This is my first visit to this site. I am 29 yrs old and I was recently diagnosed with RA. I have been having severe knee pain for 7 yrs. I was also diagnosed with Sjogrens Syndrome when I was 8yrs old. Today I had fluid removed from my knee for the first time. The fluid was very yellow in color and was cloudier than my Dr. expected. I have to wait 2 weeks for the knee fluid test results as well as x-ray and extensive blood test results. I have 2 small children and I can't keep up with them. Most days I can't hardly walk up stairs. My knees swell to 3 times their normal size. My pain is not limited to my knees. I get the same symptoms in EVERY joint I have, including my jaw. I am very disturbed by my symptoms and what RA will do to me but I manage to keep a positive attitude, most of the time. If anyone has symptoms that sound like mine or has any advice about treatment or what to ask my doctors, I would appreciate any help. Thank you

16 months ago suffered lateral fracture of tibia involving plateau. Minor displacement ( 2 cm.) surgery not necessary. Continue to have pain, bad at times in knee & calf muscle, also have a snagging feeling in calf muscle when walking, (at times). Recent x-rays shows obvious loss off cartiledge in area of fracture. Can anyone tell me why I still have pain and other discomfort? Will this injury dramatically increase my chances of having to undergo knee replacement at some future date?

I had a TKR June 14th, 2004 after suffering with RA and Osteo for many years. I am 51 years old and delayed the surgury until I could no longer walk without crutches. The surgery went extremely well. I was walking without even a limp by day seven post op and I went back to work on day 8. I have had nearly no pain and I feel great..I am seven weeks post op now and I enjoyed a long motorcylce trip this past weekend. For any of you considering the surgery, I say "go for it" and I hope your experience is as great as mine.

Hi, I'm 42 this month and I have been in a whole lot of pain for about 4 years now. I quit working 2 years ago when I was in such bad shape I really did think I was dying. I had all kinds of blood tests and finally after 6 months of not being believed they did a test called C-reactive protein which shows inflamation in the blood. Then they did a Mri on my knees x-rays only showed a little OA and the Mri showed chrondomalacia of both knees and a torn tendon. Then a bone scan showed inflmation in my left knee and in both feet. Strange that the tests to prove RA start out with the hands and my hands looked ok to them. I started on anti-inflamatories, tried arava, enbrel,plaqunil,ect. I take 9 prescriptions now and one is methotrexate. I am out of shape a little overweight don't get much excercise if I can I go in the pool and its easier. I think enbrel works but its too much money. I have tried medical studies. Hopefully we can all have better medicines. I still don't test positive for RA factor in my blood but 20% of people don't at least at first. Our bodies are meant to fight off disease and it can take a long time to find out what is really wrong. If you are suffering don't let them tell you your fine, the longer it takes the worse off you could be in the long run.

I have had RA for 8 1/2 years. The first year and a half was a nightmare. I was under a RA doctors care plus I was going to a RA consultant center. The medication did not work for me. I can't explain how bad I was. I wanted to die I was in such pain and swollen. I had heard about a treatment for RA in Mexico and decided what could I loose. That was 7 years ago and now I can cope. I am in charge. It is not a cure but it is amazing how it controls the pain. I have seen so many RA people helped. No steroids and no side effects. If anyone is interested you can e-mail me....sueh@digitex.net

I have been reading some of the stories concerning R.A.My poor old body(41) is riddled with R.A. Early 2002 I was in so much I couldn't sleep,walk,hold anything in my hands or drive the car because I couldn't turn my head. I had also put on a ton of weight because I couldn't exercise,it got to the point where I couldn't do anything for myself. Then back in Sept I remembered a diet I had been on in my teens which had helped me lose weight(Dr Atkins Diet Revolution),I decided to give it ago again, I figured with less weight it wouldn't be so hard on my joints. Well I haven't looked back.Since starting this diet I have lost 16 kilos and the side effect of eliminating carbs from my diet is the swelling in my joints has gone, I can lift my arms above my head, I can drive again and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can't say everyone else will have the same results as me and I still have R.A but to be nearly completely pain free again is worth the sacrifice of not eating all the foods that obviously contribute to my pain. GOOD LUCK to everyone who tries this, all you have to lose is weight and maybe some pain if you decide this is for you.

Story starts in 1975 - symptoms: uncontrollable collapse of the right knee, pain in joint and increasing weakness. Dr.F.Heatley of St Thomas' Hosp, London operated and by splitting the tibia lengthways, grafting in bone from the hip created an osgoods schlatter style 'bump' below the knee. The effect was to move the knee cap up the leg thus lengthing the lower tendons and therefore after physio improving the overall strength of the knee. My left knee went the same way and was done a few months later (both in 12months). He said 'Make the most of it, it won't last for ever!' I paddled the Devizes-Westminster Canoe Race and ran the London Marathon in 1985, fully operational Police Officer in London (until 1998), rowed the length (186miles) of the River Thames in 1988, won many rowing races in Thames skiffs, rowed non-stop for 24hrs (141miles), rowed the English Channel in 2hrs 42mins and rowed from London to Paris in 4days 15mins (all in the Guinness Book of Records)- I have finally worn them out!!! I now have arthritis in the right knee having had four arthroscopies over the years to remove damaged tissue. What next - a new knee??

I have a Rheumatologist, but I would like to know if there are other alternatives to having my knee drained and cortisone shots. I have this problem at least every two months. I have had RA for almost four years. If anyone can provide me with alternative treatment information I would greatly appreciate it. I am unable to take the medications available due to another unrelated chronic illness. I was just on 20 mgs. of Arava and my liver enzymes started to climb and had to be taken off the med. Sincerely, Mary F.H.

I am about to begin taking drug called Arava and I am concerned about possible side effects. Is there much of a difference between this drug & Methotrexate? Which drug is known to be safer?

Iam a 35-year-old female. Three months ago, I was hospitalized with pneumonia. During my hspital stay, I twisted my right knee slightly while bending down. Once I left the hospital, the knee got worse everyday and was very inflammable. A week later, the left knee started but has never been as bad as the right knee. X-rays and a magnetic scan showed bone or cartilage damage. They have since done extensive blood and urine tests as well as tests on the fluid of both knees. Everything has came out negative. By a process of elimination the doctor decided it was Rheumatoid Arthritis brought on by a family gene because my brother suffers from Psoriasis. He then injected both knees three months later with an injection of cortisone derivative after Indometicina anti-inflammatory tablets proved useless. I have been told to do no exercise and rest however this is impossible as a single working mother. There has been an improvement since the injections yesterday, however, will this reoccur? Any thoughts or advise?