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hepatitis c and rheumatoid arthritis
I have had chronic hepatitis c for 35years I have been suffering with bad joint pain My doctor sent me to a rheumtologist he said theres nothing he can give me Its all coming from the hepatits c I have to control it to treat fibromyalgia and Rh postive due to autioamune problem due to hep c. I have been on the combination treatment in 2004 for 3 months like to kill me. Some days its hard to get out of bed. I have always worked but looking for a job I can handle was a nurses aid for 33 years to heavy of work for me now went into cleaning to repitious anything I do latley cause me pain if its to heavy of work I end up laid up recovering for 2 days.
WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT IS OUT THERE FOR ME TO TAKE ALL IM TAKING IS TRAMADO GCL 500MG AND ITS NOT TOUCHING THE JOINT PAIN AND ITS THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE BODY?iM JUST MISERABLE HEPATITIS C TAKING ITS TOLL ON ME AFTER 35YEARS OF LIVING WITH IT. WHAT TO DO? WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE
WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT IS OUT THERE FOR ME TO TAKE ALL IM TAKING IS TRAMADO GCL 500MG AND ITS NOT TOUCHING THE JOINT PAIN AND ITS THROUGHOUT MY WHOLE BODY?iM JUST MISERABLE HEPATITIS C TAKING ITS TOLL ON ME AFTER 35YEARS OF LIVING WITH IT. WHAT TO DO? WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE
not too familiar with RA as it related to liver, but do know too much tramadol or Nsaids.aspirin or tylenol can cause probs. you may need an opiate, a mild steroid, or a possasium sparing duiretic.
research each drug, as what you can take with liver disease is entirely different than what you may take without it. some drugs can actually increase the rate of fibrosis much the same way alcohol does.
your RA may get worse on TX, so its important you get good pan management before beginning tx.
do not use patches, they can absorb in one day not 3 and OD you.
think a small dose of oxycontin or morphine sulphate, time release. IT sounds drastic but may be a better safer solution for your liver.....espeacially if kept low (like 10-20 mg) over 10 hrs thats only 1 or 2 mgs per hour. this way you get no bleeding veins etc like with all the other stuff I mentioned.
research each drug, as what you can take with liver disease is entirely different than what you may take without it. some drugs can actually increase the rate of fibrosis much the same way alcohol does.
your RA may get worse on TX, so its important you get good pan management before beginning tx.
do not use patches, they can absorb in one day not 3 and OD you.
think a small dose of oxycontin or morphine sulphate, time release. IT sounds drastic but may be a better safer solution for your liver.....espeacially if kept low (like 10-20 mg) over 10 hrs thats only 1 or 2 mgs per hour. this way you get no bleeding veins etc like with all the other stuff I mentioned.
If you are showing obvious signs of RA and your doctors are not treating you, find another doctor. if the inflammation is not being brought under control your joints are continuously being damaged. Prednisone is the "mainstay" for reducting inflammation during a flare.
I do have the RA diagnosis, I do take RA medication. I also had a family history of it as the disease put my mom in a wheelchair. No matter how good the medication is though, don't expect 100% improvement. An RA flare can last for years or it can go away as quick as it came and not resurface for several years. It's a funny disease, and a very painful one. RA does most of its damage within the first year of diagnosis, another reason why it's so important to get the inflammation under control.
Mouse
I do have the RA diagnosis, I do take RA medication. I also had a family history of it as the disease put my mom in a wheelchair. No matter how good the medication is though, don't expect 100% improvement. An RA flare can last for years or it can go away as quick as it came and not resurface for several years. It's a funny disease, and a very painful one. RA does most of its damage within the first year of diagnosis, another reason why it's so important to get the inflammation under control.
Mouse
Hi.. I am another one with RA and HepC. Got a 1.5 yr.long serious flare up when I first got the RA. Took anti inflammatorys, and prednisone. Did not know i had hep c then. I am surprised the docs didn't find it then,,,cz they tested me for everything. That was about 8 yrs. ago...the RA finally got better...don't know exactly why. I couldn't get out of bed alone or even open my hand enough to hold a cup of coffee in the morning. It started in my wrists and with in 2 weeks , it was all of my major joints.. And it came on quite suddenly...my sister and an aunt and uncle all had it bad... It was so painful, I couldn't believe it...now it is better- to where I am in pain if I over do anything...but it is not constant like it was... it seems like the prednesone did really help the flare up go down...it took about 1.5 yrs. on it, now that you have hep c...I don't know if your docs will let you take any of that....but if I got that bad again, I would have to take something bcz I could not function...maybe talk to your docs about that??? I took 5 mgs.of prednesone, and some kind of prescription anti inflamms..(forgot which one) like I said for 1.5 yr. and then I just stopped taking it and have been better for about 6 yrs...
any way I hope this helps you.
Pitter
any way I hope this helps you.
Pitter
Painkillers of any kind did not touch my hep C joint pain. My rheumy put me on Plaquenil and it was like a miracle drug. It takes about 6 weeks to work and the change is subtle. But one day I woke up and the pain was more than bearable. The nice thing about the drug is that when you go off of it, the good effects can last for a couple of years.
Hello I just found out on 5/31/07 that I have hep. C I am 44 years old with hypothyroidism and Mental illness. My mother, father, and brother, have all passed within 4 years. Stressor's or unbelievable so I will not go into detail. I am hurting so bad I have a stage 1 grade 3 biopsy report. My treatment begins the day after thanksgiving. I have been to the ER room 3 times for joint, and pains in nerves my pcp has tested me for lupus, RA, and SED. I am taking nerve ending damage pain medicine called gabapentin 300mg. It is working! and nerve medicine xanax and loratabs as needed. I am careful with those due to liver. Well hope it helps to know these pains come with the virus. It helped me I could not believe yall's symptoms "just like mind". Best Wishes May God Bless and Heal You All!
I have had Hep C for probably 20 years. I was DX w/hypothyroid 8 years ago and my joints started hurting about 2 yrs ago. At first my MD said it was from Menopause as it got worse I asked them to check for Lupus or Lymes disease. My mother had Lupus and I run on trails getting the occasional tick. When he came up with RA I was shocked. I went to a Rheumatologist and he didn't even look at my X-rays when he found out I had Hep C he said that was causing it and just keep taking the Diclophanic that I was taking for Plantar Facaitis. It is now getting difficult to write or use the computer my hands and wrist hurt so much. I can hardly run and I don't seem to heal. I fell running and twisted my ankle landing on my wrists in July and it only seems to get worse? I had my Biopsy last night and plan on starting to treat Jan 1st. I am so tired of being sore that I am willing to feel worse to get better. I didn't plan on getting old like this so early. I am 47 but very active and have always tried to stay physically fit. So this scares the sh*t out of me. I am waiting till after the holidays then jumping into the quagmire of TX. I am a PTA and work on a Brain Injury unit that requires a lot of heavy lifting. So I am very worried about handling work. I haven't told anyone at work yet and could drop to 20 hours if needed. I have been trying to prepare my twins and husband for me not being as active in the household. I think that scares them too because I'm central control around here. Well I need to stop typing because my wrist is killing me.
Take care and let me know if you come up with anything that helps. Did you try TX for 3 months and it didn't work leaving you in more pain?
Take care and let me know if you come up with anything that helps. Did you try TX for 3 months and it didn't work leaving you in more pain?
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