My primary doctor told me 8 years ago I had rheumato Arthritis in my neck, I was 54. When I asked what did we need to do to fix it, he said "Your just getting old, your not a young man anymore just part of it. I had went back over the years complaining about lower and mid-back pain getting worse to the point could not get out of bed at times and was told the samething, "your just getting old,losae weight and excerise.. I was 5'10, 179#. one year ago to date at age 61, I woke up with such pain I had never felt, could not walk, sit, move without crying and screaming due to pain. My primary did x-ray told me to exercise and take some tylenol and sent me home. I went back to him next day screaming and crying telling him once again, something is wrong heLP ME. before i kill myself, he finally sent me to nurulogist who found crushed nerves in my lumberL4-5,S1, t7 fracture, a spinal tumor, and sever carpule tunnel in both hands and major muscle lose. I had a spinal Fusion March 2024 and diganoised with Server Spinal Stenosis but never told the cause until requesting my medical records and found arthritis was cut out. I still have back pain, wal;k wiht a cane and cannot find what is causing it except told perment damage. my doctors only sent me to physical Theropy in August 2024 for 8 weeks but my spinal Fusion was in March? Taking matters into my own hands as I need help as I have found inflamation is a be cause so need help wiht a diet plan to reduce that, Pain Management and an exercise plan tailored to my issues so I think I start with a rheumatologist, but is it to late for one now? I have DDD above and below the Fusion and since I can't get my doctor, nuerolgist or neurosurgeon to tell me what we need to do now, they justy ignore me and run out the room.. is it to late for a rheumatologist?
A side note, ask for Ferritin levels to be tested. I never knew I had hemochromatosis. It’s a simple treatment of phlebotomy when levels reach over 100. This condition is rarely tested for, which in my opinion is a crime. Much of the pain I couldn’t shake was from iron overload, which in time is very destructive to the liver and pancreas. A simple blood test prevents real problems down the road.
Good luck to you.
Yes, you should now (late, tho it is) have a consult with a rheumatologist. There are many medications for this. That you had surgeries with this diagnosis and no one ever suggested this with your history is somewhat confounding, but there you are. Ask for the consult today. Know that you need not have a recommend from your physician; you can consult a Rheumatologist on your own. As with all things medical these days, you will have a wait time to get in, but you've waited decades, so that won't be offputting. I have a step daughter dealing with this diagnosis for her lifetime. I understand your pain, and am so sorry. Wishing you best of luck.
You can try Chiro, massage, and acupuncture, to help relieve pain also
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353653
When I did a search for "Have any new treatments for RA been developed recently" this is what returned:
"Yes, one of the most recent new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis is a class of drugs called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, which are considered "small molecule" targeted therapies that can be taken orally and work by blocking enzymes that contribute to inflammation in the body; examples include baricitinib (Olumiant) and tofacitinib (Xeljanz).
Key points about JAK inhibitors:
Mechanism of action:
They target specific enzymes within the immune system that are involved in inflammatory signaling pathways.
Benefits:
Effective for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, especially in patients who haven't responded well to other treatments like TNF inhibitors.
Administration:
Taken as a pill, making them convenient compared to some injected biologics.
Other recent developments in RA treatment:
New biologic therapies:
Research is ongoing to develop new biologic drugs that target different inflammatory molecules, like interleukin-6 receptor blockers.
Biosimilars:
Affordable versions of existing biologic drugs are becoming available.
Targeted therapies for specific patient populations:
Studies are exploring treatments tailored to the unique needs of different RA patient groups."
I think you need a referral to a rheumatologist but you can ask your primary. I read the above Mayo page and there doesn't seem to be much you can do as RA is not curable. I wish you success if finding treatment options and better pain control.
Go get the rheumatologist’s opinion and possible treatments for your conditions .
Good Luck.