Rheumatoid Arthritis

Hello I have just been diagnosed with RA and I have had OA for awhile
does anyone know if this is normal as these symptoms with RA are
worrying.

I would like to know your opinion or experience about substituting
Indomethicin (Indometacina), 100mg night suppository for Aceclofenac
to treat RA

Hi Deborah,

Thank you for your encouragment. I hope and pray that I don't gain too much weight coz Lord knows, I gained alot because of the prednisone!! I was a size 1 before ra, and now I am a size 14!! I went to my rheumy the other day and she gave me a shot of the stuff!!! I am having to lay off the humira for a few weeks because I keep getting a sinus infection. I did quit smoking for 9 months in 05 and 06, and like a dummy, I picked them back up when I had a major flare in June of last year.

I ate alot of crushed ice ( I still do ), and that helped with the hand to mouth thing and found that it also helped with the dry mouth from having diabetes and sjogren's syndrome.

I don't drink, thank God, anything alcoholic except an occasional glass of wine. And I take enough drugs to choke a horse, all prescribed of course for the ra and it's side effects. So hopefully, I don't get addicted to food, because that would be a possibility!!! lol I love to cook, so maybe I better stay out of the kitchen for awhile! ;) I don't cook as much as I used to because of the pain, so maybe that's a good thing for a change.lol

Anyway, thanks again Deborah and I hope that God pours his blessings out on you because you are giving so much of yourself to people that you don't even know. I think that it would be really neat for us to all meet sometime, but.....as you and I know....with this stuff, it is hard to make plans. :-)

Hugs back atcha(that's an Okie word) lol,

Gloria

You have helped me so much with my self-esteem both in this group and
in your email to me. Thank you a thousand times. I used to feel so
bad complaining to my friends and my late husband about my
"mysterious" aches and pains. I would say, "honey, I just don't feel
up to going out today . . . " or "I feel like I have flu" he was very
kind by the way, and always understood. But he did not know that I
had RA - I did not know I had RA, it was not diagnosed until after his
death four months ago.
Thank you for making me understand that I have to listen to my own
body and take things at my own pace. This is a hard lesson for me,
but it is one I am determined to learn. I think I have always been in
need of putting myself first - now I have no choice.
You are a wonderful soul - as are all of us here -
Blessings to you, Susan

Hi all, i know iv not posted in ages been busy at collage trying to
learn my dutch.. I found out today that im pregnantand im realy worried
because i didnt stop taking my meds it was a wee bit of an accident.
Has this happend to any one else out there and was everything ok with
you and your baby???? take care all love janis xxx

Anyonelse pregnant?
Currently 7wks pregnant, on Humira and plan to stay on throughout
pregnancy. Back in October I miscarried at 16wks, my RA was a mess
during that pregnancy (not that it was the cause, we don't know what
was) because I basically stopped all my meds out of fear of adverse
reactions, but I have decided to stay on Humira this time. I was part
of a study during the last pregnancy for those pregnant and on Humira
and they published preliminary results that showed no adverse affects
for the med, though it did show low birth weight and delivery before
37wks a side effect of the RA itself.
Anyways, just wondering if anyonelse out there is or was in this
situation.

I think you were smart to have your husband come along. This really
is very misunderstood. Even I did not get it at first.
Susan

Deron, whomever that is obviously does not know what it is like to like with this disease and does not belong among us who do. I find this message from him/her extremely offensive not only in words but tone.
If anyone wants to know the long term effects of what can happen to someone who tries to deny for 12 yrs that they RA and keeps on pushing their body to do what it was not meant to do with RA they are welcome to come talk to me. I had the attitude that I wasn't going to be a wimp about it, no siree, I was going to beat it. Well guess what Deron, it didn't happen and I am worse off now then if I had just admitted what I had and taken the disability and taken care of myself.
Ila
On 1/29/07, cynthiadew1 <cynthiadew1@...
the type of messages that are appropriate for this list. I for one find it offensive, and would rather not lose any member who need
support with this nasty disease.
**************
From: Deron Giuliani

Hi,
Thanks to everyone who responded to my post. I am learning a lot
about this "dis-ease!" One thing I have learned is that my friends
and family do not understand when I complain about fatigue or my aches
and pains. They just shrug it off and tell me to exercise more. ??
It is really not very well understood by those who haven't experienced
it, is it.
Susan

I am having an appointment with a doctor scheduled by SSD tomorrow
because I haven't had my diagnosis for at least 2 years. HAs anyone
had to do this? If so could you tell me what to expect. I am very
nervouse and any advice would help! Thanks Holly

Hi,
Dh and I are looking at new vehicles. I'm wondering if it would be
helpful for my arthritis to have heated seats. If we are driving in the
car for more than 3-4 hours, my legs get stiff and my ankels feel
swollen.
Do any of you have heated seats, and did they make a difference for you
when traveling?
Thanks,
Jean

Hi I am new here, I don't think I have ever posted but I have read
all the posts for weeks. I was recently diagnosised with RA. My
worst complaint at this moment are my hands, toes, knees and ankles.
The ankles are new to the party. At night, my muscles start cramping
very badly in my legs, especially if I have been driving or doing a
lot of walking. I have tried wearing all different kinds of shoes
but nothing seems to make a difference - if I walk or drive, I will
get the cramping regardless. My doc put me on predisone and one
other drug, and wants to wean me off the predisone. I see him next
week for a check up. I also have carpel tunnel in both hands and
there is a suggestion that I should have surgery. I am a bit
concerned because I have know others who had the surgery and came out
worse instead of better. Has anyone here had the surgery for carpel
tunnel and if so, how did it go?
Also, I was wondering if weather is ever a factor in the presentation
of symptoms. It has been very cold here and I am very stiff, but
overall it does not seem to alter my level of pain one way or
another. I do however, experience more pain when I engage in "more"
physical activity than normal. Is all of this typical?
Thanks for you input - Susan

Since we are discussing applying for Social Security Disability, I
thought I would toss in the differences between the different types
of disability benefits, and the acronyms:
SSA - Social Security Administration
OASDI - Old Age Survivors Disability Insurance
SSDI - Social Security Disability Insurance
SSI - Supplemental Security Income
SSP - State Supplemental Payment
Medicare - The Federal Health Care program for people receiving Old
Age or Disability Insurance.
Medicaid - The State run Health Care program for Children, Disabled,
and people over 65 years of age.

Elizabeth,

I used to experience severe cramping in my feet, such as you describe, to the point that they would hurt for days after an "attack." Simply putting on my socks or shoes, or flexing my foot in any way would trigger this. Often it would then spread to my leg, like a "charley horse." I never experienced this cramping in my feet until I developed RA. Anyway, my doctor prescribed quinine for me, and the cramping disappeared. I've been good for two years now. Don't know if you're experiencing the same sort of thing I did, but hope you find some relief soon.

Hugs, Chris (in Western NY)

Hugs,
Chris (in Western NY)

Hi All,
Well I kind of had to drop out of sight because I have been so busy with the
baby who is doing well. Can you believe he is already four months old?
Everything RA-wise had been going fine, some what I call "stray" pains here
and there, but nothing too bad. Yesterday, I got up to change Dylan and I had
some cramping in my right foot, well, it just kind of felt like my whole foot
had a
cramp throughout. A few hours later I couldn't walk on it at all. Then I got to
the point where I was dragging my foot along with me and was able to do the
normal stuff with the baby.
I decided to go to the ER, I hate doing that but I wanted to get it X-rayed. I
was actually hoping they would say I had broken it or sprained it because that
would heal at least but they believe it is my RA flaring! They
put me on crutches and told me to stay off of it for 3-5 days! How exactly do
you do that with an infant?
And what if I am not better in 3-5 days, then what???
I feel like my RA in my feet has not felt like this before. They ached and
swelled but I was always able to walk on them. Has anyone felt like a
crampiness throughout? My sore foot doesn't look much different from the
other one. Maybe this is just how its starting? I am hoping it doesn't go to
the
other foot.
I will call my Rheum. on Monday but I just wanted to see what you all thought.
I am on Humira, what else might he prescribe? What if it isn't RA?
Elizabeth

Hi,
My disability app was just denied. It took them longer to decide than what I
was told. I want to appeal. Do I really need a lawyer right now? How many
appeals does it usually take before you get a definitive answer that you can't
appeal?
Thanks,
Vicki

Hey guys,

I have been reading everyone's emails lately but haven't had much to say or opinions to offer up...sorry. I have also been working a lot (the times I don't call are sick which they love!). I hope all are doing well. I have a couple questions as well as needing a little gripe session for those who care to listen.

I just seen my Rheumy yesterday and I think he got a bit upset with me. He has had me on methotrexate and prednisone and folic acid for a whole year now. He has "upped" and "upped" my methotrexate until he has maxed me out on the dosage. But, I am still having flares 2-3 times a week to the point that my hands get so stiff that it feels like my hands are rubber bands stretched to the max and then won't return to their original shape. (Odd analogy but only one I could think of). Sometimes I can't even close my hands to grasp anything. This is ironic since I am a Critical Care Nurse. I told him that I have been on these meds for a year and still feel like I am not AT ALL controlled. My prednisone dosage is 5mg every day, but most of the time I have to up it to 10mg just to get through the day. I just know this is dangerous for me to do, I told him but I had to do something. I just don't feel I am being treated properly by this RA!

Toward the end of my visit, I had to beg him to put me on a biologic agent! He keeps saying "you as a nurse know that....", well I don't. I will be the first person to admit I don't know much about RA. I work in an area of medicine where I don't deal with RA patients and only remember very little from School about it. Thank goodness for this group because I have learned a lot. Needless to say I told him yesterday that I am a nurse, but am not AT ALL familiar with RA except what I have learned from a book, the net, and you guys. This is why I think he got upset with me...but I guess he will get over it.

Now for the questions for those of you who are still listening to me ramble

He started me on Humira. 1-Any idea of the price of the drug (I have 80/20 insurance) after insurance pays? 2-Do you guys take your injections and then are you able to work on the same day, and last but not least 3-Anyone ever been hospitalized for infections after taking Humira?

Thanks to all who have listened and who respond [INLINE]

[INLINE]

Melissa In West Virginia

I haven't been on line for quite awhile but here I am again and
thought perhaps some one may have some suggestions.
I am a 43 female in apparent good health. I have had RA for
3 years. Ra has caused me to have intestitial Lund Disease. I have
some slightly deformities in my hands,wrist, elbows, ankles and my
greatest deformity are my toes. I am currently on plaquenil and have
been on it for nearly a year. It has helped me some; however, I
still have flares up and the deformity continue to occur as with my
toes. I have not treated the RA more aggresively b/c We were trying
to concieve. In any event, I think the plaquenil has helped me but I
believe it has made my vision worse.
I have had two cases of erythema nodosum(big red bumps that can be
the size of a golf ball) occur on my back of my heels and the side
of my feet. The Ra doc attributed the erythema to the RA; however,
I don't think they r related.
My index toes are twisting to the point that if i am standing
straight they are already turning the corner...lol..sad but true.
Therefore, my first question is, should I go to a foot doctor to
try and correct the joint curve in my toes or should I go to a RA
doctor and wait to see what they say. I have not seen the Ra doctor
in a couple of months b/c she does not accept my husband's new
insurance.
My second question is can someone recommend a RA Doctor in Stuart or
Port St Lucie Florida. My previous doctor, Dr Barnes, was great &
recommended by the group.
Thanks & Many Blessing in the New Year
Cookie
Thanks

I my name is Rhonda I live in Michigan and have lived with rheumatoid
arthritis for 25 LONG years now I have had multipul surgeries and have
had no problem. Well I had a total wrist replacement in April of 2005
to make a long sory short I have now had my 6th surgery on the same
wrist in dec was my last one. They ended up fusing the wrist. But all
of my surgerys on this wrist I have had fluid on my wrist and I still
have it as of today the dr took off my cast and behold here we go
again! Well he has no idea why I keep on doing this filling up with
fluid. They have done every kind of culture on it and nothing shows up!
I have tried to get into see multuple other hand drs and no one will
see me. I am ready to give it up. If anyone out there has been through
this PLEASE let me know.
Thank you very much Rhonda from mich.

Hi RA Gang,
I got the final word from Dr. DiSabitino in New Haven, CT yesterdeay.
After a full exam, tons of questions, xrays and final blood work he is
sure I do NOT have RA! He sees OA in my hands, lower spine, left hip
and what he thinks is a Sarcoid 'cyst' on my right wrist...but NO RA!
This was very good news but I admit to being a bit dissapointed. I
know, that is a very strange statement to make. But, I have chronic
Sarcoidosis which is what he feels caused a false positive RA Factor
in my blood work back in November. The Sarcoid is in my lungs and is
dong a great deal of damage. Damage that will never go away. The
immuno-suppresents and the Methotrexate are used in the treatment for
both RA and Sarcoid. RA is treated early and aggressivaly to stop
joint damage. Sarcoid is not treated until you really can not live
without it. If there was an up side to having RA it was treating it
could have also helped my lungs.
But...the real UP SIDE is...I don't have RA!!! He gave me a list of
symptoms and issues to watch out for. He was sure to tell me that
even though he is sure my positive RA Factor was a false positive...on
paper, it was still positive. I could be in the very early stages of
RA but he sees no indication other than that first blood test. So,
for now, I am happy.
So, thank you all for being here. I learned a great deal from reading
your posts. It was so good to know that I had a place to come to
where I knew I could find some answers to my many questions. I hope
you are all feeling as well as you are able and that each day brings
new hope and comfort. Thank you all.
Sooey

Hi - our insurance company is changing its rules.
Now we will have to get my wife's Humira either by driving 25 miles, or by mail order.
Humira requires refrigeration, and we both work, so no one will be home during the day to receive the shipment. Does anyone get their Humira via mail? If so, how does it work - is there a problem with the refrigeration?
We wouldn't mind driving 50 miles once a month to pick it up... but if others get their's OK by mail, then that would be easier.
Thank you,
Don & Eileen

Hi everyone,

OK, the past two times that I have had my humira shot, I have gotten a sinus infection and I feel like someone has beat me from head to toe. Is this a sign that it has quit working? Just wanted to know if anyone else has had this experience.

Hugs from Ok.

Gloria

Vicki,

I am a bandster. I had lapband surgery in May 2004. I had 125 lbs to loose when I started and I am half way to my goal and I would have been there if it was not for insurance changes that made if difficult to get to my band surgeon. I have a new doc close to home now and the weight is dropping off. I am loosing about 3 lbs a week right now and I have a pretty tight fill.

I personally would not chose gastric bypass because if you have an auti-immune disease you will needs meds for life and many that chose gastric bypass have serious mal-absorption issues with meds later in life.

Hi,
I need to lose over 100 lbs and I am interested to see if anyone on the list has had gastric bypass surgery. I am going to look into this and also the lapband surgery. I have RA and take Enbrel and mtx and I was wondering how the surgery itself affected you. I know the weight lose would help but I'm anxious aboput going into surgery.

Any comments?
Thanks,
Vicki

Need your opinion
I am 68 years old and I have tried lots of medication for Rheumatoid
Arthritis here is a list
Azulfidine 500mg, Davrvolet 100, Doxycycline 100mg ,Feldene 20mg
,Imursn 100 mg ,Ibprofen 200mgMethotrexate 7.5 mg Oruvail
200mgPlaqueil 200mgRelafen 500 mgRiduaua/Gold ,Voilaven 75 mg ,
Meccaptopurine , Plaquial ,Celebrex , Avapro 150mg ,Vioxx 40 mg.
At this time I am taking
Enbrel = shot once a week 50 mg
Pravachol or pravastatin = daily 80 mg (cholesterol)
Salagen = 5mg 3 times a day (dry mouth)
Omeprazole 20mg a day (Barretts esophagus)
I need something to help with enbrel my Doctor wants to put me on
Predisone 5 mgs a day.Will predisone lower my GFR on my kidneys. My rate
is very low at this time
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 46 , Creatin= 1.6. I think this means
I have lost 50 % of my kidneys.
I think Vioxx did it.
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks Johnny

Hi my name is Bonnie, I was just diagnosed with ra, and am looking for
all the help I can get. Just having friends to talk to about it will
help. I am on celebrex for the pain.

New to the group here, though not new to RA. My mother has had it
since I was in high school and I began developing symptoms when I was
about 18.
I've just been 'sucking it up' in the past few years as it wasn't
really anything I couldn't deal with on my own, but it seems that the
pain this year has been worse than any others. So I finally got up the
nerve to ask the doc about it, and I ended up with a positive ANA
result.
I'm still waiting for the appt with the rhuemtologist. Hopefully, it
will occur soon.
Looking forward to talking to y'all,
Angel

Hi new to group so thought I should introduce myself. I'm from new
zealand and was diagnosed with RA when I was 32, 15 yrs ago. Have been
on NSAIDS (brufen) all that time, as well as methotrexate (3yrs, took
myself off it, not a nice drug) and now am trying salazopyrin EN and
prednisone. I'm interested in others experiences with these new drugs
I'm on as although they are helping, it's not a lot better than the
brufen by themselves. So would welcome others opinions on these drugs
and any pros and cons associated with them. I'm also researching the
drug treatment Adalimumab as I have heard good things through the grape
vine. In New Zealand it's not a subsidised drug and costs $20,000 a
year, but I heard that it is effective and after one years treatment
some people stay in remission without further treatment. I think
support groups that offer advice and information from the patients view
are invaluable, as they offer insights other than health professionals.
Thanks smartdog_8, hope everyone had a nice xmas, I'm looking forward
to the new year hope ya have a good one too.

Is it normal for me to be having a bit of vertigo and dodder along
like a boozer? Some of the doddering is caused from pain flinches,
some by stiffness, some by light vertigo...I think. If I am in a dark
room I loose all sens of direction and have to ward off a panic
attack. I am a pretty cool headed person and not easily panicked.
I haven't been on line for quite awhile but here I am again and
thought perhaps some one else was experiencig the same.
I am 78 female in apparent good health. My organs are all fully
intact and in good working order (minus gaulbladder) but have RA for
many years and aside from some slightly malformed hands and wrist,
knees, ankles and twisting foot, week muscles, ostiophorosis (ca't
spell tonight)and a herniated disk between 4th and 5th lombar, a
number of food sensitivities,cronic pain and fatigue, I'm in good
shape for the shape I'm in<G
But the vertigo is kind of scary and at my age don't need to be
falling down!. The only time I have to use my walker or crutches is
some times when I first get up as I could stagger and fall or
sometimes when working in the garden.
I have an RX for the virtigo but hasn't seemd to help after over 2
months. Any ideas?
thanks, Lee

Hi everyone,

This is Steph in VA. My mom has been having a bunch of health problems (she has COPD, chronic allergies & chronic liver problems from being on Seldane D a long time ago). Anyway, she just went to a vascular doctor who thinks she has arthritis & is sending her for tests. She lives in Queens, NY. Due to her health she is in the hospital 4-12 times a year so she wants to keep all of her doctors at the nearest hospital to her, which is Jamaica Hospital.

Anyone have a rheumy they like in NYC? I'll do the work of finding their hospital affiliation. I had a rheumy in Queens, Dr. Catherine Sullivan, but she isn't associated with Jamaica (and, frankly she referred me to a horrible rheumy when I moved to DC).

Thanks everyone! Oh, & Happy New Year!!!

Take care,

Steph in VA

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in 1978. I had been at summer camp. At that time, Lyme disease was not very well known. My aunt has it, and after years of pleading, we finally went to see her doctor. I liked the doc very much. A bunch of tests were ordered and here are the results. Can anybody explain them to me? Can these tests be positive in RA as well? I did have an actual case of Lyme in 2001 which was cleared up. Could the test be positive because of that? What does #3 mean? I have been ANA positive since 1980, but do not have full-blown SLE.
Any insight welcome. Obviously, I need to talk with this doc more, but thought I'd see if anybody here had insight.

Good morning:
Both my children have strep throat and I woke up yesterday with symptoms. I saw
my family
doctor and told her all the medications that I'm on, including injectable
methotrexate. She
prescribed me Augmentin which is in the Penicillin family, although she doesn't
think I have
Strep Throat. She did so as a precaution with the holidays coming up, etc.
I ran the drug interactions and saw that one should not take antibiotics with
methotrexate,
specifically those of the Penicillin class. I'm going to call my rheumatologist
today, but
please share your experiences or thoughts......

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to say Happy Holidays! Please don't take offense ... growing up in NYC I knew more Jewish & Muslim people than Christians that weren't Catholic.

Chad & I will be in NYC for Christmas -- when we come back to Virginia I have 2 whole days off that don't include a single doctor visit (although I will get my Remicade).

Take care,

Steph in VA

Hello, Group! I was just reading the latest issue of the AARP magazine
and happened upon an interesting article. "Uncle Sham Wants You." This
article outlines how people are being fooled by scam artists when
people search the internet for government grants. The article shows
that the only site that is legit is: www.benefitscheckup.org If you
go to that website, it outlines assistance in many areas, such as, for
drugs, utilities, meals, and health care. It may be worthwhile for
some of us to check out this information. gentle hugs! Marcia

Ardy That is great everything you do with your hands. They are both
fused right? I hope when I get my cast off I will be able to do alot of
stuff to with both wrists fused too!
I know I can't wait until my wrist is healed because I know my right
one is so much stronger than it use to be before I had it fused! The
pain was so bad before I had it fused I could hardley stand it!
Well good luck to you it is great everything you can do!
Rhonda

Is anyone in here familiar with the similarities of RA and Lyme
Disease? I was dx with RA in June 04 and was just tested today for
Lyme, waiting on results now.
While I've been treated for RA I always seem to have these other odd
symptoms come up that just never fully fit with RA. I have always
felt it's just one thing after another. Mostly just weird little
symptoms that by themself dont seem too alarming. Id either ignore
them and they'd eventually go away or just seem too silly to mention
to the dr, and definetely not worth making an apt for. But after
stumbling upon an article about Lyme and a woman being misdiagnosed
with RA I did just a little looking into Lyme and got this sick
feeling inside, because I have almost all of the symptoms.
I went to my family dr today and he agreed the possibility is there
once I started talking to him about all the little odd things that
have come up over the last two years, and the fact that I've had the
bullseye rash only I thought it was ring worm, and when my arthritis
first started, we camped all the time during the summer that year and
the year before. He quickly agreed that I needed to be tested to see
if I was right and said he wished he'd have had all this info before
now.
Anyways, I'm anxious for results, and they might take up to a week to
get back but was just wondering if anyonelse in here has had any
experience like this. My husband said I should be a little happy
because hoping the Lyme we can get rid of, RA we know I can't.
Tracy

Rhonda wrote: I use to try and hide my hands for along time when I was out
in public and alos try to hide my feet becasue they are so deformed. But I
try and hold my head up now and try not to let it bother me anymore. It took
years for me to do that.
Ardeith writes: Yeah, I know the feeling. It took me maybe ten years to
get over it. Now, I soothe my hands with lotion and thank them for all I
can do with them. I tell them they are wonderful hands. OK....so it's
kooky....but it works for me.
I crochet, sew, embroider, write little stories, draw, and carve clay. I
had to let wood carving go when it became just too painful.....but I can
carve clay just dandy....and one advantage to clay is, if I take off too
much, I can put it back! Can't do that with wood.
For all of you who are depressed over all the things you can't do
anymore.....go find something you can do to create beauty. Even if you
can't draw a straight line with a ruler, you can do something! Get thee to
the nearest Wal-Mart or craft store and check out all the great things you
can do to make something that expresses something you love, or something you
feel good about. I picked up a cute kit of a kitten hanging onto a branch,
and the legend says, "Hang in there, Baby!" It's on a pale blue background,
and I plan to put it on a pale blue tee-shirt for my granddaughter.
I just finished a design of an orca for one grandson, and I have a big
design of an eagle sitting on a branch in front of a full moon that I put on
a shirt for the other grandson. He's sixteen and big enough to wear the
larger design......got to wash those shirts and get them mailed!
I've got a pen and ink drawing my daughter did that I am going to turn into
a cross-stitch design too. I use tracing paper to copy the design, and the
paper is gridded for fourteen, or eighteen stitches per inch. Nice paper.
I bought a bag of wild bird seed, and spent days sorting the seed by all the
different varieties and colors, then drew a design on a cigar box, and used
the seed to fill in the design. Glued them down with Elmer's glue, and
painted the box with a "poly" paint to protect it from dampness. Those seed
are live and will sprout if they get wet! I could just spread glue and dump
the seed in an area, but I'd rather treat each little seed like a bead and
place it precisely. Takes forever to complete a design, but what else have
I got to do in the evening while Fred snoozes through TV shows?
Besides, if I don't find something to do with my hands, I chain
smoke....which ain't good for me either....
Ardy

Hello Group,
My name is Rhonda and I was diagnosed with being in the developing stages of
RA in August of this year. I still test negative for rh factor but high sed
rates and CCP test as well as another one (can't remember the name). The
dexa bone scan showed it almost everywhere but worse in one of my hands and
feet - although both give me grief. I think the biggest thing that bothers
me is how fast the pain has developed - I thought that since I'm developing
RA then the pain would happen more slowly. I've been on prednesone since
diagnosis with plaquenil and relafen. Aside from having RA, I'm married
(for a little over a year) and have 3 kids.
Sorry that we are connecting in this way but looking forward to chatting
with everyone.
Blessings,
Rhonda

There is a video up for you to enjoy: Max Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2m21WB_tPc&mode=related&search=
and here for Max's angels:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=FWCASParrotRescue
Voting continues until midnight January so please continue to vote. She really needs the new cage:
http://tinyurl.com/y2pfhs
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Hi, group! sorry to bother you with this, but Toni requested it.
thanks! Marcia Note: forwarded message attached.

hey, John! I enjoy many of the things this website brings to me. If
you go down to the fifth ad, "Staying Home and Loving it!" maybe you
can check it out, and find something you might be able to do....I know
how difficult your past two years have been, and when I say this
website, I thought of you...gentle hugs! Marcia Note: forwarded
message attached.

my Dr suggests silicone knucke replcements for all knuckles on my left
han I have rheumatoid arthritis. Anyone had this surgery? tdash

Hi, my name is Angi. I had a baby in January this year and in June was
instantly crippled and diagnosed with RA. I have had to have full time
in-home care for my baby, he is big, 29 lbs at almost 11 mon. I have
also torn both my shoulders. Which is when the RA hit.
I was so devasted when I found out that I had RA and realized that my
life would be forever changed. That I wouldn't be able to care for my
miracle baby, play on the floor with him, do the simplest things.
The rheumatologist wanted to put me on methatrexate and
hydroquinoline, I asked how many people had been cured with this
treatment and he said none. I was shocked, if none were cured then why
didn't they use something else! Then he told me I would only be able
to tolerate for a time and have to switch to something else. When I
read the pamplets I was shocked that the side effects were worse than
the disease and wondered why anyone would take such poison, how it had
even been approved for use!
I found information on Dr. Thomas McPherson Brown, he was a
rheumatologist in Arlington, VA, (died in 1988) but many still carry
on his work. He proposed that RA is caused by micoplasmas and uses
antibiotic therapy to treat (as a dmard) and has cured 10's of
thousands. I have been on this therapy since August and am able to
care for myself and the baby. It has been nothing short of a miracle!
I am down to naproxin 1x a day (off other pain meds and naproxin cut
in half), there are days when I feel so good I forget the naproxin all
together. That is a far cry from where I started!
If anyone wants info on this, there is a book that explains the
therory, the world of Rheumatology and the treatment called The New
Arthritis Breakthrough, but the most up to date info on the treatment
is at www.roadback.org. I printed the protical and took to my D.O.
which started me immediatly, I felt a difference after 2 weeks!
Everyday I seem to get better, I can get down on the floor and open
jars again, among other things!
I pray daily, thank God daily and have hope! Hope is a powerful thing!
I hope this info is helpful to someone!
Angi

http://www.juliusbergh.com/cocky/
Get out the hankies folks it a real tear jerker. sniff sniff
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

I have been waiting to see the so called great rheumatologist in the large medical center here. I was thrilled when she walked in the room to find she was female and african american. Maybe a doctor that has a clue what is really going on.

She does a complete history goes over meds and past medical records. Then she does through exam. I get dressed and she comes back into the room to tell she thinks I do not have RA at all. She sees no evidence of RA and that my former doc did not either...so what the heck have we been treating with many strong and potentially toxic meds the past few years!!!!!!????? So next she says she will get lots of labs and see what they say. Now I was Dx'd with RA in 2002!!

She gives me a script for Lodine XL and tells me to come back in 4 weeks for a visit with the Nurse practioner to have my hips injected for bursitis. She will go over labs then.

At the end of the visit I get a letter saying she is retiring...so this long wait was totally for nothing. The doc appeared very competent and thorough but had NO personality.

So I really got no farther than I was before I went to this doc. I did ask her about the increase in pain stiffness and swelling pre-menstral. She said maybe. Asked me when my next cycle was and said well lets see how you feel when you come back!!!

Now here is the real delimmia. This practice is the ONLY one within 100 miles I can see. There are no other docs that accept my insurance and I have no way to even get to the next large group of docs.

So now what do I do? They claim they are hiring a new doc in a few weeks...so maybe after the New year I will get to see this new doc.

So much for thinking the doc might understand.

Toni

Deb

Thanks so much for all the links you sent and for your emails. I really do appreciate it.

Josephine Askren

List owner Mennonite Faith

Hi All,
I haven't been able to come here as often as I like, I am just really busy with
my baby. Can you believe he will be 3 months old on Tuesday?!
I have had some RA pain but for the most part am doing well, just tired. I
think
about you all and pray for you all every day,
If you would like to keep in touch, please feel free to email me at
catlizmama@....
Be well,
Elizabeth

What did the doctor say hon about the numbness in your thigh? Can't
send you any jokes or anything until you report in.
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

perhaps some of our newer members will find this of interest... gentle
hugs! Marcia Note: forwarded message attached.

John wrote: I've been in the dumps for quite awhile now and it was good to read your post , you have such a good out look on things you remind me of my grand mother thanks and God Bless you dear.

Ardeith writes: I've got to look for the humor in my life, or I would become a sour bitch that no one wanted to be around. My poor little mamma was so crippled by RA that she could not dress herself, and she was a vindictive, manipulative, sour old woman....

she is my best example of what I do not want to be, and how I do not want to behave.

Did I tell you about my kittens? Last June, after losing two very elderly cats, Fred and I decided a kitten was what we needed to lift our spirits, so I told my friends in Tampa to keep an eye out for a male kitten. About a week later, here they came with a pale grey tabby boy....about seven or eight weeks old....very misty grey, so I thought I'd call him Misty. Took him to the vet for his first shots, and was asked if I wanted another little boy. Seems the girls at the vet's office had bottle-raised three little boys after their mother was run over by a car. I said NO....very loud and clearly....but the next day I went to pay the electric bill and came back past the vet's office. Something reached out and grabbed the steering wheel and pulled me into the parking lot. So I asked if I could see the orphans.

They were all boys, all a dark tabby with that lovely circular design on their sides....

and about two weeks older than my little boy....and a bit bigger. I chose the smallest of them with the idea he might not beat up on my little one very badly. I shouldn't have worried....the little one beat his butt at every opportunity. They have become brothers, or best friends......and their names are Mischief and Mayhem. The pale grey is not Misty....he is Mischief. And they have most earnestly earned their names.

About a month ago, Mischief got up on the drawers in the closet in my work room....I heard a rustling, and picked up my handly squirt bottle to chase him down. Well, that worked just fine......but he had his head through the handle space of a plastic grocery bag......and in the bag was a cellophane bag of fried pork skins that I despise and had planned to throw away.....so he brought the bag within a bag down with him. And it made a horrific noise, I guess....maybe it sounded like something that was going to eat him.....anyway he went ballistic. Around and around the room, under the bed, under the sewing table, under the work table, under the desk and back under the bed...so fast I couldn't get a hand on him.....and he made the circuit six or seven times before the grocery bag tore and the cellophane bag fell out, but the plastic bag was still hooked around his neck.....

Now, the cat was under a double bed that is pushed up against one wall, and he was all the way over against the wall......what did I do? I got down on the floor....something my ankles don't appreciate....sat on the hardwood floor....something my sit-bones don't like....and lay down on my back to see under the bed. Yep...cat all the way over there, and he was SHAKING.....my baby was so scared! So, did I go get Fred to go under the bed for me? I did not. It was three in the morning, and besides, I couldn't let Fred be the "hero" and "save" the cat, now, could I? Nope! Under the bed I wiggled.....and that's something my spine does not appreciate.

You have to use some imagination here, folks.....I weigh somewhere around 240 pounds.....and the bed is raised on blocks so I can stash my yarn and fabric under there.....so the fat lady wiggles and wiggles and wiggles.....it must have been a riot to watch, but there was no one to see except the cat, so what the hay?

I got the bag off his neck, and eventually he came out. A couple of hours later he was all over the trauma.....it took me three days to get over the aching ankles, spine and sit-bones.....but I'm beginning to appreciate how funny it might have seemed to an on-looker......

Ardy

Mostafa wrote: How can I know if i am severe patient? Plus, if I am fine now with the medication I take, this means it will be alright later or maybe in the future I might be on a different state?

Ardeith writes: I was diagnosed in 1972.....and I'm quite sure medication is the only reason I can still walk, and can still use my hands for sewing and drawing. RA is an agressive disease and there is no cure. If not treated, it will only get worse and worse. It sounds cruel to say it, but you will never get back to the physical condition you had before it began.

You asked, "maybe in the future I might be on a different state?" That's right. In the future you will be in a different condition.....maybe in less pain while on medication, maybe in more pain even with medication. Everyone who has RA reacts differently to the medications. What works for one, may not help another person at all. The only thing that is sure for every patient is that without medications, they will become quite crippled by RA.

Those of you diagnosed in the last ten years or so have medications available to you that didn't exist when I was diagnosed. You may be able to avoid the fused joints that trouble me. My wrists don't hurt unless I do something stupid like stressing them too much......but they don't bend. It is to be hoped that many of you will not have fused joints. Work on maintaining that flexibility, folks!

I don't know how the doctors decide someone has a "severe" condition. Maybe it is called "severe" if more joints are involved every month. I don't know. And I don't know what medications are available to you, Mostafa, where you live. Can you get Celebrex, Humira, Remicade, Enbrel, or any of the other medications that help with inflammation and swelling? Prednisone drugs can help, but over the long term, it can cause weight gain and, eventually, damage your kidneys. Even plain old aspirin can help....but can cause stomach ulcers and other problems.

Nothing invented so far can ever un-fuse my joints, so I do not cling to a fantasy dream that someday I'll be completely cured.....it is not going to happen. I simply do the best I can to created beautiful things for my family and friends so that they will have that to remember me by, instead of remembering how crippled I really am.

It's frustrating for me to know I will never be able to type fast enough to get a job using that skill. Nor can I stay on my feet for more than a few minutes at a time. This closes the door on many jobs I might otherwise be good at. I cannot imagine how hard it must be for a man who could use his body to make a living....as in any sort of construction work. My greatest sympathy goes to those who used to be able to play any sort of musical instrument and now cannot.....at least I'm spared that grief.

And it is a grieving we do.....even if we don't call it that.

Ardy

My name is Jo and I am 42, married, no children.

I was dx with RA in 1998. I had the flu and several days after recovering from it I awoke to terrible pain, every joint, literally, was swollen to the size of golf balls and fire red, even the bottoms of my feet were swollen. I could not walk. My fever was up to over 102. My husband took me to the ER and the first thing they said was does she have RA? They did many tests and said it was viral arthritis brought on by the influenza. I was in the ER 3 times, admitted once and bed ridden for 6 weeks and it took roughly 4 months for all the swelling to go down. They had me on steroids and other meds I cant remember off the top of my head and of course pain pills.

As far as they told me I would never have any more problems despite the DX of RA. My joints began to become increasingly more painful and would swell, becoming very red and tender over the years, many times so bad I would just lay and cry, trying heating pads to help and took lots of motrin which didn't help.

I said something 3 years ago to my doctor at the VA and he did an RF , Sed Rate, and ANA, which came back positive. He said yes it is RA and sent me to the rheumatologist at the Indianapolis VA to get treatment, but the docs there only did more blood work, which was pos and more x-rays and then did nothing. The VA does my blood work every 6 months and it is always the same and they never do anything for me. I cant even get anything for the pain.

I use ultram for a back injury, that is my disability from the Air Force, which doesn't do much if anything for the RA when I have what I call an episode.

I went to a private doctor and he said he disagreed with both of the DX and that he doesn't treat lab results and then said he needed more labs done. He charged me $500 and told me it was all in my head! I didn't have deformed joints so it cant be RA. I got those records and found that my private civilian doctor wrote a note saying that it was not RA and that I have depression and it is all in my head.

Now my finger joints are becoming deformed, I am sick most of the time, and spend much of the morning just working through the pain and stiffness so I can get moving.

I am frustrated. I can not get any doctor to treat me. I have read the book Living with RA by John Hopkins Univ. and have educated myself on this disease. We have no insurance and I must rely on the VA system mostly, which is terrible to say the least. I am a disabled veteran.

Hope to find some support on this list.

Josephine Askren

Has anybody had both wrist's fused? My right one is and 2 years ago
they did a total wrist replacement on my left one and they had to
remove it in oct. now I have to have my left one fused. Was wondering
how hard it is to do stuff with both wrist fused? Plese help me if you
can.

I just want some advice on what I can do to help my husband. He is in
so much pain and so depressed and I feel completely helpless! He
started sulfasalazine 2 weeks ago. Does anyone have experience with
it? How long did it take to work? Any advice on anything I can do to
help him through this? He told me Thursday that he is to the point
that he doesn't care if he's alive or dead! I am just beside myself
and love him so much, it's killing me as well as him!!! Help, please!!!
Kim

I am a 60 year old male. I have pain in my left hip-back area and left
shoulder that has been with me for about years. I have tried all the
new anti-inflammatory drugs and they kill my stomach. I am currently
trying lortab 7.5 about once a day for pain and it seems to help. I
have a hard time straitening up when I have been riding in a car for
more than 30 minutes. I walk 2 miles a day and eat well. I am pre-
diabetic and keep my blood sugar under great control with diet and
exercise. I just do not want to become addicted to this pain medicine
but so far it is the only thing that has helped other than the bextra
that was banned last year I think. Any help on this would be
appreciated. Tom

hi i would like to know if anyone out there knows anyway i can make
some money at home. iam on ssi, have ra, and feel like i need to do
something with my life...........but i can not work a full time job out
of the home...i need help with this for money(i do have a son ) and for
my mind..sometimes i feel useless..need to do something with my
life..please someone help me if you can...
thanks beth

Gloria
If your child called you with this what would you tell them to do?
That is what you should do. That is what I use for myself. If you
would tell them to do to the doctor, and I know you would, then you
should be on the phone with the doctor, NOW making an appointment.
Your friend in Maine who is not sending you any more laughs until you
call the doctor.
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Hi all,
I am having a real problem with numbness in my thigh. It goes all the
way to my knee. It gets really bad if I am on my feet more than about
15 minutes or so. I forgot to tell my rheumy on my last appt., and I
don't have another until Jan. I'm not sure if I need to call her or
not. Like I said, I was just wondering if anyone else has that
problem, and if it is anything to be concerned about.
Thanks and may God bless,
Gloria in Okla.
By the Way....Happy Thanksgiving

3-year-old Reese:

"Our Father, Who does art in heaven,

Harold is His name.

Amen."

Hi, group! Well, besides RA, OA, and Fibro., I have been fighting
sciatica for the past 12 months. Tried phys.therapy, it was a temp.
fix. I have had six epidural steroid injections into my spine, again,
temp.fix. I am considering acupuncture...has anyone tried that yet?
gentle hugs! Marcia in western N

Hello,
My mother has severe rheumatoid arthritis and needs to see a
rheumatologist to treat her condition before it gets worse. The
problem is that she has no insurance but has Medicaid. We live in
northern New Jersey and Iâve called all the local rheumatologists to
see if they take Medicaid and as you can already guess, none of them
do. Iâve also contacted the local hospitals and they told me that my
mother would have to go to the hospitalâs âclinicâ to see a
rheumatologist and get treatment. I know what happens at a âclinicâ.
Iâve heard conflicting things from the admitting office at the
hospital and from the people at the drâs offices about these clinics.
Can anyone help me understand how a patient with Medicaid can get
admitted to a hospital and get regular treatment? Is it possible even
to get such specialized treatment with Medicaid? Any information
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much.

First of all, I was recently diagnosed with RA. I am Male, 39. I'm
still not convinced that this is what I have. I was sure that I had
cancer. Maybe someone can confirm or deny my diagnosis by
evaluating some of my "strange" symptoms.
1. Sometimes (usually later in the the day, when I'm more tired,)
when I'm sitting, the room sometimes feels like it's spinning.
2. A few times I have had this feeling of anxiety come over me. So
intense that I thought for sure my heart would give out. I have had
to get up from my desk and go outside for a walk around the block.
3. A few times I have noticed a small amount of puss in my stool.
Probably 4 times over the past 5 years.
4. pain in the middle lower back area. What used to feel like a
hitch in my back now feels more like a burning pain. But this pain
has definitely subsided over the past couple of weeks. But was
intense about 4 out of the 8 past months.
5. Strange "zingy" sensation shooting up my arm, or sometimes my
leg.
6. About 8 months ago I noticed my left elbow bone seemed kinda
sore when applying pressure. Then about 2 months ago, my right
elbow joined in. And now they both hurt (even without applying
pressure) in lovely harmony.
7. About 3 months ago, I was standing on a ladder for about 2
hours, when i got home that evening (about 4 hours later) my knee
was in a great deal of pain, so much pain that it kept my off my
feet for a couple of days. And then went away, in a flash.
8. My fingers are soar at the joints, and I have this like heated
pain radiating from the center of the back of my hands.
9. Excessive flatis.
10. Change in personality. More irritable.
11. Brain fog.
12. Lousy short term memory.
13. Depressed.
I'm sure there are more things but that's all I can think of right
now. Anybody have any input.
Now for my theory. I could be wrong but apparently 70% of all RA
patients are female leaving 30% for men. I think that it stems from
over-use of household cleaning products such as Bleach and Ammonia.
Because (not to sound sexist, but it's probably true that a good
majority of women do not get any help from their macho men. At
least not when it comes to srubbing tubs and toilets. I happen to
be a housekeeper for a hotel for the last 5 years. I was too macho
to wear gloves, and now I have problems. Anyway that's my laymen
theory. Thoughts anyone?

Henci! (Creek Indian for hello)
I think I introduced myself a week or so ago, but just a recap:
Married, Native American, 5 kids, 33, strong family hx of RA,
started having pain in ankles and feet when getting out of bed about
2 months ago, have had pain in hands and wrists for a few years
that's getting progressively worse. No realy joint swelling that I
can visibly see, although my daughter tells me my hands look "old"
(of course, she's 16, anything and anybody over 21 looks old, lol).
I have an appt on Dec 12th for the first time to see the specialist.
I've already had a sed rate, ANA titer, RA factor and CBC done at my
GP's office, which is how I got referred to the specialist. My ANA
was high, my sed rate was high normal (right on the edge), my CBC
showed low Hemoglobin and high white cells, and my RA factor was 41,
with 20 being the top normal for that particular lab.
With all that under my belt, can anyone tell me what to expect? I've
read about Bone Scans, Xrays, MRI's..........I can't find a common
protocol when I've read information from the American Medical
Association, the Journal of American Medicine, or websites about RA.
That's really odd. Most diseases have a sort of established "path"
that you follow to confirm diagnosis, prognosis, and plan of
treatment. RA seems to be one where it's strictly up to the doctor.
I am a nurse and a college student so I have online access to quite a
bit of data and STILL I don't know what to expect when I go in there!
I realize that probably most of you will have had different
experiences depending on your condition when you went to the doctor,
but would anyone mind giving me a quick rundown on what I should be
prepared for when seeing the Rheumatologist for the first few times?
I really appreciate advice/information/ideas. Together we are
stronger than we are singularly.
Mvto (Creek Indian for thank you and goodbye combined!)
Stephanie Cloud Seery
(cross posted into another RA community)

hay has anyone ever tryed monavie juice? everyone is telling me about
it...

If you have been trying to vote for Maxi every day and have encountered a problem here is how to fix it if you are using IE until the Bird Channel figures out how to fix it on the site:
If you are using Internet Explorer, go to your Tools---
Also, I have created a web page with the hopes that you can help a bird that was horribly abused by its previous owner. Please visit and bookmark the site and forward it to whomever you think might help take a few moments each day to vote for this bird until mid January so that it can have a new start in life:
http://www.angelfire.com/me/craftyme/helpmaxi.html
This bird deserves much better and if I lived closer I would gladly be there every day myself helping out with it.
Thank all of you so very much. And Bless each and every one of you. I own 10 birds and most of them I have taken in because they were no longer wanted, some of them were abused and now have love in their lives and are different birds.
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Dear Deborah,
I just started Remicade and after my 2 nd infusion haven't had any
luck yet. How many vials are you getting? I get 3. Do you still
take MTX and how much? I only take 3 pills weekly which is 7 1/2 mg.
Do you have hair loss from the MTX? I also tried Sulfasalazine for 11
days and blew up like a balloon. Had to stop it. That was the only
side affect I got from that which was enough.
Do you take folic acid and Calcium with vitamin D. I take these daily.
I still am in severe pain even though I take 2 Ceoebrex 200 mg. each
day. I took a short course of Prednisone but am really scared to take
too much as I have a stomach problem (Gerd) and the Prednisone is
known to cause ulcers after 3 days as my Doctor told me.
Please answer.
Bunny

As I have other health conditions that require many potent perscription drugs that do not take kindly to the addition of any other medications being added, I had to go the alternative route for my Arthritis. These are some of the things I do found in http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020/DSECTION=11 Drugs have many side effects and I had to be very careful as there are many that when taken with the wrong counterpart decrease the value of the other drug, sometimes erasing its effect altogether.

Complementary and alternative medicine

Many complementary medicine approaches haven't been studied extensively by researchers using scientific methods. As a result it's difficult for the scientific community to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these alternative approaches. And with much of today's research funding coming from the pharmaceutical industry, some low-tech, nontraditional approaches to managing diseases such as arthritis may not get as much attention from the research community as they deserve. For these reasons, many Western physicians just don't know enough about these methods to endorse them. Nonetheless, a growing body of evidence indicates that complementary medicine practices could have a role in treating and managing some diseases.

Common forms of complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of arthritis include:
* Acupuncture
* Copper jewelry
* Nutritional supplements, including glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate
* Homeopathy
* Magnets
* Massage

Be careful when considering alternative therapies. Many are expensive and some may be harmful. Before taking any complementary medications or dietary supplements, talk with your doctor to learn about potential dangers, particularly if you're taking other medications.

Julie Hope

juliehope@...

http://www.4betrhealth.com

my name jackie
i've had r a since 98 and its getting worse i tired both humara and
embrel i'm sarced about getting remacde cuz of wat is can couz.plz tell
me how remcade work and if has help u..
jackie

Hi All,

I'm Prathiba suffering from RA for past 4 yrs, and this year my issues were beyond my Doctor's control..... so this is what I did, since Im Indian we have some of the most old natural medicines - herbal capsules and Power form medicine... along with special herbal oil massage. I have started with this medicine and now I CAN DO ANYTHING ON MY OWN can walk and get up from my seat without any pain.

So wanted to share this news with you all......... Im neither taking Methoxed anymore nor steroid any more.....

My herbal doc has promised me that my issues will get cured within another 2 months.... now I have finished only 22 days.... total treatment period is 3 months.

There is cure for RA....

Diet tips on to avoid too much pain, things to be avoided

1, Prawns, sea food... but Sear fish you can take.
2, Potatoes
3, Cold Drinks and Ice creams....

I'm waiting for 3 months to get over and will share his contact details.....

Regards
Prathiba

Harold
Thank you so much for replying to me. Anyone can vote, once per day per email address. They track per browser so what some people are doing, and you can let your conscience be your guide, is voting once in each browser with each email address. I am voting once per day to make it legit. I have at least 7 email addresses so I could really skew the voting but I won't do that.
I really appreciate any support that you or anyone else can offer to Maxi. In case anyone is wondering what this bird should look like, here is a healthy pionus like I have:
[INLINE]
Hard to believe these are the same birds isn't it? My bird looks like the one in the picture above and even though I am his second owner, he has never known anything but loving hands.
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Hello
I don't get on my soapbox often but when I see an animal being abused it tears my heart out. I own a beautiful Pionus myself and know that this bird is almost unrecognizable as a member of the same family as my bird.
I am asking you to take a few minutes out of your time every day for the next few months to go to this site:
http://tinyurl.com/y9xg2c
and find Maxi:
[INLINE]
who was horribly abused by her former owner and has been rescued by a Florida Humane Society. The birds name is Maxi - there is a misspelling on the page.
Here is the blurb on the page so that you can be sure you are voting for the correct bird:
<<<My Name is Max I am a pionus. The cage you see is a long wire cage. It is really not even mine. I live in a rescue and the cage I came in is now a display for the rescue to show what cages not to use. If I win a new cage my caregivers promises it will be mine forever. I will take the cage with me to my forever home when the time comes. I have had a bad life , help me start a new life in a beautiful new cage all my own!
If you can find time in your day and compassion in your heart to do this I beg you to do it. I belong to the bird list where this bird was first rescued and have been following its rescue and have been donating what money I can by picking up returnables while walking just to send them $1.00 a week to help with this birds care. I know the person who is asking for help for this bird and can assure you that this is not a scam or a hoax.
Thank you.
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

http://www.thehpvtest.com/community-HPV-choose-to-know.html
The Choose to Know Campaign seeks to empower women to protect their
health by 'choosing to know' whether they have a high-risk type of HPV
the cause of cervical cancer. By getting an HPV test along with a Pap,
women age 30 and older (the highest-risk group) can know with
virtually 100 percent certainty whether they are free from risk or
need to be examined more closely to make sure abnormal cells are caught
early. Show your support by ordering your own free bracelet!
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Hi Ila,
Haven't had any laughs lately....r u ok? I would also like to get the
info again for the cookbook. My greatest passion is cooking and I
collect cookbooks.
Hope all is well.
Big Gentle Hugs and may God bless!!
Gloria in Ok.

Hello, Group! Many of us already receive this newsletter, however, I
am forwarding it on for our new members...gentle hugs! Marcia in
western New York State
Note: forwarded message attached.

Hi All,
I was just wondering if anyone else out there is having problems with
nerve damage. I just had surgery on my left elbow. They had to do a
transposition of the ulnar nerve. I am also having problems with
numbness in my right leg and kind of concerned about that. It seems to
happen if I am on my feet for very long at a time.
I cannot say enough good things about this board. All of you have
helped my mental state of mind so much. Thank you.
Big giant hugs from Oklahoma!!
Gloria
RA since 04

Hi Kids,
I just joined this group yesterday. I'm so new that I haven't even
lurked, so I'm not even sure if this is a group that might be right
for me. Let's find out...
I was just dx with RA on Wednesday of this week. It was a total
surprise...SURPRISE!!! My Pulmonologist was doing some blood work
and since I had told him that I have joint pain that is starting to
be noticiable to me, he decided to also look for RA. I see a Pulmo
because I also have sarcoidosis. It is in my lungs, hilar lymph
nodes and trechea. In addition to lung damage Sarcoid also causes
joint pain, so the test for RA was really just to rule it out.
But...BINGO! I have nothing else to go on but the report from the
blood work. It was given to me over the phone and I did not think
to ask for any 'numbers' shown on the report. The only info I have
is that 'it' shows that I have medium to 'moderate' RA. He said I
should see a specialist but that it could wait until after the first
of the year. I don't know what any of this means. I have just
started doing my research on this new development and this group is
one of my first stops in that quest. I belong to a few other health

Hello,

I am 25 years old and I would like to know after 20 years for instance, what will happen? I am on methotrexate.

However, I don't really know if later I would have problems with my joints or methotrexate slows it down enough.

Thank you,

Mostafa.

I take Enbrel, prednisone and methotrexate. I am 46 years old and was diagnosed a few years ago. Originally I was just on prednisone and methotrexate. Adding the Enbrel really helped. I began to feel more like my old self. When I started I had bad injection site reactions. Now I let the Enbrel warm up before I inject and have no problem. I have been on Enbrel for almost a year now. Just this last month I had to increase my methotrexate dosage as I was having a flare up. Good luck!

Elisa F. Peters

epete367@...

I was dx'd with RA last June and also discovered that I also have
(HH)hemochromatosis double gene mutation. SO.......my liver might
not be able to handle the meds that I need to take. Currently I am
on sulfasalazine. I was on prednisone for 6 weeks. That was
recently dc'd. I also took plaquenal for 12 weeks but found that I
wasn't feeling well so the doctor dc'd that to see if it was making
me feel awful. I stil felt the same so it probably wasn't the
plaquenal.
My last visit to the rheumy he stated that he wanted to start me on
methytrexate if the hepatologist would permit it. The hepatologist
that I had a consult with stated that he didnot feel that there
would be any problem with any meds that I took. From my research on
HH there will be a problem. I felt like the hepatologist wasn't
taking my medical history both past and future need seriously.
Hemachromatosis is a very under-diagnosed disease. If diagnosed
early enough the damage done to all the organs (not only the liver)
can be prevented. It was fortunate that this was discovered before
any damage had been done.
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hemochromatosis/index.h
tm#top
Thus, my question to anyone out there.... Is there anyone else that
has a similar problem, either HH or other liver related disorder
that has caused problems with the meds for RA? Currently my liver
tests (enzymes) are within normal range but they have been elavated
in the past, my ferritin is borderline high and the iron sat. rate
is also high.
To make matters worse this week I recieved a call from my primary
care doc stating that my cholesterol is still too high despite
dietary change. I need to start on a statin or other drug to lower
it. Those can also be toxic to liver function. When I see my PC I
will ask for a referral to another hepatologist that will do a liver
biopsy before I start any new meds. (The last one didnot think one
needed to be done.)
I feel very old at the age of 46. (sorry for all the spelling
errors. i can't find the spell check?)
Thanks for reading this far! Brenny
mylajkitten@...

$4 survey from TYSON
http://www.officialwebpromotion.com/mealkits/
I don't feel like cooking much so use these a lot and they are great time savers. They have too much sodium in them for me (all three varieties) so that is what I put in the comment line, the only one comment line you have to fill in for your $4.00 coupon.
Thought someone else on the group could use this as well.

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Hi to all,
I was diagnosed with A.K. about two years ago. my
specialist decided to put me on prednisone 10 ml per day and tramadol
50 ml three times a day. After a while the pain and stiffness began to
re-appear so he increased the prednisone dose to an extra 5 ml to be
taken later in the day. this seemed to be working quite well but my wife
and other relatives were concerned about the length of time I had been
getting the prednisone. one other arthritis sufferere in my family said
his Dr. would only give him steroids for a maximum of ten days. So,
after being on this program for about 18 - 20 months I asked my Doc
about the prednisone, he said I had been on it for too long and we would
move to another medication. Six weeks ago I began taking Plaquenil as
well as my aforementioned dosage of tramadol and it has been a downward
spiral since. I now have the same level of pain and stiffness that sent
me looking for a specialist in the first place. My questions are, is
this normal, can anyone direct me to better medication. I know you will
probably tell me to get a second opinion but that isn't easy for me. My
situation is that Live on a smallish island and the doctor I see is the
only specialist in that field. My medical insurance will not pay for me
to travel abroad when they have someone locally. thanks for reading and
any help will be appreciated. Joe

I just wanted to introduce myself - I'm Robin. I joined the group
because I know there will be arthritis in my future. Degenerative
hips with arthritis and arthritis in our hands. So far (I'm only 41)
my only problem is sometimes when I wake up the first joint of my
hands is stiff, but if I wiggle them around they loosen up fine. I
did recently get a bone density test and there are some concerns in
my hips (no suprise there!) I asked my doctor about my hands and he
felt that this might be the first signs of Arthritis. He prescribed
an anti-flamitory that I took before bed for about a month. It
seemed to help (can't remember the name tho) But since I really
don't want to spend the next 40 or more years taking prescriptions,
I'm looking around for other options. A friend uses hot wax
treatments, I'm wondering if that really does help or if it is just
a placebo (which is ok if she thinks it works and it helps her)or
should I be adding in some special vitamins or maybe I should avoid
certain foods or eat more of certain foods - the questions are
endless! I don't have a problem with prescriptions if I really need
them but I would rather put it off as long as possible. I will
probably lurk for awhile and just soak up everyone's insight. Thanks
for letting me join!
Robin

Hi there,
My name is Laura, I am 35 years old. I was diagnosed with RA about 3
years ago, but I know I've had the symptoms for years before my
diagnosis.
I was put on Celebrex 1st. That didn't do anything, so my Rheumy at
the time put me on Pred. and Methotrexate (which really effected my
immune system) my RA felt better, but I kept getting really sick, and
gained 20 lbs, so I went off the pred, as soon as I did, I was in
pain again, so I also went off the Methotrexate and got a new Rheumy.
I've had this same Rheumy for 2 1/2 years now. He put me on
Plaquenil and Difunisal, it has worked for me, until this September.
I had a really bad flare up. so, we decided to stop the NSAID and
add Sulfazine. Well, I had been on it for almost 2 weeks, and found
out I am allergic, because I have broken out completely in hives.
This just happened this weekend. I spoke to my rheumy yesterday, and
he said next week, we will talk about what action to taken next.
Here are my options:
1.Try Methotrexate again, which I absolutley refuse to do, I had such
a hard time on it before, I have young children and if I am sick all
of the time, i can't care for them.
2.He said we can talk about Enbrel. I looked it up on line, but
could only find out the basics. Is it as bad as Methotrexate?
Anyone who is on it, or has been on it, can you tell me how you felt
on it? Any side effects? Just anything.
Or are there any other options?
thanks so much,
Laura

Hello, I am trying to find out if raisins soaked in jin indeed can help
with the pain and swelling. I heard that taking 5-6 raisins a day will
do miracles. Does anyone know? Also I'd be interested in finding out
more about other 'natural' remedies for RA. Thank you.

[LINK] Everything About Anything
Arthritis

The following article from About was forwarded to you by Marcia Stoyle.

Rheumatoid Arthritis May Not Be Autoimmune Disease
http://arthritis.about.com/b/a/257442.htm

Marcia also wanted to add the following comment:

Well, this is a different point of view....gentle hugs! Marcia

For more information on this topic, be sure to check out the Arthritis site.

Please note that this email was initiated by Marcia Stoyle, not by personnel at About or the Arthritis site. About does not monitor these emails, nor can we be responsible for any comments or contents forwarded by the sender. We hope you enjoy the recommended page and remind you that you can always access About directly at http://www.about.com.

Our Contact Information
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New York, NY, 10011

© 2005 About, Inc.

Congrats Harold. We can all say we "knew" you when.
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Hi everyone,

Our very own Harold Van Tuyl is in the November issue of Arthritis Today. He is in an article about where arthritis patients get info from.

Way to go Harold -- you'll be famous :)

Take care,

Steph in VA

Does anyone have horrible dreams from all of the medications? I
have been having really bad dreams and I think it is from the
tramadol. Any thoughts? I have such a hard time with the pain
meds... making me itch or night sweats..... I am always tired...I
never seem to get a good night sleep anymore. I was dianoised last
year with RA and Osteoarthitis. I have been battling joint pain and
fatigue for years. I have had surgery on both elbows (ulnar
nerves), both wrists, both shoulders, and now the right knee
(twice... last year and again this year) I feel like a walking
surgery!! The best thing is that I still have the aches and pain.
My doctor from 1995 to 2005 kept telling me that I was stressed and
this why I have pain. Put me on antidepressants. I have had a
positive ana since 1995. We moved to a new state in 2005 and before
I went to the doctor, I wrote down every test and surgery that I
had. The new Doctor was wonderful!!!! She ran all kinds of tests
and sent me to a Rheumatoid Doc. I have been on meds for just over
a year and feel like a weight has been lifted!!! I want to write my
old doc and tell him, but I just can't do that yet... I still get to
emotional when I start the letter. I could not believe that a
doctor would really listen to me and not tell me it was all in my
head..(because I was a single mom raising 3 boys) But my Doc in Ohio
was truly a blessing!!!! She also suffers from RA, so she could
really relate to me.
Sorry, I guess I just needed to vent!!!!!
Take care everyone,
Ina

hi my nane is beth. i dont write much but love to read about things
in the group. i have a ? for the passed week are or so i just go to
sleep all the time. it dont matter whar iam doing. i dont drive no
more cause of this. is there anyone out there that is happens to or
has happen. iam on enbrel and all the other drugs that goes along with
RA....please let me know what going on with me if anyone out there can
help.....
thanks beth

Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Gloria
You're home. Oh I am SO glad. Thank you for letting us know. I was
praying for you last night. Yep, the hunt and peck method is certainly
a talent you have to learn. Stand by for a special Halloween email I've
been saving for when you got back, unless of course it hurts to laugh.
I'm so happy you are home and ok. And hopefully the surgery will help.
Big relief to hear from you hon. Any cute male nurses?
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

HI ALL,
MY SURGERY WENT WELL. IT TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. I AM VERY
SORE,BUT THE NURSE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY PAINFUL SURGERY.
THE DOC SAYS THAT IT IS A 3 OR 4 MONTH RECOVERY PERIOD.
I THINK THAT IT TAKES A SPECIAL TALENT TO TYPE THE OLE HUNT AND PECK
METHOD!!LOL
GENTLE HUGS AND PRAYERS,
GLORIA

Gloria
Wanted to wish you well as I know you are going in for surgery soon, I
believe maybe even tomorrow?
Letting you know that we will be thinking of you and waiting to hear how
all went. As soon as you are able please let us know how you are.
Big gentle hugs hon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...

Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit, and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.
Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."
Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."
Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, ... As in: "Going to town, be back directly."
Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.
All Southerners know exactly when "by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.
Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and also a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they know to add a large banana puddin!
Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between "right near" and "a right far piece." They also know that "just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.
Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the difference between a redneck, and a good ol' boy.
No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.
A Southerner knows that "fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.
Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines; and when we're in line, we talk to everybody!
Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.
In the South, y'all is singular, ... All y'all is plural.
Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.
Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.
When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!
Only true Southerners say "sweet tea" and "sweet milk." Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it - we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk.
And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say,"Bless her heart" ... And go your own way.
To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning and bless your little heart!
And to those of you who are still having a hard time understanding all this Southern stuff, bless your hearts; I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!
And for those that are not from the South but have lived here for a long time, all y'all need a sign to hang on y'alls front porch that reads "I ain't from the South, but I got here as fast as I could."
Southern women know everybody's first name:
Honey
Darlin'
Shugah
Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Driving Miss Daisy
Steel Magnolias
Gone With The Wind
Southern women know their cities dripping with Southern charm:
Charleston (Chawl'stn)
Savannah (S'vanah)
Fort Worth (Foat Wuth)
New Orleans (N'awlins)
Atlanta (Addlanna)
Southern girls know men come and go, but friends are fahevah !
Now Shugah, just pass this on to some girlfriends who were raised in the South ... Or wish they had been!!!
If you're a Northern transplant, Bless your little heart, fake it ... We know you got here as fast as you could!!!
-- Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...