Rheumatoid arthritis and swaying

Hi everyone,

I wasn't even going to bother asking about this except for seeing a mention of Rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases in another thread.

I'm currently being looked at for possible RA. I've started showing typical symptoms in my hands and feet over the last 6 months and have been to the GP for bloods. The bloods have some back high for rheumatoid factor but normal ranges for all other typical blood indications of RA. Given the symptoms and high RF I've been referred to a rheumatologists but am not able to get in to see them til April.

Given that it is quite likely a RA diagnosis and I'd like to ttc in April is there anything I should be doing differently blue sway wise or anything that is riskier about a pregnancy with RA?

Thanks

Hi Mia,

No advice – but my mum has RA and I showed signs after having DD2 – I only got tested after she was one, and the test came back ok. The rheumatologist I saw said that BFing didn’t help and signs could be confused with RA, along with the fact that relaxin can hang around a long time after the birth (Along with the fact that young mums, especially with more than one child, tend to not look after themselves too much, so wear their bodies down and muscular pains that never were before can appear). After I weaned DD2 some months later, symptoms did improve (still not perfect but at least I can walk whereas it had become excruciating) – hope for you it isn’t RA , really FX I think that most women get a break from the symptoms of RA during pregnancy, and it is an AI disease, so could flare up as well - don;t think the risks are heightened too much for the pregnancy itself (though maybe any AI disease may up the m/c risk just slightly?? not sure so take it with a grain of salt ^^)
I hope someone may have some good advice for you in case it is, or to manage your sway just in case that it is :hugs:

Ah yes, leave it to a doctor to blame breastfeeding LOL. There is a tiny, tiny group of women for whom breastfeeding may aggravate autoimmune stuff but for the vast majority it is beneficial. Breastfeeding and Rheumatoid Arthritis - Breastfeeding Support The culprit tends to be the relaxin. It does indeed hang around for 12-18 months after you've had a baby and can make you have joint pain. (I had excruciating hip issues after one of my kiddos and one of my knees went crazy after another but they did end up going away on their own eventually) Since this is the same amount of time you are nursing usually some people imagine a link there but like that article mentions this is very very slim and most people are actually better off for having nursed than not.

RA doesn't seem to affect your ability to get and stay pregnant and it can go into remission when you are pregnant! https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-art...ra-pregnancy#1

BTW - Mia, I'm really sorry - I was just dx with Sjogren's this year and while in some ways it's a relief to finally put a name to the symptoms, it is hard thinking "well now I will have this for the rest of my life". Hugest hugs.

In terms of a sway I'd not do anything any different. Eating well, taking prenatals, etc will only help your body and your sway. Since your immune system is, if anything, overactive you may want to ask if they even want you to take things like Vitamin D and stuff, since it can improve your immune system. Most of the time they DO want you to take it. Fish oil, for example, is beneficial for RA, as are probiotics and those are both good for a blue sway. Do NOT take flaxseed though (I take this for Sjogren's and they may recommend it) because it is not safe when TTC and pregnant!!!

I think to be honest the relaxin was indeed the main culprit – that and the fact that the feeding was wearing me out (as in, not the BFing directly impacting the pains, but the being so darn exhausted considering I had my 2 first relatively close also made my body more prone to pains etc – that is what he meant by that. Sorry if I mis-conveyed that ;) ).
When I started taking some fish oil (and more so after nursing) the symptoms did improve gradually and whilst I am not out of the risk zone for RA (my mum’s only declared once she turned 40), I hope I can avoid it altogether as I know 1st hand how debilitating it is.
Mia, keep us posted! Can’t wait to hear how you go with swaying and TTC, hopefully totally hurdle free with a blue bundle at the end of it :hugs:

Thank you for your kind words and advice as always Atomic and LMSM. I am hoping that it isn't RA, I've actually had some of the symptoms in my hands subside over the last week or two, but the symptoms where so classic RA the GP seemed lost as to anything else it could be. Atomic I hope your symptoms are also on the improve, the eyes must be so hard staring at a screen all day.

Good news that I don't really need to alter my sway plan at this point. Fx I can get this sway out of first gear soon.

NO LMSM not at all, I hear every day doctors blaming breastfeeding for everything under the sun, sorry if I jumped to conclusions there. :)

Thanks Mia! Yes it's pretty nervewracking when literally everything I like to do involves reading and eyesight and computers LOL but I'm hopefully going to be able to manage it over time.

hope your symptoms clear up and never come back MIa!