Undifferentiated Polyarthritis anyone?

[lcarter6]

Now my rheumy is saying its "Undifferentiated Polyarthritis"-- which sounds like medical-eze for "you have symptoms of arthritis and I don't want to give it a real name because you don't fit the criteria for a text book case of ????."  So, now I am living on NASIDS and have begun gentle exercise to maintain mobility.  I have it in feet, ankles, knees, hands, wrists and elbows.  This week it started in the shoulders. (Oh joy, it continues to spread! Originally, just in hands, then hands and feet, etc.)  The problem is that there's obvious joint swelling months or years apart.  Now I have daily, almost constant, dull achiness, a lot of stiffness and joint tenderness.  BUT, no clinically visible swelling since Oct. '07 when the PCP sent me to the rheumy because he was sure it was RA.  The rheumy has yet to see the swelling.  He has taken no xrays, labs are RF 35, anti-CCP 5 (neg), sed was 30 when swollen, now 5.  I have little energy, take lots of naps and still restlessly sleep 8-9 hrs at night.  Anyone else suffering with a similar situation.  Please share your story as "misery loves company."   We can all groan together in frustration.

[Deni37]

See my post from Deni37 of OCT 21, 2011...hopefully you have found a rheumy who will treat your arthritis symptoms, as I have been fortunate to have, regardless of the "undifferentiated arthritis" diagnosis ( which just means they don't know yet which form of inflammatory arthritis you have, assuming they have already ruled out osteoarthritis)...do you have a highly positive ANA?  My current combo of 5 arthritis meds - prednisone (tapering down from current 5 mg per day), imuran (150 mg per day), plaquenil, humira (every 10 days), celebrex (100 mg twice a day) plus low dose elavil for insomnia & chronic pain relief are finally doing the trick so I can use my fingers, hands, and wrists without major pain & stiffness (still have some but it's much better than last year)... It will take time, $$$, and patience to find the right combo of meds...keep the faith and find a rheumy who will treat your symptoms, which is the most important thing!!!  You will certainly be able to tell him or her when you are doing better arthritis-wise, even if they cannot measure your improvement with bloodwork or observed swelling...they of course have to believe and trust you...I wouldn't be popping all of these potentially toxic meds if they weren't truly helping me!!!  Good luck!!!

[Deni37]

See my post from Deni37 posted today OCT 21st 2011... I'm very fortunate my former & current rheumies have taken my undifferentiated arthritis (which is polyarthritis as I've had over 10 joints affected in my fingers, hands, and wrists) seriously...on a combo of meds now, including humira and imuran plus clebrex that are helping immensely...finally tapering down the prednisone too... wishing I had a more definitive diagnosis...they are still thinking seronegative RA or SLE...but my bloodwork has been normal except for the highly positive ANA of 1:640...hang in there and find a rheumy who will treat your symptoms until you feel better...it will take quite some time to find the right combo of meds (over a year for me and we are still making adjustments)... Not 100 percent pain & stiffness free but doing much better than a year ago thankfully!!!

[paingoaway101]

i am 24 years of age and found that i got ployarthritis a year ago i,ve tried all the pain pills in the world;still no results if there is an answer please tell because im getting tired.there is not a day go by with no pain.it is already in all my joints even in my spine some please tell me what to do because i dont know.thanks from brian m.

[carolanivey]

Hi lcarter6,

I think RA should be more accurately labeled a "syndrome" - a loose collection of symptoms, of which you could have all of them, or one of them. Each person's experience with any auto-immune disease is as unique as that person's body.

Unfortunately, that means it often takes time to find out which meds are going to work for you. But once you find that combination, your quality of life will improve. There is no "magic bullet" pill - what you're going to have is a combination of two or more meds that have an effect on your specific immune system.

You'll still have good days and not-so-good days, but it'll get better that it is now! Methotrexate is a good one to start with (I don't know why rheumies still prescribe placquenil - I've never met any one for whom that stuff works, including me).  If you have problems with nausea, make sure you take it with food, and take your "rescue" dose of folic acid 24 hours after the mtx. There's a really good reason to do this: mtx competes for the same chemical receptors as folic acid, so if you don't take the folic acid, your side effects will be worse.

If nausea becomes a major issue, switch to self-injectible mtx. This is what I do, and it's not hard at all once you get over the weirdness of sticking yourself. :)

Mtx alone may work really well for you, or it may have some impact but not enough. At that point, your rheumie may add something like Humira or Enbrel to the mtx.

You have to give each medication time to see if it's going to work for you - that's the hardest part, having patience! In the meantime, give yourself a break and cut all non-essential, energy-draining activities from your life. Find ways to cut stress, which is a big factor in how you feel.

Hang in there!
Carolan

[Lisa_in_pain]

Hi, reading your comments makes me think I could have posted that!!!! I have EXACTLY the same symptoms, & was diagnosed as undifferentiated poly arthritis which in Doc's terms are "I don't have a clue but you are obviously needing an answer so we'll give it a label". Utter garbage when I have spent over $500 now in Reumy fees in only 3 visits! I could have got that from my GP for only $55!!! I am tired & iritable & want a miracle pill. Why can't they give me what I want???? My elbows are the latest to be affected & are absolute AGONY! My feet in the mornings feel like every bone is broken when I step out of bed. I am in constant daily pain, & no painkillers touch it. I am about to go on Methotrexate to see if that will give me some relief. I have tried Plaquenil but had no benefit from that at all, except terrible side affects. I would be interested to know how you are doing since it has been 2 years since you posted your comments.

Lisa

[Pookyal]

I was also diagnosed with polyarthritis, whatever that is!  Over time one swollen knee became two, then my hands, then my elbows... until it was in almost every joint.  Eventually, my rheumy did diagnose RA, but then again, he occasionally describes it as PA.  I think this is simply so that I am eligible for anti-TNF, which has incidentally worked a treat.  Please be assured that you are not going mad and the pain it causes is most definitely not in the head!  Persevere with the rheumy.  I think polyarthritis is a bit of a "holding" term until they actually fathom what is wrong with you.

Alx

[Susie540]

I have been searching the internet for weeks trying to find out some info on my so called diagnosis.  Polyarthritis.  Have spent hours reading and really have not found one site that describes my symptoms and pain.
I have been to 3 different rheumotoligist with all different answers.  The last one diagnosed me with Polyarthritis.  Treatment, continue presidone and Loritab. That is fine if you can just stay in bed all day.  Loritab Makes me really sleepy, hard to function at work and home.
My pain started back in Jan. 2006.  Pain started in hands and feet.  Now every joint is effected.  My pain will come and go.  Will have it awful for several weeks and then it is gone, last time for months.  Then it comes back worse than ever.  Last round my knee hurt so bad it would not have hurt more if someone would have hit it with a sledge hammer.  No one understands the pain I am in.  They all think it is in my head.  Of course several doctors  mentioned that I was depressed and under stress.  Well who isn't now days?  I told them that if I were this depressed and stressed, I would have committed suicide by now.  I just want answers, and no one has any.  
What a relief to find you.

[Jaybay]

Have you ever been tested for Lyme Disease?  I love your definition of "medical-eze" by the way.  :-)