More Questions/Prayers Needed

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Psychiatrics.

sooo....

my baby sister has started track this year. she just turned 13 last month. problem is, her joints have been swelling up, mainly her ankles. she has been icing them down for the past several weeks, so... last week, my mom took her to the clinic. and the doctor is ran some lab work. he is testing for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupis, and a few other auto immune disorders that mom couldn't remember. her hands and finger joints have been swollen and difficult to move for a while now, and she has been taken to the doctor's at least once prior to this visit in regards to this.

in the back of my head i wondered if they should have ran these tests back when she first went to the clinic the on the first visit when we first noticed that her fingers and hands were swollen, but it's too late now.

in our family history we have my mom's brother had true red cell aplasia when he was in junior high/high school, then died at 36 due to lyposacrcoma, and my mom's dad has fibromyalgia and a weird type of athritis.

today, after more than a week of waiting, we got the test results back. all of her arthritis panel came back negative. she was anemic, and there was blood in her urine (she was on her period). so, we will have do a repeat cbc and urinalysis.

my uncle's true red cell aplasia issues started right after a routine physical showed him to have anemia.

tomrrow we go and see a rhumatologist. we will know more after the appointment.

so....keep my baby sis in your prayers...she is only 13 yrs old...:crying2:

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Specializes in LTC, Acute care.

I'm sorry about all that is going on but I will be praying for her.Hugs(())

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So sorry to hear/read ... I'll pray for your sister and your family. I hope things get better for her, I'm not even sure if they can be. I guess what I mean is, I hope she'll (at least) feel better.

I've always thought that RA was only possible to come out at a certain age. I didn't know kids could have it. I guess I learned something new today.

Just wonderin', if it's not Juvenile RA, what is another possible cause of her condition (as far as autoimmune disorders go)?

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Specializes in Psychiatrics.
I've always thought that RA was only possible to come out at a certain age. I didn't know kids could have it. I guess I learned something new today.

Just wonderin', if it's not Juvenile RA, what is another possible cause of her condition (as far as autoimmune disorders go)?

Juvenile RA can be diagnosed as early as a year old (according to my Diseases book) my baby sis is 13, and in order for it to be diagnosed as Juvenile RA, it has to be diagnosed under the age of 16.

As for what it could be, I soooo wish I knew and I wish I could take away her pain. Luckily, since she stopped track, her ankles has decreased swelling ahd she has not been in so much pain. However, she still has pains. She has been using ibrprofen for pain (as the doctor suggested).

My baby sis is a very active little girl, she is tall, atheletic, social, if it does end up being JRA, or something similar to this, it will be devistating to her, but she is strong, and she will survive. Right now she is going on like nothing is happening, and is taking everything extremely well so far.

Only God and Time will tell.

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Specializes in neuro.

Sorry to hear about your sister:(,I'll be praying for her. Please keep us posted on her status!

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auto immune disorders can be very difficult to sort out. Just out of curiosity, had she been on antibiotics, or other meds recently..many have side effects that can cause joint pain/swelling..my best fo your sister for negative w/u, speedy recovery.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Please don't provide medical advice. The OP is asking for support and we can't provide medical advice.

However, we can be very generous with our prayers and support.

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Specializes in Psychiatrics.
auto immune disorders can be very difficult to sort out. Just out of curiosity, had she been on antibiotics, or other meds recently..many have side effects that can cause joint pain/swelling..my best fo your sister for negative w/u, speedy recovery.

Over the past year or so she has been on antibotics once or twice for tonsilitis or similar issues....but her ankles only started to swell after she started to run for track.

Her hands/fingers have been swollen and have not had the full range of motion that you would expect for a normal 12/13 yr old to have for at least a year now. She was taken to the clinic to have this checked out at least once. No lab tests were ran at the clinic check up. (I know that the doctor did what he thought was right at the time, but I wasn't there at the time to ask more questions, sooo.....I can't help but feel a little guilty for not being there.

But she is getting it checked up now. So now all we can hope and pray that this doesn't turn out to be something too serious, but knowing my family background, we can't help but be cautious. Our family is the penical of MURPHY's LAW when it comes to things going wrong both medically and well...everything else....so...

Thanks again for putting my baby sis in your prayers.

Lizzy

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Specializes in Psychiatrics.
Please don't provide medical advice. The OP is asking for support and we can't provide medical advice.

However, we can be very generous with our prayers and support.

I am not asking for medical advice....

That is why I am going to the doctor tomorrow with my baby sis.

I am just needing to talk about this with someone that understands medical stuff...(my family understands some of what goes on medically...but not alot of it)

This is just a way of me to write down my thoughts...

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Specializes in Quality Nurse Specialist, Health Coach.

I'll be praying for her...and sending good thoughts your way tomorrow!:redpinkhe

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I wish your little sister all the best. My little sister was diagnosed with JRA at the age of 9 (she is now 11) and I'll tell you, it's the hardest thing in the world to watch. All you can do is provide the support and try to keep them as active as possible so they don't stiffen up. I know our sisters are strong. It's a terrible terrible disease but always remember that a positive attitude can go a long ways

Keep us posted on how everything goes tomorrow

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Specializes in Psychiatrics.

Sooo....Got back from the doc....

His thought is that the swelling may be a reactive arthritis. When she arrived to the doctor's office, she had no swelling to show, but, he stated that if she were to start to have any swelling of any kind, to call the office and get an appointment so that he could see the swelling.

Her swelling often occured later in the day, and usually after activites, so that did not lead him to believe that RA was a major contender for her swelling, but he could not rule it out.

He advised her to continue to take either ibrprofen or aleive for her pain when needed.

He ordered some more lab work...and did some x-rays of her hands...and got the repeat UA that was needed.

So...it is a big waiting game from now on....although the news is good...we have no definative answers on why she is having swelling and having pain.

Thanks for listening....

Lizzy

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