Rheumatoid Arthritis

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chaparrita1
chaparrita1 Member Posts: 26
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
Rheumatoid Arthritis
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  • chaparrita1
    chaparrita1 Member Posts: 26
    edited March 2010

    Anyone get diagnosed with RA after radiation txs for DCIS? Nearly nine months of after finishing my treatments I still felt achy and extremely fatigued. My doc did an RA panel and found my levels elevated. He thought that my fatigue& aches were more than just rad effects.  And so he did the test...  I guess next step is to see rheumatologist.

    Could this have been an autoimmune disease exacerbated by tx? or commenced by it???? I hate the thought that my 'life-saving' tx, brought on a whole new condition.

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  • Sea_nymph
    Sea_nymph Member Posts: 32
    edited April 2010

    I have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. (I had RA when I was young but grew out of it mostly and I'm 37 now.)  I was injected twice with the radioactive isotope tracers for my lymph node localization, first with DCIS, then with a small invasive recurrence. Each time I had the radioactive injections, I had a small bout of RA. But it is now in remission again. I can tell you from personal experience that radiation triggers RA if you have a predisposition for it.  

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  • chaparrita1
    chaparrita1 Member Posts: 26
    edited April 2010

    Thanks for the info.  I had 6 1/2 weeks of radiation and tamoxifen for two months (I didn't react well to it; Dr. will reevaluate this next visit).

    When I was young I suffered from severe rheumatoid pains, but I never got a diagnosis...didn't go to dr much. I think that my radiation did trigger this. 

     Thank you for the insight.  I will be seeing a rheumatologist soon.Smile

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  • Sea_nymph
    Sea_nymph Member Posts: 32
    edited April 2010

    Were the pains accompanied by swelling when you were young? Also, there is a case study of tamoxifen causing acute RA-like symptoms.

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  • chaparrita1
    chaparrita1 Member Posts: 26
    edited April 2010

    Had bouts of swelling in my legs.  BUT Just had a visit with my med onc.  He put my mind at ease regarding the elevated numbers.  My CRP & ESR markers were slightly elevated, and only reflected inflammation in my joints.  Not positive numbers for the RA panel.  I am still confused as to what makes it 'officially' RA.  But the doc did not seem to be worried.

    He also said that if there is a 'predisposition' for RA...and since I am having nerve pain down my right leg along with aches, he would re-evaluate putting me back on Tamoxifen for now.

    I am just plugging along.  If anyone can clarify the diff between markers and tests, etc...I would appreciate it.

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  • Flmgkat
    Flmgkat Member Posts: 25
    edited May 2010

    Hello all,

    From a BC patient who has RA for the past ten years: I suggest to go to a  rheumatologist to get bloodwork checked out and talked about what meds that are taken and also to get your onc together  with the rhumey to see what will work and won't. I've recently came off chemo treatments, which eased my RA symtoms for the past four months and my onc and rhuemy are making sure that the side effects of femara(hope I spelled that right) isn't also RA acting up.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited July 2010

    Had ESR tested (grandmother had RA) and numbers came back at 34 (0-20 normal).  Is that high?  Or is it just moderately elevated?  I'm hoping it's still just a result from all the chemo that I finished in December.

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  • PT6
    PT6 Member Posts: 76
    edited July 2010

    I have been dealing with RA for the past 15 years. The results of your blood tests are not a definitive diganosis of RA. ESR and CRP are indicators of inflammation. Even an elevated RA factor can be an indicator of inflammation - not necessarily RA. The diagnosis is made by looking at the clinical signs  AND the blood tests. Hot, swollen, mushy joints - usually symmetrical (left and right) plus elevated blood results are an importatn component of the diganosis. Your blood tests may be elevated because the radiation set off inflammation. See a rheumatologist for a definitive diagnosis.

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  • gullwalk
    gullwalk Member Posts: 12
    edited April 2012

    I was diagnosed with RA about 3 years ago, and was on Enbrel ,Mthxe,folic acid. Had to stop meds before mx on 3/21. All hell broke out . Major flare up 1 week before surgery and then 2 weeks of pure pain beginning a few days after surgery..Back on methorexate,and pred but no more Enbrel will have to change to Plaquinel . Will probably do C,M.F chemo, no radiation, and will have to take an estrogen blocker. Would like to hear from others on how their RA has affected their txt and vice a versa. Auto immune  and BC does not go together

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