Pretty much the same thing happened to me. I started feeling exrteme pain one body part at a time, about once a week. My primary doc thought I had torn both of my rotator cuffs in my shoulders, but that didn't explain the pain in my toes, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers. I was a frickin mess.
It took me about a month to get the refferal to an RA doc, but once I was in and got diagnosed, things started getting better pain wise. He put me on predinose and immediatley I felt better. I was on it I think for about five weeks, then came the methotrexate, low dose at first and not problems. The doc upped my dose and then I started getting the side effects: the naseau, flu like symptoms, and now my eyes are red and burning like hell, and let's not forget the fatigue.
Now I'm on Humira with the methx.
It sounds like you weren't on the predinose long enough. But with the methx, you should start feeling better.
The thing with RA is that you have to sleep, and you have to allow yourself the sleep without feeling guilty about it. You need at least 10, preferebly 12 hours of sleep per day when you're feeling bad. The other night, I slept 13 hours. It sucks, but you have to do it.
And of course my wife has been really great about this, taking care of me and stuff. That's an important part. Your family needs to understand that y ou're sick everyday and that you need to sleep.View Thread
I was diagonosed about a month ago, after having suffered for two months with the initial symptoms of severe pain, fatigue, and depression. I'm taking the methx now, on 8 tabs a week. Just spent the entire weekend sick with stomach upset and fatigue.
I sleep so much, my dog calls me lazy.
RA sucks! but there's worse things to have I suppose.View Thread