Rheumatoid Arthritis

Hi Sharon...

I was also taken off MTX...because of my liver enzymes being elevated. It didn't help me much anyway. I had to go every week for months to check that the enzymes were getting back to normalagain. My ast is always out of the normal range because of my r/a but my alt was high (about 2-3 x what it should have been) and now back within normal. I worry about that with all the meds we take for our r/a. I always worry when i have to give blood that they will find something else. What is new???

I have been on Humira and that is giving me mouth sores...and a sore on my foot has taken weeks to heal but it is healed now after being off the Humira and drinking lots of water. The dr is always telling em to drink more water.

I was given presnisone 5 mg to take in place of Humira. It seems to make me feel a little bit better but i've heard you should be on it long. I know a lot of you are on pred...

Paula

I have had both and neither really sheds. Not like the labs or huskies or the like. If shedding is a problem for you, then get one of those nubbie cat grooming gloves and give the dog a rub down every day. Any dead hair will come off and can be tossed. The dog will love the attention and if it is a Boston, will pay you back with kisses and clean ears.

They both snore and some fart. My pug would get a fun look and leave the room. I learn to run because that meant she did a silent but deadly fart. With the wrong food, she could peel paint at 10 yards. Other Bostons have the same ability, but not Molly (thank the Goddess).

Pugs, Bostons, and Frenchies are the clowns of the dog world and love people and a good joke. Just my humble thoughts.

Have a great day,

Lynette & Molly (the fruit stealing Boston Terrier)

Maryland

Zone 7 http://community.webshots.com/user/lmthib

Hi Maggie....

I agree with Joyce. My mother passed away in 1981 and the symptoms of r/a started right after that. They say stress can bring it on..plus I was going thru a bad time at work when I had a very hard to get along with boss and that didn't help. I know r/a runs in the family but I may not have been dx with it so early if it wasn't for some other things happening in my life.

Hugs..Paula Ohio

Hi joyce....

I am so sorry to hear of all your losses. I can't even imagine my spouse..or the children. Parents should always go before their children. That is a pain I don't know about and hope never to.

You're such a strong woman to have been thru all this and r/a on top of everything else.

I am glad that you are with us...if you ever need more support than we are giving, let me know. I'm here to lend a shoulder.

Hugs..Paula in Ohio

Hello everyone!!!
For those who are for alternatives, Dr Templeman will be the main
speaker on April 09, 2005 (Saturday) at Holiday Inn-Flint, Michigan
and he will be talking about mangosteen juice and its powerful
phytonutrient "xanthones".
If you are interested, please let me know and I'll reserve a seat for
you.
Regards,
Dor Marchan
(586) 822-4548
Sterling Heights, Michigan

I was thinking what are the easier crafts to do when
your hands just don't cooperate. It really helps your
self esteem when you creat a project.
One is woodburning. You can burn lines not just using
pressure but by how long you leave the burner on the
wood.
Decopodge is another. The worst part of this is
cutting out the paper. You don't need to learn how to
draw and you can make a project to be proud of. One
project I use decopodge to do is Christmas ornaments
made from those AOL and other cd discs you get in the
mail. I deco and sometimes glue pictures onto them. I
use pictures from magasines etc. I also use pictures
I print out of my printer but I laminate them on a
small laminator I got From a craft store for under
$20.00 then glue them on. If you try to deco stuff
printed out of a printer the ink will run. I paint
the side with the writing on it with acyrilic craft
paints and put a big picture on it. I have made one
every year at christmas for my grandson and and his
great grandparents that on the painted side has
pictures I took of events throught the year of him
like halloween etc. The other side I put his school
picture and date the ornament.
Also rubber stamping is a good one for making cards
and more.
I need to have crafts that require no drawing talent
since I can not even draw a stick person that would
look right.
You just have to remember moderation. Do a little and
go on to another.
I have included a couple of pictures of the crafts I
have done to show you.
Mary Rue
BOXER DOGS ARE BEAUTIFUL maryrue@...
Web Pages:
http://www.geocities.com/bmtboxers/
http://www.angelfire.com/ms/beamartonsboxers

BOXER DOGS ARE BEAUTIFUL maryrue@...
Web Pages:
http://www.geocities.com/bmtboxers/
http://www.angelfire.com/ms/beamartonsboxers

My Kimsey (black Pug, who went over the bridge in 1985) was a person in a dog suit. If you insulted her, who were punished by being a non-person for the time she decided. I was punished for a few hours, but a former roommate was not there for 3 weeks. Anyone else who can home or visited was greeted on two legs with dancing and barking, but Carol - the door opened Kimsey looked at it and walked away. She really had a since of self worth and dignity. Funny dogs.

Have a great day,

Lynette & Molly (the fruit stealing Boston Terrier)

Maryland

Zone 7 http://community.webshots.com/user/lmthib

I have a bad sinus infection due to being run down by MTX and havent taken it for two weeks. I saw my RD and he put me on Tetracycline Stat. He wants me to take it for two weeks and then start back on my MTX and Remicade. I am severely allergic to Remicade now, and MTX is the only thing that makes it tolerable, yet I get terrible infections. I am afraid to go out anywhere because I am so prone to everything with my immune system wiped out. I am having a hard time tolerating MTX 25mg and take 2 mg a day for four days, but now the RD says it causes liver damage so I have to take it twice a day in small doses for two days. I cant win. Yikes.

Hi everyone. When I first got sick back in 94, I was put on plaquenil first and then prednisone. My Dr. at that time never put me on more than 15 milligrams and then tapered. Little did I know it would make me worse. That moon face syndrome came on and not only did I look like a bulldog but I started putting on weight, bedridden and being in so much pain, I didnt eat much. Once I was diagnosed with RA instead of Lupus..... I was started on MTX and started moving around. My appetite increased and was revenous. No dr. tells you about the metabolic highs and lows your body goes through. The weight gain, people that havent seen you in a month and when even your family starts telling you to decline a second helping. I am five two and at one point because of prednisone and depression, I was at an all time high of 150 pds. I was prescribed Arava in 2001 and dropped twenty pounds overnight, and then kept losing more and more. Arava in high doses gives you IBS terribly
and your body is never the same again. I also found out that because of RA I am hyperthyroid. That also makes you shed pounds. I was down to 87 pounds at this time last year, and am a wopping 94 pounds now. I learned a very important lesson. One I would like to share with everyone who is off prednisone and in pain. I dont listen to the Dr when he tells me to stress dose myself with anything higher that 10mg. I am severely sensitive to increase and decrease, so am on a maintenance dose of 5 milligrams during the Am and 1 or 2 mg before bed. You need to only use small doses, and split the dosage in half, so your body can metabolize it. I drink lots and lots of liquid, to help flush the drug out of my system. I eat one meal a day only, and eat one serving of protein, which is chicken or meat or fish. One helping of vegetable in some form, usually dark green veggies like spinach, or broccoli or a field green salad and a carb, either potato or bread in some form. I
know that prednisone tricks your thyroid into acting like its starving, so it holds on to every gram of fat, sugar, carb, and salt and stores it as fat as a protection mechanism!!! Do take prednisone, but in small doses, 2 or 3 milligrams and work your way up slowly and carefully until you just get your pain under control. I take Prednisone, Plaquenil and Ibuprofen twice a day, in the bare minimum dose. When I am tempted to take more prednisone than my 7 BID (split dosage) I reach for 600 mg of ibuprofen instead. I am in great fear and awe of prednisone and now that I know what it does and how, I can outsmart it, by giving my body the right fuel, in small doses. No caffiene, low sodium and a very healthy diet. What prednisone does to your body is not your fault. However you can control its effects by dosage and healthy eating habits. If I could, Id wave a magic wand and there would no one in pain from RA ever again. This is only my 2 cents, but it works for me.
Debbie in ME

Hi all,
Been silent due to an injury. I was doing some early gardening 2
weeks ago and cut my hand on glass badly, 29 stitches. Even though
I was put immediately on antibiotics, within 2 days I got a bad
infection in the hand and Cellulitis set in and traveled all the way
up to my elbow. I was then put on IV antibiotics and 3 forms of
oral. My hand is still very swollen, no feeling on top of my hand
and canjnot type or anything wih my middle fingers. It is my right
hand and I am right handed. Then last week, got a bad cold and flu.
Rheumy took me off of all RA meds while on antibiotics.
Is this normal when on MTX, Enbrel etc?
Thanks,
Karen

When we get up at our house there is a line that forms
to steal furniture. They even do it while your in it.
My Grandson laid on the couch and then had company.
See picture
Mary Rue
BOXER DOGS ARE BEAUTIFUL maryrue@...
Web Pages:
http://www.geocities.com/bmtboxers/
http://www.angelfire.com/ms/beamartonsboxers

I was taken off MTX two weeks ago because of elevated liver numbers,
and have been dreading going back to the way I was before I started
the Meds in November. But I am doing much better than I expected.
My hands are stiffer, but I am sitll functioning. Maybe the
terrible flare I had in July has finally subsided. I can live with
this!
Sharon

Have had RA since on 1989. In 1998 was put on Atvan for insomnia and
became addicted or chemically dependant???? Have been off since 2000
and can say" Never take Ativan ,Valiun, Xanax or any Benzo . If you

Hi Everyone,
I was just wondering whether there are different stages to
arthritis, such as stage 1 and 2, etc.? Or is it diagnosed
according to severity, such as mild, moderate, severe?
Any feedback would be great :0)
Best Wishes,
Nicola

She is both a sweetie and a stinker. She steals fruit (usually bananas (whenever possible)) and lies (Mom, I have to go out. Oops, I meant move - I want your chair) and keeps me laughing and cussing. Here is a picture of her on her favorite place - watching the world go by from her back yard throne.

Have a great day,

Lynette & Molly (the fruit stealing Boston Terrier)

Maryland

Zone 7

Hi everyone- I have found the theraputic wonders of knitting. I decided to buy some huge knitting needles because I cant hold the smaller ones. Am I paying for it now. I am so frustrated that simple things like "fingers" other people take for granted, can be the source of so much aggravation because of my limits here. I like doing something to feel productive. Like so many other things, I will have to walk away from it. I suppose I have no business even trying this when I need my hands for important things like cooking and cleaning which I do very little of these days. My mind feels like a ball of clay and the meds are making it even worse. Its getting so I cant think of anything unless its right in front of me. Does anyone have any advice how to cope here? Id appreciate it greatly. Debbie in ME

It doesn't matter whether I take meds or not, I always have bad dreams. They
are not always the nightmarish kind, but more so based in reality, re-living
stressful situations at night. Maybe its a Fibro thing that messes with your
head? I wake up feeling tired and upset. Right now, I have no examples of
dreams, I'll try to remember one the next time!
Its not even 8:30 and I am already ready to go to bed!
Eliz

Greeting all,
I read back through all the old post looking for something, not quite
sure what. When I find it I will let everyone know. I am however
inspired by this new gang I chat with. Some of you have lost your
childhood, some have taken unplanned detours from nowhere, some have
even lived through the dark ages of RA. But each and every single one
of you keeps on living, keeps on going. Even if it is from the bed to
the bathroom and then realize that the tub looks better than returning
to the bedroom.
I have recently been looking into alternative medicine. My psych told
me that my anger was becoming to brazen. Somhow my response where
getting a touch aggresive on the verbal side. (I'm sorry, but I can't
make a fist anymore and mandatory barfights are still very popular in
Montana.)
So I ran into Qigong. Interesting. If anyone knows more I would love
to get your perspective or if you happen to be interested; follow
through with your intuition.
I really don't understand a lot with RA, or even why I try. But I
enjoy reading and chatting with you guys. At least here you
understand why nothing really matters.
I am starting to sound weird, so I am going to end this adventure and
chat at a later time.
red

Excellent info on Sjogren's Syndrome:
http://www.midwestarthritis.com/html/sjogrens.htm

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

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Hello Marcia..Yellow what? I am so confused..lol.....Skye

G'DAy everyone..or I hope it is a better one. I pretty much have
everyoes IM but Plato..I can IM her but do not know how to get thru

Hello everyone!

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with having an epidural anesthesia for a knee replacement? My doc said that it can be used for pain control after sx. I wondering if it would be better pain control than doing it the old fashioned way!

Not so sure I feel comfortable hearing the tools being used during surgery though. Any advice is appreciated!

Heather

Hey there Sherry....I wish I could dream of nice things but even
that has been invaded. All my dreams are bad. I was even dx with
Night Terrors a few years back but fortunitly they haven't come up
recently.People say its the meds but I have been having them since I
was 4 years old. Anyway.. today is sunny but I no do so good. No.
Ima sick today. well like everyday. Now I fear it is spreading and
got into my hips.. Oh that is not a good feeling at all.This disease
just eats you up. I still would like to set up some chat times so we
can all talk together . We can have a morning one..afternoon and
night.So it can acoomadate everyone. What do you all say?...Skye

I so hate the nights, I dream terrible dreams and awaken,stay
awake an hour or more than more bad dreams..this goes on night after
night afternight.I use to lookforeward to late evening.I would crawl
into bed and read and read for hours.No if I pick up a book I go
right to sleep..horror ville. Anyone else experience this? No matter
the coctail..the same thing......................Skye

I was thinking that another answer we could give questioners about
use of diabled parking spots is: "I don't speak English."
Can you imagine the reactions you might get? Such as:
"Damn disabled foreigners coming to this country and taking all our
spots!"
;-) S.

That is a tough question..How do we deal with the down or dark
side? I am very blessed to be surrounded by alot of great
music.Music..without words or outdoor sounds @ atmoshere lite. And
a burner for essential oils.Lavender helps the body relax with the
music and fragrence,I have my sister do her Holographic
repatternization techniques with me..These help alot..More than that
I throw God in the mixture and my dark moments don't seem to last
long..And of course a handful of meds.I am so thankful to God for
the music,the smells,the bodies ability to relax when in level9 pain
and of course the wonderful opium plant. These help the most.Skye

A LAUGHING MATTER
According to psychologist William James, we do not laugh because
we are happy. But rather, we are happy because we laugh. The
happiest people alive are those who know how to laugh often and
well.
In his book A TOUCH OF WONDER, Arthur Gordon tells of a friend of
his who knew about laughter. Though deaf and almost blind, he
went right on working, laughing and making the most of his life.
One Christmas season Arthur and his friend entered a crowded
drugstore. On the back of the door was a mirror, visible when the
door was closed. As they turned to leave, Arthur's friend saw his
reflection in the mirror. He thought the door must be open and
that the figure he dimly viewed before him was a customer
attempting to enter the store. He stepped aside and, naturally,
so did the image. He moved forward again and once more met
himself. Again he retreated.
By now an uneasy hush had fallen on the spectators. No one quite
knew what to do or say. But on his third advance the man realized
that he was facing a mirror. "Why," he cried, "it's only me!" He
made a grand bow. "Good to see you, old boy! Merry Christmas!"
The whole store exploded in delighted laughter.
And why not? Here was a man who knew how to laugh at himself! He
accepted his problems and limitations with a grace and humor that
was contagious.
We're given the power of laughter, not only to laugh AT things,
but to laugh things OFF. We'll always know difficulties and we
will never be without our share of troubles, but the happy person
learns how to laugh most of them off. And that's the reason
they're happy -- it's a laughing matter!

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

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Thank you so much everyone for your comments - I had a great laugh!
So nice to hear that it doesnt just happen to me - not that I want
others to go through what i experience, but it is nice not to feel
alone.
Your ideas were great - i will write them down and try them all out -
let you know which ones have the best impact!
Suzie

Hi Elizabeth...

My rheumy just had a crp bloodtest done on me. Mine was high also....but not to the flag stage. It was in the high range though.. I know I have inflammation since I've had r/a since 1983.... He said he wanted to check on it. First time I had a crp done.

Paula Ohio

this is so funny cause i have a sticker myself and have had one for many many years since i was diaginosed. anyways ive never had anyone say anything to me. i am sure i get weird stares and i dont see it. i mean i am 27 and parking in handicap for gosh sakes. but never had anyone say anything directly to me. i always yell at the people that do park there that dont look disabled when all is full and i need a spot, lol. i know bad bad me. i am sure i get looks like poor girl shes so young and thats all i seem to hear as well....so thats my story...

-dawn-

You're so right, Skye. It's a grieving process everybody goes
through at some level
and it doesn't last forever if you let it take its natural course.
I'm still in it, I think. Each time something new happens
But I'm safe with myself for the moment, meaning I won't let myself
stay down and go into
that dark area because of this. Life continues, still with
possibility and joys outside
of what my body can and cannot do, or even how tired and helpless
things may seem.
Trying to live through the change without the support of a doctor is
a frightening, frustrating,
painful, disturbing thing. I can't even say how terrifying it is!
And to have to deal with
it when you are still supposed to be out taking the world in a long
stride is an even meaner
blow. But thems the breaks. The way the body works, we are all two
seconds from disability
(fearfully and wonderfully made). It's not about it being fair
anymore, it's about learning
how to adapt at the same time as I learn to accept myself and the
image of my new self and the
workings of my new body.
Everything is a blessing a chance to be great
I don't know about you guys, but flares take me into a whole other
place. My thinking
changes- I'm kinda stopped cold, no matter how positive I'm trying
to be. Does anyone
have any methods they use to prepare themselves for the `down'
times??

Hi Skye and Red...
Sorry that you're having a tough time. Vent away..and I will jump
on this bandwagon.
I have to say that I feel better when the sun is out but that's
mentally feeling better not physically. I love to get into bed and
putting the feet and legs up but hate the thought of having to try
and get out of it in the morning. I'm on humira but that is not
helping me at all. I'm getting mouth sores because of it. Have quit
taking it. I know my dr does not want me on it if that is the
case. I don't know what he will put me on next. I was on celebrex
but that was removed..didn't help much anyway. I've been on
methotrexate but that affected my liver and the dr took me off of
it. So, who knows what he will give me next that will barely work.
It's horrible this pain and feeling of not being able to do
anything. I stay inside during the winter months...don't even have
the wanting to get dressed with all the layers. Glad when summer
comes and there are less clothes to deal with. Eating isn't much
fun and the juggling of utensils and food to the mouth. Going to
order some special utensils soon. Balance is crappy too.
I'm glad that I was approved for disability because I don't know how
I could stand it like you...with bills and meds too. But still
trying to make it on a little over $500 a month is hard. Bills and
living are enough to deal with besides this disease on top of it. i
have to give you all credit.
I hope you have a better day today. This disease is very hard to
endure....we don't look sick but we sure feel the pain everyday. I
want the drs and med field...maybe family and friends just have 24
hours of what we endure to get a feel of it. Only a full day from
wake up to bed...that's all.
Hope you're having a better day..
hugs..Paula in ohio

Hi everyone,
I am on the new side of RA. I was diagnosed in Nov of 2004. I was
laid off from my job of 21 years in Dec, and it seems like since
then, I have gotten worse in the pain department. I've now
developed "trigger finger" which I've had before in my right hand,
now in my left..... I was put on Mobic but didn't see any relief
using it, and the side affects I read about were BAD. Just tired of
hurting all the time. Some days I feel like I'm 100 years old. This
has not only affected my hands but my feet too. Ok.........I'm
whining and I shouldn't...Not a good way to say I'm glad to be part
of the group. :-)

When I read this I realized it was meant as a old age joke. The more
I read it I notice it was like a Methotrexate or Neuroton Day.
Subject: A.A.A.D.D.
Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D.
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and
decide my car needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice that there is mail on the
porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.
I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the
garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.
So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the
garbage first.
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take
out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
I take my cheque book off the table, and see that there is only one
cheque left.
My extra cheques are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the
house to my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been
drinking.
I'm going to look for my cheques, but first I need to push the Coke
aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the
Coke is getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the
refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke a vase of flowers on the
counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.
I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading
glasses that I've been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to
water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with
water and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the
kitchen table.
I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I will be looking for
the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so
I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll
water the flowers. I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a
bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down on
the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to
do.
At the end of the day: the car isn't washed, the bills aren't
paid, there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the
flowers don't have enough water, there is still only one cheque in my
cheque book, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses,
and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm
really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm
really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help
for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.
Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message to everyone you know,
because I don't remember to whom it has been sent. Don't laugh -- if
this isn't you yet, your day is coming!
GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY.
GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL
LAUGHING AT YOURSELF IS THERAPEUTIC!

The following is a link to a web site that I believe you will find immensely uplifting and inspirational. It is based on a program from the 1950s called "This I Believe", where the host, Edward R. Murrow, "asked Americans from all walks of life -- including former U.S. presidents, captains of industry, taxi drivers, actors and homemakers -- to write brief essays about their most fundamental and closely held beliefs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Presidents Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover, Helen Keller, Jackie Robinson, and Albert Einstein were just a few of the hundreds who participated." Some of the original essays can be read or heard from the site.

They are working to recreate the project and are giving people a chance to send in their own essays. They say that writing the essay, in itself, will change your life forever for the better.

Whether you choose to write an essay or not, I think you will find this to be a great spot to spend some time in meditation and reflective thought.

http://www.npr.org/thisibelieve/

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

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Hi there,
I had two steroid injections in my neck today for inflammation. It
really really hurt. Now my whole back hurts as does my neck and
head. I dont have these very often, I know others have to endure
them far more often than me. I just wanted to have a winge with
others who understand what I am feeling.
Suzie

dear all,
does anyone else experience this?
i have a disabled parking sticker so that i can park in parking bays
that are close to where i am going - for when i am not well and find
it hard to walk distances. i only use it when i really need to -
when my RA is flaring or my fatigue is really bad, as i know that
there are many people who need this service.
but...because i am a 30 year old woman who looks healthy, i
constantly get comments from the general public like "do you realise
you are parking in a disabled bay?" and some of them are quite
aggressive towards me. i dont feel that i should have to explain my
medical history to every person who choses to judge me by the way i
look - rather than by accepting that maybe you dont have to be
elderly or in a wheelchair in order to have a disability!
(the trouble with RA, the steroids make us all looks so damn good!!!)
it really upsets me as people look at me like i am a cheat and a
liar. i know people are only trying to protect those parking bays
for people who need them - but i am afraid they often stereotype
what a disabled person "looks like" which is so wrong.
how would you handle it? what would you say?
Thanks,
S

This is the best article I have seen on this yet:

Questions and Answers About Sjögren's Syndrome
http://www.niams.nih.gov/HI/topics/sjogrens/index.htm

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

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I want to try this:
Dr. Shiel's Patented Handshake for Arthritis Patients
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20192

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

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Arthritis Questions to Ask Your Doctor

1. What is my diagnosis and how can I learn more about it?

2. Does my type of arthritis condition only affect the joints or are there other areas of my body that can be involved? Can my eyes, heart, lungs, brain, or kidneys be affected? How?

3. What is the likely course of this form of arthritis? What is the long-term outlook?

4. What are my treatment options? What are the risks of not treating at all?

5. If my symptoms worsen, what should I do on my own? When should I contact you?

6. How and when should I exercise?

7. What are the local support groups or foundations that are available to me? (note: Arthritis Foundation, U.S.@...)

8. I have certain special concerns (for example; fertility, pregnancy, offspring, alternative medicines, surgery, special diets, relatives with tragic outcomes with similar diseases or medications, etc.). How do these particular issues relate to my situation and how do you feel about them?

9. Are my children likely to be affected by this illness? If so, how can I best help them?

10. While I take the medications that you currently recommend, how should we monitor for possible side effects (for example; examination, blood pressure check, lab testing)? When should I expect the medication to take affect? Are there medications that I should avoid? Are you aware of each of the medications that I am taking?

MedicineNet Reminder: Establishing an accurate diagnosis is key to proper treatments. You are the most important person in this process by accurately describing to your doctor the character, location, duration, and time of onset of your symptoms. You should also inform your doctor about vitamins, herbs, and medications you are taking. For example, long-term use of certain vitamins and non-prescription medications may be the cause of your abnormal liver tests; magnesium-containing antacids and supplements may be causing your diarrhea; certain blood pressure pills can be the reason for your constipation.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=13029

For those of you who may not know, the Global Health Network
(http://www.GlobalHealthNetwork.org) offers a private chat for
members.
Visit our website and click on Member Services.
David Hughes

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, syas it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt.

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

jacymail@...
IM: jacygal - ICQ: 96949087
www.geocities.com/mtn_rose

Want a signature like this?

You may have seen this before, but I still think it is cute.

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And sometimes, we need a chuckle.
Hope this brightens your day - -
it brightened mine.

Hugs, Jacy ~Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

jacymail@...
IM: jacygal - ICQ: 96949087
www.geocities.com/mtn_rose

Want a signature like this?

I used to frequent alt.support.arthritis on aol, but now aol
doesn't let you read the newsgroups anymore. Does anyone know how to
get there from here? It was a great newsgroup, with rheumatologists
even hanging out there. Thanks.

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Elder's Meditation of the Day - March 21 [INLINE]
"The manner with which we walk through life is each man's most important responsibility, and we should remember this with every new sunrise."
--Thomas Yellowtail, CROW
Every spiritual person should carry a vision of God's will in every area of their life. One day at a time, each morning at sunrise, we should spend time praying to the Creator. We should say something like, my Creator, this morning I ask you to show me, in terms I can understand, what you have for me to do. By doing this daily, over time, we will develop an unquestionable vision. Each person is responsible for taking the time to do this. It will bring great joy and peace of mind to those warriors who do.

My Creator, give me the vision, today, of what you want me to do.
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Phone : 719-548-1000
Fax : 719-548-9407

Hi everyone- Just FYI. I found out that in Jan. 2006 Medicare part
D (WHICH IS DRUG PRESCRIPTION BENEFIT) will begin for everyone who
qualifies for regular medicare Part A & B. The specifics for
formulary and co pays are yet to be decided, but it is about time.
Its great news. I know alot of you will be glad its coming. Yours,
Debbie in ME.

Thanks Marcia for the info...........Skye

Hello all, this past week and today have been quite hard on me. I
am eitherin severe pain or feeling like crap or sleeping. Where is
the quality of life? I cannot plaqy my guitar nor finish my tunes.I
go from bed to kitchen and back.Yes i am complaining to day..I have
earned that right. It is all I can do to type this out.I find joy in
nothing today..not the sun or warmth or pillow.I seek solace and
find none. I reach out to no other hand. I cradle not in someones
arms telling me " it will be alright". Sure it will be..when? The
pain clinics don't even know what to do for me anymore. I have been
on everything there is.And the pain comes through.Thanks for this
forum to release to vent ..................Skye

Maggots...coming to a Hospital Near You
Fri Mar 18, 4:26 PM ET

Hello .I need your email or IM so we can
talk..Gonzo_skye@... ..........................Skye

Thinking of something to say ..besides.. I ve been there. It sucks
there is no rhyme or reason why it struck you. or me, it just is and
there are stages you go through as in death.. You are so young and
that makes it tougher yet. Reason why support groups are all over
the place so people like us can vent come together and cry laugh
mourn or talk or just simply listen ,you can email or im me at any

sorry i havent been here much this week. ive had a shitty week as for pain. there were days were i just felt like giving up. i am 27 years old and i ask myself everyday why me? why did i deserve this? i cant afford my medications thanks to medicaid turning it into spend down last year, i have hospital bills up the wazo and then i sit here in pain. i just dont know what to do. i seem to cry all the time and i more pissed then anything....ok back to bed like always...thanks for letting me vent........

-dawn-

What about a chat in the AM and afternoon and one in the
evening..That way everyone can take advantage of this tool. we can
vote on the hours. Like morning maybe 6am -8am or 8am
til10am...afternoon 3pm to 5 or 4 to 6 and night 8-10 or after..skye

You are talented!! You write striaght from the gut..I love the way
you see the way you word things..Life..I agree is better with
age.SKYE

The Beast Within...Powerful,from the gut within.
You have 1st hand knowledge and are afraid.
You should write more.It is an incredible tool we all have it
We just need to be real wi th it. It is abundantly clear it was /is
real to you............................HUGS...Skye

New way to look at it

The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old. I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.
Old age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body - the cellulite, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, the jiggly thighs, and the sagging butt. . and often I am taken aback by the old lady who lives in my mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to overeat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read until 4:00 a.m., and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50s and 60s, and if I at the same time wish to weep over a lost love, I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging midriff, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the bikini set. They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten; and I eventually remember the important things. Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when a beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. I can say "no", and mean it. I can say "yes", and mean it. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.
So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. For the first ti me in my life, I don't have to have a reason to do the things I want to do.
And I shall eat dessert every single day.

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when and if we get actual times in which we can chat together, I would
like to say my optimum time is between 4 and 5 when I am at the
library and actually have internet access. Until I can figure out how
to get back to work and make a bit more money to get the damn
collectors out of my life, the library is the only time I really get
to surf.
Thanks for the website link (butyoudontlooksick.com), I am sure my
wife will take a look at it. The title misleads me, I was expecting
more humor.
My rant for the day. How do you tell people to leave you alone?
Stress has added ten-fold to my daily tolerance of RA. My wife has a
tendency to store her stress in her sholders and I cannot keep up with
the daily massages because my hands begin to scream and my arms go
limp with fatigue. Everyday I have to deal with some other department
that has no clue as to what I did yesterday with their coworker. I
explain, in great detail, that I can no longer function at the level
of my past. I have said this over and over and over it is really
gettting frustrating. I have even been told that the letter I sent
was not even read. They worry about a check and the rest is garbage.
Proof that we live in a corpocracy, not a democracy. I think I need
to learn to yodel because I feel if you don't have money, you better
have a huge voice or you are lost to the fast paced world that I am no
longer in tune with. The more I struggle the worse it gets, how do
you tell them to back off?
RED

Please everybody go take a moment and click through to send the form letter to your

representatives and LET THEM KNOW what is necessary and important for us

and for the children who suffer along with us.

There is no other way to improve policy except to make the effort to express yourself.

Thank you

yellow

Thanks for that info Jacy. Opened my mind to alot of things. Heart
disease is huge in my family. I am going to let my Dr read this so
she knows what to keep an eye on. You may have saved some of our
lives...Skye Start calling you cub for cub reporter

The fire inside
Chronic inflammation is being unveiled as a modern-day enemy to health

The immunological defense mechanism called inflammation is a lifesaver when it fights infections from bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.

The redness and swelling that we see at the site of a wound is due to the blood vessels in the area opening wide to allow specialized white blood cells to come in to do battle. When the battle is over, the inflammation fades and healing begins.

But inflammation, which can be internal as well as external, sometimes occurs persistently and at levels that don't produce fever, swelling or any visible sign of inflammation.

Such chronic inflammation, now one of the hottest topics in medical research, is being unveiled as a modern-day enemy to health.

Medical researchers here and abroad are looking at the ways that the body's defensive inflammatory response system may be contributing to the progression of diseases such as heart disease, colon cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

Levels of a protein in the blood called C-reactive protein often rise and remain high in people with chronic inflammation from conditions such as periodontal disease or rheumatoid arthritis.

Early this year, two studies provided strong evidence that the protein, CRP, plays a role in heart disease.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the studies, one at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and the other at the Cleveland Clinic, showed that reducing the levels of CRP secreted by severe heart disease patients slowed the progression of atherosclerosis and was linked to fewer heart attacks and deaths.

Then this month, Mayo Clinic researchers announced that they had found a link between the inflammation characterized by rheumatoid arthritis and the increased risk of cardiovascular death in patients with the disease.

"I think someday there will be a Nobel Prize awarded for this, the linking of inflammation to heart disease," said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a professor of cardiology, epidemiology and public health at Yale University School of Medicine. "Although we didn't think for many years that heart disease had anything to do with the body's defense system, we now see that it plays a key role."

Some scientists believe that high levels of C-reactive protein in the blood -- and thus the presence of chronic inflammation -- may cause plaques in arteries to break away and form blood clots, Krumholz explained.

Others question whether the protein actually causes heart disease or is simply a sign of it and are waiting for definitive evidence.

Dr. Sherine Gabriel, a rheumatologist and chair of the Mayo Clinic Department of Health Sciences Research, said researchers had long observed that people with rheumatoid arthritis had a higher mortality rate from heart disease.

The exact means by which the inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients can lead to heart disease is unclear, said Gabriel, the Mayo Clinic study's chief author.

It will be awhile until researchers "unravel this complex puzzle," she said.

But in the meantime, she hopes that physicians who treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis will pay more attention to their cardiovascular health.

"With people with rheumatoid arthritis, so much of the focus is on their joints and their functional status, sometimes to the exclusion of other things," Gabriel said.

Perhaps there should be a greater emphasis on exercise -- which would be water exercise for rheumatoid arthritis patients -- to help them fight heart disease, she suggested. Also investigators hypothesize that strict and aggressive control of the patient's degree of arthritic inflammation -- through the use of various drugs -- may help reduce their risk of death from heart disease too.

Krumholz said that there is a current debate among cardiologists about who should have their CRP levels tested. It is done with a simple blood test.

If a person is already taking medications and following lifestyle strategies for controlling his weight, cholesterol and blood pressure, then knowing the CRP number isn't helpful in the absence of an additional therapy for reducing his CRP levels, said Krumholz, author of "The Expert Guide to Beating Heart Disease: What Everyone Should Know" (Harper Collins, $14.95).

But sometimes there are patients for whom there are decisions to be made, he added. He gave the example of a patient with a family history of heart disease and blood pressure bordering on high that won't respond to diet or exercise therapies.

In such a case, Krumholz might test for CRP levels and if he found them high would treat the borderline blood pressure aggressively by prescribing medication.

The effects of drugs on CRP are under study. Both aspirin and statin drugs are being evaluated for their effectiveness.

Statin drugs are prescribed to lower cholesterol. Studies have shown they can lower CRP too.

Aspirin has been used as an anti-inflammatory, but not everyone can take it.

Someday, we may have definitive evidence to know whether existing drugs such as aspirin or statins can be taken to quell the fires of inflammation, said Krumholz.

Drugs that have looked like promising treatments for chronic conditions in the past have been disproved, he noted. Look what happened with vitamin E, an antioxidant once thought to help heart patients, and to hormone replacement therapy, once thought to protect women against heart disease, he noted. Both eventually were labeled as potentially harmful.

Meanwhile, a healthy lifestyle is our best defense against chronic inflammation.

More on this: http://tinyurl.com/5w2pr

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Mind, Body, Spirit - Don't Miss a Single Issue! Be sure to add us to your address book to make certain that you receive your deliveries from the Arthritis Foundation in a timely and consistent manner.

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Your help is needed to pass the Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act of 2005
(H.R. 583/S. 424)
The Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2005, co-sponsored by Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate, proposes significant improvements in federal arthritis research and public health programs and authorizes expansion of the federal investment in programs designed to help children with arthritis. To ensure passage of this bill, we need your help. Please Send a letter to your Senators and Representatives today asking them to co-sponsor the bill and support increased funding for NIH and CDC arthritis research. Let them know that this bill is important to you!

Ithink we just scroll down to were we type and it comes on screen,
didnt see anyone sorry. Would have loved talkin to you....Skye

Yes Yet another Pain clinic.I have been to more than I can
remember ..None helped. I had all the pain blocker shots..Never do
that again..They have tried me on every concievable med..Only thing
that helps are high doses of Narc and they put me to sleep.I do not
want to sleep my life away but I do not want to suffer either. Pray
today is different. If any of you believe in prayer ,please, pray
for me. My pain is way out of controll. I will get back to you when
i get back home..........................Skye

Hi Skye, I saw you last night in the Chat to the left here. I tried to
write you, but did you not see me? I guess we are still all
figuring this thing out. Maybe I was Moderator of Chat and had to
give permission? I'm not sure. Anyone know how this darn thing
works?
Elizabeth

What about now for chat?

What are the greatest treasures. What are our priorities? Being able to Breathe, to Move, to Eat, to Sleep. Medication, sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. When you first get this you have to make a choice. Quality or Quantity. Do nothing and let the disease eat away at you and end your life prematurely Or fight for quality of life. Take every therapy, every new drug, when your body builds up an immunity. I chose to fight. But I am very very tired. It is not acceptable to me that the "Theft" of my healthy body, of time, and of quality of life should be allowed to preside. I will steal each good moment and accept with grace every bad one. I did not have a choice when I got RA. When I can sink into unconsciousness and flee my body and my mind is sometimes the only escape I have, but it is something. A gift. Even that. A gift. You are all an inspiration to me. I wish you all a good day today. Yours, Debbie in Maine.

The whole aspect of what we have to deal with on a daily basis is
insane. The pain, fatigue, exhaustion, stiffness, swollen joints,
nausea, vomiting from chemical attacks of medications, financial
worries, the inability to do the things that set your pace in the
world, and this list goes on.
What I really want is to forget about China authorizing military
force to attack Taiwan. "W's" plan for anything he is up to this
week. The never ending story of how the cold war is growing from the
ashes and the inevitable terror strike.
I want to know how I am going to make it in this world, now. I had a
hard enough time adjusting before RA. I want to go to Tibet and
meditate with monks, to leave all this suffering behind. I want to
be me without the influence of the world. No qualms, no worries,
no "How the hell am I going to pay for this?"
Sorry, I had to just type. Ranting has a tendency to calm my mind.
My biggest adjustment is towards my ADHD get up and move and my RA
saying sit the bleep down.
RED

You are so right. Yes it does suck. And yes you have the right to
feel anger. It is a part of the grieving of losing a healthy
body.But I pray you do not stay in anger for it will be the anger
that eats youur heart up not the RA..........Skye....PS I would love
to talk with you..

Can we get a meeting of the minds here? about chat times..We could
have one in the AM and early afternoon and at night.So that someone
could connect with somwone along the way..What do you all think?
Skye

The chat times we are trying to figure out. There is a list of
emails or Instant Messenger..somewhere along here. Maybe someone
with mre dextile fingers could rewrite the list for the new ones and
perhaps post them somewhere we all could easily access........Skye

Hi,my name is Terri, I have had r/a since 1992. After trying
every med. available my doctor finaly put me on Remicaid, which to me
is like a wonder drug... I still have flare ups and take Vicodin for
the pain. I would like to talk in chat with others. Would someone
please let me know the best time to find others in the chat room ?
Thanks, hope to hear from you soon

Hello, I'm new to the group as of this morning. I was recently diagnosed
with RA. In addition I have Sjogren's Syndrome, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis,
Fibro, COPD and possibly Lupus (no positive blood test yet, though the doc
thinks I have it).
The doc wants to put me on Enbrel. I have applied to get Medicare to pay
for it. Can't possibly afford it otherwise. He was thinking of giving me
Methotrexate, but because of the PBC (autoimmune liver disease) he is
concerned about the effects on my liver. Currently I take Plaquenil,
Prednisone and Darvocet.
I am 53, married for 34 years and have one daughter. I live in North Texas
in the country and have many animals (9 dogs and a bunch of farm critters).
Nina Campbell

Hello again..I was wonderin if any of you write. Wheather it be
poetry or verse..I was in a group back someime ago and we had a
section for poety and such. Found there was alot of talent out
there. I bet it would prove true here also...............Skye

thanks Jacy for the info....hope to talk....Skye

Zoom And Marcia Thank you. For the encouragement regarding my
music.My biggest fear is coming though.The RA is really starting to
affect my fingers.I cannot play like this.which means someone else
will have to do it. But you can never get someone else to play
exactly the way you do so that is getting under my crawl.. My
confidence is wanning and I have got to really perk up and say
Lets' do it. Again Thank you. Marcia..I know you do not remember me
but we talk along time ago..I used a diff name then..I got both of
you adn the rest on my IM..so I am looking forward to chats..Skye

missed me and Thanks for the encouragement..
Gonzo_skye@...
I lke to chat........................Skye

Q. What defines a true remission in rheumatoid arthritis patients? Can a doctor predict if a patient will go into a remission or how long a remission will last? Are there statistics on what percentage of rheumatoid arthritis patients ever achieve a remission? What can an RA patient do that will give them the best chance at achieving remission?

A. While there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, up to 30% of patients may feel they are "cured" of their disease. What these patients are actually experiencing is a clinical remission. A remission in rheumatoid arthritis is defined as the absence of clinical signs of inflammation. While a very small percentage of patients may be able discontinue their arthritis medications, over 95% need to continue on the medication to remain in remission. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for determining clinical remission include:

morning stiffness less than or equal to 15 minutes

no fatigue

no joint pain

no joint tenderness or pain on motion

no soft tissue swelling in joints or tendon sheaths

erythrocyte sedimentation rate -(a blood test which measures inflammation) less than or equal to 30 in females and 20 in males.

While there is no way to determine who will achieve remission with therapy, patients with a negative rheumatoid factor and CCP antibody as well as a normal C-reactive protein (another measure of inflammation in the blood) appear to have a better outcome.

In addition, patients taking combination therapy (e.g. methotrexate and a TNF inhibitor) are more likely to achieve remission than those taking either drug alone. Nevertheless, patients on monotherapy (eg. methotrexate only) still may achieve clinical remission. The longer the disease remains in remission, the less likely it is to become active again.

http://arthritis.about.com/od/arthqa/f/remission.htm

[LINK]
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After talking to a knowledgable billing person at my old rheumy's
office ("How much do I owe--can't can't sense of these bills?") I
discovered that I might not have to switch rheumys after all. And I
might not owe anything at all. Quote: "Something got really fouled
up." This news after multiple phone calls to referral desk at my
clinic, rheumy's office, and insurance co. I could scream!
Sierra

Hi Cat- I have AOL also. Feel free to IM me when I am on which is at odd times usually nights late. Anyway- I have RA and Fibro. Almost a decade now. Feel free to email too. Lets get to know one another. Yours, Debbie in ME. DBargad AOL ID

Today I canceled my long-awaited late March appointment with my rheumy
because I will be seeing a new, "in-network" rheumy at the end of
April.
I am currently rheumyless! Between rheumys! Neither here nor there!
I have been stable, feeling quite good actually, so the timing for
the change couldn't be better. Even so, there's a feeling of
insecurity associated with this transition. I really, really hope
this new doc will be better so I can say that having to switch was a
blessing.
Sierra

G'day to all and Maggie a big hello. Usually I get up at 4 or 5Am
and watch the sun rise,but today I feel awful.Restarted on my MTX
and Enbrel again.This burning stabbing pain awoke me, managed to
get back to sleep. Have only about a 1/4 cup of fuel in my
tank.Usually it takes me time to write a song yesterday I put one
out in 2 minutes..a record breaker for me..no pun intended.There is
a wonderful site that I leave on all night. It is called
atmosphere lite. If you want or need help relaxing this is the site
for you. Outdoor sounds and you can decide which ones you want to
hear can add or take away or change or save it.Highly
Recommend.Looking foreward to getting my stuff copyrighted so I can
share them with all of you. One bit of the verse is...
got up this mornin
bed still ain't made
Sun is a shinnin
But it feels like rain
feels like rain
I enjoy it so much when something hits me out of the blue,that one
did.I am going through the anger stage of dealing with the loss. The
loss of control of my body. I am grieving but didn't really coome to
the anger stage til now.I do not know how I am gonna get energy to
put out my CD. THAT MAKES ME FURIOUS...There is no one to bl