"You're how old?" ... "21" I responded to someone i knew at work. "But you're so young!" she exclaimed. "Yeah I know, but it happens." I said back.
Two months ago i was finally able to see a rheumatologist. My primary care docter had done blood tests for the RA factor and it was positive so he had diagnosed me with RA and started me on medications (around last may). Upon my first visit to the rheumatologist (It was on my 22nd birthday!) he had be get another blood tests done to make sure what we were dealing with as well as xrays. On the 12th i was finally able to see him again (my insurance takes forever to get things done) & i got my results back. It turns out to e worse then i expected. He officially diagnosed me with RA & Sjogren's Syndrome (great....) so not only do i have RA but this other thing that i now need to read up on. I got a copy of my blood results and these were the things in bold and circled.
Thyroid Peroxidase : 67 H
ANACHOICE (TM) SCREEN: Positive
ANA Pattern: Speckled
Antinuclear Antibodies: > OR = 1 : 1280
Rheumatoid Factor: 32 H
Sjogren's Anitbody (SS-A) >8.0 POS
Sjogren's Anitbody (SS-B) >8.0 POS
Cyclic Citrullinated: > 250 H
so my rheumy says i have very aggressive RA.... my medications have shifted, starting sunday i'll be taking 6 methotrexate pills instead of my normal 3... for 2 weeks then after that up it to 8 pills every sunday. I was instructed to start taking folic acid and he plans on taking me off prendisone as soon as the methotrexate gets in my system.
Part of me is happy to know for sure what i have, but again this is such depressing news that became a reality now for sure. I'd really like to find some sort of support group in my area to meet with people around my age (22) who are dealing with what i have. I'm so afraid of my future and i'll only be on my dads insurance for another year before he retires. So i'll have to find a better job that offers good insurance so now i'm stressing out. I still can't help but think why me?
Hi Skye,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Mariah and I found your blog when you became a fan of mine (FromThisPoint.Forward) I have to tell you that I can TOTALLY relate to the "but you're so young thing." I was 25 when I was diagnosed and I still got it all the time. I'm 27 and I still get it sometimes now. It's a rough one to find a comeback to. What is it that they expect you to say, exactly? How is that helpful? I have a whole blog post about the subject, actually: http://fromthispoint-forward.blogspot.com/2009/04/but-youre-so-young.html
In any event, I think it's great that you've started a blog to help deal with the RA. Its been a great resource for me to help work through my own feelings and also to get in touch with other people with RA. And I wanted to let you know that I plan to start reading your blog - because most of the other bloggers I communicate with are quite a bit older than I am and in different places in their lives. I think it's a totally different experience to be diagnosed with RA when you haven't even figured out what you want to be when you grow up! It's something I still struggle with a lot. So if you ever need someone to talk to (or complain to!) I'm just an email away (FromThisPoint.Forward@gmail.com)
~Mariah~
Hi! I've been reading all of your comments backwards oops I should have started here! :) It's nice to meet you :D thanks for being interested in my blog as well. I'm looking forward to reading yours.
ReplyDeleteI get the 'you're to young' comment A LOT! Sometimes it's frustrates me so much! Especially when I mention the word Arthritis and they don't think it's that bad! I rather just stick with "I have RA, an auto immune disease" when i say that people usually understand better.
& thank you for offering your support <3 if you ever want to email me also mine is: Skyebattest@gmail.com :) It's nice to meet younger people with RA whole can relate to the same life issue's as me since i'm younger.
Ps: I like what your Guru said :)
Hi Skye:
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you've found a local support group yet, or started one yourself, but there are many RA bloggers online who have our own support group of sorts. You also might check BuckleMeUp's site to see if there are people in your area who are interested in meeting. Best of luck!