Question
AFTER PREGNANCY (BIRTH MAY 7) DEVELOPED RASH ON LEGS ARMS STOMACH- TOOK 2 COURSES OF PREDNISONE 60 MIL TAPER. RASH IS GONE 3 DAYS LATER i STARTED TO HAVE JOINT PAIN. ESPECIALLY IN HIPS,KNEES,SHOULDER. SHOULDER PAIN IS GONE NOW IT IS IN WRISTS,THUMBS,KNEES HIPS. MY MOM AND SISTER BOTH HAVE RA. SISTER DIAGNOSED AT 31-AFTER HER FIRST PREGNANCY. I AM 33. ANA SCREEN WAS NEGATICE, RF QUANT WAS NORMAL, SED RATE WAS 10 – ALL OF THOSE WOULD INDICATE IT IS NOT RA BUT IT SURE FEELS LIKE RA. I DO NOT HAVE MUCH SWELLING JUST A BIT IN MY THUMB BUT OTHER SYMPTOMS SEEM LIKE RA. MUCH WORSE IN THE MORNING OR AFTER RESTING. I AM TAKING 4 ADVIL EVERY 6 HOURS AND THAT DOES HELP. I AM WAITING TO GET IN TO A RHUMATOLOGIS.WHAT DO YOU THINK- ANY CLUES OR GUESSES TO WHATS GOING ON?
Answer
It’s difficult to tell without examining you. You are right that RA frequently seems to start after childbirth. But a rash would be somewhat unusual for RA and I would wonder about the possibility of a reaction to medication or viral syndrome.
