-inflammatory.  I actually am not on it anymore, now I am on naproxen, also an anti-inflammatory.  In total, for the RA/AS I am on Omniprazole (to protect my stomache), plaquenil (helps with RA and mitigates some of the collateral damage from MTX), naproxen, methotrexate, folic acid (reduces the side effects of MTX), Leucovorin (anti-dote to MTX taken 24 hrs after the weekly injection), Darvocet (for pain) and either Zanaflex or flexeril (flexeril at night as it passes me out cold.)  Never mind the other rx for other ailments!
Hang in there while they get it all worked out!

[nanascraps]

Thanks! I am for sure going to ask for a copy of all the labs. He told me that the Plaquenil can take up to 3 months to work. I am sohoping for some relief. I have had major pain the last 2 days. I had been feeling better but the last 2 days it seems every major joint in my body is hurting so bad. Especially my ankles and wrists. It is like an aching and sharp stabbing pain. Celebrex is not even touching it. So yesterday I didn't take it and instead took my 2 Aleve that I had been taking and it seemed to help a little. I just don't know how long I can go on like this. This morning I really had to force myself to come into work. I have an appointment with HR today to find out about Short term Disability and Long Term Disability. What is Relafen? A couple of weeks ago he gave me Toradol but all that did was knock me out for about 3 hours or so and then I was wide awake with the pain still.

[txsilver]

Hi!  Glad to see you back and making progress.  It is possible to not have RA factor and still have RA.  An elevated CRP can be related to a lot of things.  Great advice from Spastic on which I have to concur, getting the labs will help you do research online.  I have heard of a dx of autoimmune arthritis.  Sometimes it is used as a dx when they are not sure which type you have or do not want to lable you as RA for insurance purposes.  A dx of RA or Lupus can make insurance a nightmare and it stays with you forever.  (I have a friend who has Lupus, but it is not presenting in the classic manner so they did not dx her as that, but are treating her for it.)
I hope you get relief from the plaquenil.  I take it but it was not enough even with the relafen so now I am on methotrexate too.
Keep us posted!

[nanascraps]

That was all he told me so that is why I am going to ask for a copy of all the labs ($1400.00 worth!). The bone spurs are I guess not associated with everything else that is going on. When the time comes to treat them I will have to go to an orthopedist(sp?). I started the Plaquenil on Friday and starting Sunday I have had major diarrhea. Yuck! I know! It says that it is one of the side affects until my body gets used to it. When I looked up Plaquenil it says that it is used to treat RA and Lupus. So everything he has said and put me on points to RA. I am wondering if maybe some of the other tests were negative and he is reluctant to give me a diagnosis of RA. So he is calling it "autoimmune arthritis". Have you ever heard of that term? There is nothing on the web about it.

[spastic]

Hi Sweetie!!!!  Okay, your CRP was high, this info I pulled off of labtestsonline "indicates inflammation and tests for the activity of the disease. It may be used to help diagnose RA and to evaluate and monitor the condition. An increased level of CRP occurs in RA but not in osteoarthritis."

I would definately get your labs and see what else they found.  Did he say anything about doing anything for the bone spur?  How painful that must be.  I feel for you.  I am glad to see you are on a treatment plan now, are you okay with it?  Did he explain the medication to you?  How are you feeling about all of this?  I am here if you need to talk about anything.

Your Friend,

Ada