Bamboo Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 I was just wondering if anybody has rheumatoid arthritis and how are you handling/dealing with it. I saw the doctor today and she said she is pretty certain that I have this and is starting treatment. She gave me an injection of a steroid and started me on Lodine (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory). I have tried Vioxx, Bextra (neither of them helped), Celebrex (worked wonderful, but made my heart do strange things), and Mobic which didn't really help either. The doctor ran a whole slue of tests (4 tubes of blood.... the vampire) and said she would probably start me on another drug (Plaquenil) which will help prevent me from getting any bone deformities. I know enough of the medical procedures to know she is doing the expected things. I was just wondering how you deal with the life issues, etc. Any comments, friends? Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Spider, there was a post about this in the Women's Issues forum. Lois had some good advice, as well as a woman who lives with it. I bumped it to the top for you. I'm so sorry. I thought I was getting it, and it was so painful. Hope some of the info might help you. Link to comment
Homesteader Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 Two of my friends have it. One of my friends is 60 and has had it for about 10 years. It runs in her family and it caused her to give up work. It is just too painful. She is on several meds but I'm not sure what she takes. My other friend is 34. A few months ago her knuckles started swelling up. She has no pain though. She was just diagnosed last week. Her mother also has it. She hasn't begun any meds yet. I'll let you know what meds they take when I ask them. Link to comment
redhenfarm Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 Recently when I was in the herb store a customer came in saying her doctor told her to come there to get a topical ointment with arnica. The herb lady recommended Natrol MSM with Glucosamine Creme which has arnica in it. This was interesting to me because apparently with some drugs being recalled some doctors are actually looking for solutions outside of pharmaceuticals. Jan Link to comment
Linda Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 spider ... i don't have any thing to add... but sorry to hear this... sure am wishing you the best ... and a chocolate bar to comfort you.... Link to comment
Bamboo Posted June 19, 2005 Author Share Posted June 19, 2005 Thanks everyone... and Theyd, that chocolate sure helped emotionally.... Link to comment
Homesteader Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Spider-check out this weeks issue of US News & World report. I think it's dated the 26th or 27th. There are several articles about arthritis. It is available online at http://www.usnews.com Link to comment
redhenfarm Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Interesting article, Momo. Link to comment
PlanoPa Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Spider, sorry to hear you have this terrible disease...DH has had it since he was 7 years old...hes 50 now lol...pretty crippled up from it and i aquired it later in life...some days are better than others and you learn to use those days to your best advantage and the bad days you learn to let things go and just do the easier things. He has to do a lot of setting sometimes. As far as medicines go, they are all about the same. they work for a couple of months and then stop....best things we have found have been warm baths or showers in the AM to get moving and I have even went back to doing dishes by hand just to soak in the warm dish water. On the bad days we resort to the aspirin bottle. But dealing with it is more an outlook on life, you take what comes and make the best with what ya got.... thaks for the link to that article momo....Q Link to comment
Bamboo Posted June 25, 2005 Author Share Posted June 25, 2005 Momo, thanks for the article. It repeated a lot of what I have been reading elsewhere, so maybe there is some truth to what I have been reading Link to comment
ToAutumn Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Spider, I was diagnoised with RA in April 1998, after a year of pain and swelling following a ruptured disc in my back. No one in my family for 2 generations before me has RA, no one even remembers any of our relatives having it even distantly. I've always been the "different" one in the family anyway, if it can be got I get it when it comes to odd sicknesses. I didn't have insurance at the beginning so my regular doctor put me on predisone, I ended up on it for 5 years, 3 with a RA doc. I've used vioxx, had a severe allergic reaction to celebrex after taking it for a year, took bextra(and loved it!) for 2 years until the FDA took it away from me, and in the last few months have had to start over with trying meds as I am very sensitive to more than I can even remember. I remember the reaction to celebrex because I have to carry the scars for the rest of my life from it. I have been started on naprosyn and just started remicade in May of this year. So far I have gotten no relief from the remicade and I go for my 3rd treatment on Monday. I also take methotrexate every week. My first RA doc had me on Lortabs and a morphine patch for the pain and was doing nothing toward easing the inflamation or damage this disease was causing. I started seeing this doc 1 1/2 years ago and he took me off all pain meds, within 6 weeks I was able to walk again with out a cane and could actually carry on a conversation coherintly that my family didn't laugh at me- I had been so drugged for so long I couldn't even drive, I didn't trust myself behind the wheel. This was pretty hard on my family because I drive a truck for a living so I wouldn't even work- but he would NOT put me on disablity. This new doc is still pretty good, but my disease has progressed now to where the inflammation isn't giving me any relief, I am going thursday for a MRI on my back because I stay in pain in my back and lower hips and the spine is the one place that RA is not supposed to be able to attack, the docs think I have another form of arthritis in my back. I have fought the idea of disability since 1998, I am now thinking very strongly about going to apply for it. My insurance doesn't cover pain management care in any form, and I could at least have that to help with the pain if I were on disability. I have found NO creams that help with the pain in my hands and knees, just learned from a John Hopkins(SP) report that topical creams won't help for RA( I know that by trial and error) Hot showers and ice packs help sometimes, but not by much, I have several side diseases that also make my RA work against me. I am bi-polar and when I am in pain I get depressed, which feeds my bi-polar and makes me want to vegetate, which feeds the pain and I'm in a circle of one disease feeding the other.I have learned to be very careful how I let my pain work on me but it is VERY hard. I cannot sweep,mop or vaccum due to my hands and back, so I feel guilty because my husband has to do it,I wash dishes in a dish washer because I cannot stand long enough to wash dishes by hand. I'm to the point that I'm getting very frustrated trying to deal with it. I just had someone tell me to get Pure MSM in the chrystal form from the feed and seed store and take a tablespoon in a drink 3 times a day, haven't tried it yet, going to the store tomorrow on the way from the doctors and then I'm going to start it. How do you take the feverfew you say to take- how much, what form, how often???? I'm to the point I'll try anything to keep from going crazy from the pain. Link to comment
ToAutumn Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Mare- where is the women's issues forum? I would like to read what Lois has to say about RA. Link to comment
Linda Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 karen go to the sunporch... then to did you know .. and ask to be let in.... Link to comment
jillg Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 Massage therapy could help (while not in a flare up), our anatomy and physiology instructor (who is also a Naturopathic Doctor) said while massage couldn't cure the arthritis, it can help it from getting worse. (its the same with MS) It is also not generally found in primitive societies with primitive foods, rather than western diets, so a change in diet (increase whole foods, veggies, fiber, decrease saturated fats, etc) may help it from becoming worse. So sorry to hear about this, hope you are feeling better. Link to comment
Bamboo Posted July 12, 2005 Author Share Posted July 12, 2005 Thanks for all the replies. I'm still reading everything I can about this disease. I am going to start looking at foods (which help, which hurt) and plan on making that change too. The doctor started me first on Lodine which is an antiinflammatory. This has helped a bunch (I'm not as advanced as Karen) and just before vacation she started me on Plaquenil. This usually takes about three months and is longer lasting. I have noticed that I get a terrible headache about 15 minutes after taking it and it usually last for about 1/2 hour and then I get dizzy for about two hours.... I would rather find some natural alternatives, but I also don't want to become crippled from this disease. Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 oh just passing through.. AGAIN!!! FEVERFEW ok, I am leaving again. Link to comment
PlanoPa Posted July 13, 2005 Share Posted July 13, 2005 hi westie....i have tried that feverfew for migraines...it didnt work though but that was years ago...may have to try it again for the RA and thanks for that info...its got to where lortabs (yuck) arent even working now....Q Link to comment
gardnmom Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 These products can rid your system of toxins, which may block other natural or manmade Formula’s from working as efficiently as they should. Try them then retry the feverfew. Pycnogenol- extracted from pinebark. (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins). http://www.kcweb.com/herb/pycnogenol.htm Grapeseed extract (along with pine bark) are two of the main sources of OPC's (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins). OPC's are a group of bioflavonoid complexes that perform as free radical scavengers when taken as a dietary supplement. Many names refer to this group of bioflavonoids, another is PCO's (Oligomeric Procyanidolic Complexes), anthocyanidin, leuco anthocyanin, and others. Research has shown that proanthocyandins (Opc's) possess anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antiallergenic and amazing free radical scavenger attributes. In fact Grape Seed Extract has 20 to 50 times stronger "antioxidant" support to the body than Vitamin C & E, Beta Carotene or Selenium. Read about Grapeseed extract at: http://www.vitaminstuff.com/herbs-grapeseed-extract.html http://www.naturespharma.com/grapeseed.htm Link to comment
ToAutumn Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Thanks for the info Lois. Has anyone heard of using castor oil as a rub for the pain. I've had 2 people tell me to rub it in my joints 3-4 times a day, it may turn your skin faintly yellow for awhile but to keep doing it and the pain will dimish, I'm looking forward to yellow skin, already started doing it. I've also found the feverfew aqnd started it along with something called joint support. Trying anything now. I'm working through a reaction to remicade right now so I now have to cross it, humeria and the other shot off my list of medications I can use. SSDD for me, just so tired of looking like a lobster or like I've been eaten up by fleas. I've got spots all over both arms and across my shoulders and down both sides. My doc is about to spit out his false teeth over this newest reaction- so am I. Any new ideas to help deal with this horrible disease will be greatly appreciated ladies. Please keep your chin up quiltys41- you're in my prayers, ignore it when I moan, there are a lot of ways to deal with this thing, I just happen to be allergic to most of the convintional medicines doctors are using. Try to NOT let your doctor put you on a duragesic patch- not unless you don't mind becoming an addict- it is a morphine patch. I thought I was dying comming off that thing, I pray I don't have to start back on pain meds. I just get really depressed because my body is literally fally apart no matter how hard I fight to hold it togeher, I remember being a teenager and vowing I would never become obese like my mother and all the females in her family. I kept that vow until I was put on steroids for 5 years at the beginning of my RA. I am 100 lbs heavier than I was as 35 and it takes forever to get one pound off. I eat more vegs than anything else but nothing seems to help. I'm slowly having parts of my body break down and I can't seem to stop "feeling pitiful" sometime. So the best I can give you is keep your laughter level up as high as you can. I ve read that helps, to keep your outlook up and your prayers to God for help with this burden. I learned long ago, don't pray for a miracle healing, God never gives us more than He thinks we can handle, and I truely look at this as just another test of my faith that God will see me through this, "not in my time but in His" has come to mean a whole lot to me in the last 10 years. Link to comment
PlanoPa Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 thanks for the comfort karen...im allergic to most of that also and i cant take duragesic patches or fentanyl either and work (CCU nurse). I dont think i would have a very clear head and i hate that feeling of not being in controll of what im thinking. There has to be an answer somewhere and im going to try the feverfew again. Keep us posted....Q Link to comment
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