Over the last few weeks intense joint pain has been my companion. It started rather suddenly in my right knee in the evening on Friday, November 18th. I could not straighten out my leg without pain shooting up it. I also could not place all my weight on it either. It was almost as if all the tendons in the back of my knee were inflamed and shortened. Not a good feeling. I decided to walk the mall with my sister-in-law, my brother and our kids the following day, hoping it would help it to loosen, and it worked. By the end of Saturday, my knee felt normal again. I thought that maybe it was just a fluke and that maybe I had overextended it on accident or something. Unfortunately I was very wrong.
The next Sunday, I woke up with shooting pains throughout my right wrist and hand. No matter what position I put it in, including trying to wear the wrist brace I had during pregnancy for carpel tunnel, would make the pain dissipate. All I could think about was the pain in my hand. Thankfully a wonderful friend of the family visited us that day and provided some much needed relief in the form of massage, accupressure and a good back cracking. Most of the pain had subsided by the end of the day.
Over the next couple of weeks I would experience significantly worsening symptoms. The pain was largely on one side of my body or the other until the first week of December. My hips felt like I was pregnant again, the bottoms of my feet felt swollen and tender, my knees would scream at me anytime I tried to get up off the floor. It wasn't pretty. It was then that I decided to go to the doctor to try and find out what in the world would cause such horrible joint pain. They took some tests and two came back abnormal. My rheumatoid factor came back a whopping 333 (it should normally be less than 12) and my ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) came back slightly high at 29 (it should be under 20). My primary doctor referred me to a Rheumatologist at that point. I made an appointment to see one on the 3rd of January.
A week later, on the 9th of December, the morning stiffness set in hard! It was more like morning paralysis. Walking down the stairs with a child in my arms was excruciating. One step at a time, I would lean against the wall for support and cling to my babies. After a couple of days of that, I began asking my wonderful husband to help bring them down. Thank heavens he works from home. Even walking down the stairs without holding them was a chore.
On Tuesday, December 12th, I decided to call the Rheumatologist and ask about how bad I should let the pain get. I couldn't move and even walking made my bones feel like they were going to break. Thankfully, they were able to get me in to see a different doctor that Friday.
During the appointment on December 18th, my doctor said he was nearly certain that I had RA and that the blood tests he was taking would tell more. Sure enough, I received the test results in the mail today with a working diagnosis of Double Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis. Essentially meaning that the two tests they take to confirm RA came back positive. Unfortunately with both of them positive, it usually means I have a more aggressive case of the disease. Which would explain why my symptoms got so bad, so fast. My ESR was higher at 55, only 17 days after taking the first test; my C-reactive protein was 12.9 (should be lower than 1.0); and my anti-CCP antibody was dramatically high at 201 (should be less than 20). It was the rheumatoid factor test and the anti-CCP antibody test that confirmed my diagnosis.
Now my life is changing. I am reading everything I can get my hands on regarding autoimmune diseases and RA, and I'm learning a lot. I am determined to beat this and live a normal life. The scientist in me has me recording everything I feel may have an influence on my flares. Everything from the amount of sleep I receive, the amount of water I drink, the food I eat, any exercise I receive, medications and vitamins I take, as well any alternative medicine courses I pursue. And I'm beginning to make some discoveries.
I have discovered some things that alleviate much of the pain and inflammation, but don't take it away completely. Other than Ibuprofen, the methods I'm using do not involve medication. I am nursing,
so I am unable to take most of the medications they want to give me,
and the ones they say are safe, I don't feel comfortable with.
Fresh ginger tea made from ginger root, when taken 2-3 times a day, works almost as well as Ibuprofen. I say almost because I really need to take it 3 times a day for it to be as effective, but with 2 boys to take care of, I usually only get 1 or 2 cups in a day. Those days I take 2 or 3 200mg ibuprofen pills to help alleviate the larger portion of my pain.
Taking Emergen-C 1000mg Vitamin C drink mix helps lower the amount of inflammation significantly, as well as restore some muscle strength. I have noticed that if I take a probiotic with 15 billion live organisms on an empty stomach a few hours after taking the Emergen-C, it seems more effective.
Putting Lavender Essential Oil and Frankincense Essential Oil in a cup of Epsom salt and dissolving that in a warm bath has also helped relax my muscles and joints and provide some mental and spiritual relaxation also. I've decided to use Doterra Oils and am getting great results with them.
I have also noticed that processed sugar and white wheat augment my flares and make them much worse, so I am cutting them out of my diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables have become a larger portion of my diet and I feel so much better after eating them.
In a million years I would have never thought I'd become so sick with such a terrible disease. I'm only 26 years old and have led a very active lifestyle with two beautiful children. There are so many factors that influence how I developed this disease and my flares that I've become quite overwhelmed at times, but my resolve is the same: To beat rheumatoid arthritis.
9 comments:
WOW! You can beat this! You are in my prayers.
oh, I'm so sorry to hear this - - but so happy to see you fighting hard and getting knowledge. all the best to you!!
Oh my goodness. My mother-in-law was diagnosed in her late 20's too! My husband talks about days when she couldn't get out of bed.
Best of luck to you in keeping things in check!
Tianna, my eldest sister developed RA at a very young age, same as you, and had just delivered her 2nd child at that time. It is a crippling disease. As years went by she also develop other forms of autoimmune diseases which is usual and related to aggressive forms of RA. It's been 25 years now and she's gone through all kinds of western medication, but the last few years she has tried homeopathy and that is one that helped the most. I have also met a LOT of people who has adapted the GFCF diet and raw diet, and has helped them tremendously without the use of standard western medicine. Whole foods, non GMOs, semi raw diet, GFCF diet works so well for my son who has Asperger, AND it works really well (from what i've research and testimonials from people i've met), for all sorts of autoimmune disease, and even other forms of disease. My sister learned to shift her perspective that RA is not so much of debilitating disease that has burdened her, but a blessing in disguise that made possible for her to grow closer to our Heavenly Father, value what's more important in life, and know that she can handle overcome anything as she has learned to navigate life having RA and other autoimmune disease. More power to you Tianna.
I'm so sorry to hear about your disease and give you props for the resolve you have. I think that many times, how diseases affect your body are dependent on your resolve and optimism. My mother in law has an agressive (and rare) lymph cancer. Her original prognosis was less than a month when it was discovered, but three years later, with her determination, she is still with us! Best of luck in the future in finding ways to beat RA!
Thank you all for your support. I am noticing also that keeping the fighting spirit ablaze is helping me cope with this. I am determined to learn as much as I possibly can and to control it largely through my diet and lifestyle.
Tianna I am so sorry I didn't get to see you when we were in Wisconsin! I am also so sorry about your diagnosis! I think it's really awesome that you are trying to figure out what works for you and learn all you can. Hopefully you'll be able to stay off of those drugs. Good luck and keep me updated!
Tianna. I am so sorry to hear this. I am happy that you have such a great attitude towards it though. Way to keep a fighting spirit.
I wish we could have seen you guys too Jessica! Maybe next time. :)
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