Article on RA
#262507 - 05/09/06 11:12 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Since we seem to have several girls now with symptoms of RA, I thought I'd post this for everyone to read. Its a little technical in some spots but explains the disease well. I should send pictures of my hands, wrists and knee's in though because they are way more swollen than the ones they picture!!
http://www.arthritis.co.za/ra.html
Anyways, I found it interesting and thought i might help people understand RA a bit better. I wish I had read this before, especially the chest inflammation part, could have saved myself a trip to the ER!! On a happy note though, I found some really cute little "bralettes" at Wal Mart today for $4.84!!! I think they are supposed to be training bra's for young girls, they are like a half tank tap, just a "shelf" kind of thing and they aren't as hot as wearing a full cami! I still can't wear a real bra!!!! I hope the meds start working SOOOONNN!!!!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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When did all of the swelling in your hands and stuff start? I don't remember  .
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Have a blessed day! Rachel
Formerly poochibelly...
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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This is a very informative article. There is so much info out there on RA it is overwhelming.
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Janey
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I know my mom has arthritis and avoids certain foods (tomatoes, peppers, citrusy things) and that helps her alot... not to suggest cutting out some foods that you'd be able to eat with IBS but just curious if you've read anything about that or if you've tried it.
Thanks for posting the info!
-Becca
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At least I've learned a lot about my
body...
IBS-A and still figuring things out
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Thanks for the link! Very important info about RA. I found really good info on lupus at that site as well.
So your medications haven't started working yet? Enbrel takes a few weeks, right? How many mg of Plaquenil are you on right now?
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Re: Rachel
#262664 - 05/10/06 10:08 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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It actually started about a year ago but I blamed it on the fertility drugs. Its gotten WAY worse since losing the twins. Hormones can bring RA out of a remission as can stress, among other things. But, being pregnant with twins, then losing them set this flare up into overdrive. I laid in bed as soon as I got home last night and just cried because the pain in my knees was so bad. I figured out what it was from though. I sat at my desk and did some of my beading and had my feet on the rollers under the chair. I think I stayed in that position for about 2 hours and that caused my knees to blow up with swelling. My hands, wrists, ankles and hips are usually the worse but now I can add knees to the list. 
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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What kind of arthritis does your mom have? I find if I eat too much sugars and starches it bothers the fibro but haven't found foods to affect the RA yet.
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Re: Maria
#262675 - 05/10/06 10:50 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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I can't remember the milligrams on the placquenil but I take it twice a day. Can't say if its really helping any but I don't seem to have any side effects from it so I continue to take it. I'll do my third shot of Enbrel tomorrow. Some people notice improvement after the 4th shot and they shots are twice weekly so maybe in another week or two, I'll get some relief!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I hope you keep us updated on how the Enbrel works out for you. I've been reading up on it and it sounds like a really promising treatment for RA. I also heard that they may be coming out with a once a week, 50 mg, injection.
I'm currently on 200 mg of Plaquenil (week 5) and next week start taking 400mg (200 twice a day). I haven't experienced any side effects, except for some mild nausea the first week (but I got relief by drinking Stash Lemon Ginger tea, which Bevvy recommended). Last week people started telling me that I was looking better and that my skin was smoother. And you know what? My skin does look better - not as rashy or bumpy. All these years, I just thought it was mild acne or dermatitis/allergies, but now I think it must have been just another symptom of lupus. The one area that's still really bad are my toes - swollen and crooked. It's weird because I never thought much about them, but now when they swell up I walk with a slight limp. Does this happen to you too with your RA?
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Re: Maria
#262697 - 05/10/06 12:08 PM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Yep, its the 200mg placquenil I'm on, twice a day. I also had a bit of nausea and a slight headache the first week but thats since gone away. Yes, my toes do swell up, my second biggest toe is actually curling under, like its being contracted. I'm sure to stretch them everyday. I have visual swelling in my hands, wrists, knees, ankles and toes. I have costochondritis, which is swelling of the cartilage in the chest but its not visible and I my hips also really hurt but its hard to tell if there is any visual swelling there as I'm not the skinniest chick in the hen house!   I most definitely walk like an old lady and forget getting up and down from the floor.
Thats wonderful that your skin is looking/feeling better!! Maybe it won't take as long to help the lupus as it does the RA? Maybe you're just going to respond better to it than I am. Enbrel is actually available in 50mg doses now and some people even do 50mg twice a week. I think my rheumy wanted me to start on the lower dose for a month to see if I have any side effects first. I see him again in 3 weeks so we will reevaluate my dose then. I don't mind the shots too much, small price to pay if the stuff works!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I'll start with my hands
Here's one of my knee but you can't really see the swelling too good from this angle!
Here's my toes, you can see teh 2nd toe curls under
Ankle, what ankle?? Not sure why this picture comes out sooo big??!
And of course I have to throw one in of Harley.  Here he is hanging out in his car seat! 
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Owww! I only have one or two fingers or my thumbs swell up at a time, but not as severely as yours. It would be so miserable and frustrating to have them ALL swollen and stiff. How do you get by at work? I know you've mentioned it's difficult for you to type; I'm just wondering how you manage working in an office.
And your poor little toes.  I see your second toe seems to be the most affected; that and the third one bother me the most too, but they appear more crooked than swollen. Do you wear sneakers most of the time or sandals?
Michele, I'm sending you big (yet gentle) hugs. I really am hoping that the Enbrel works.
Harley is too cute in his car seat. I like his blue bowties - are those little jewels in the center?
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Managing at work is getting harder. Especially since I work for an optometrist and I have to repair eyeglasses, among other things. There have been days when I've had to hand the patient a screw driver and tell them what to do because my hands just wouldn't work. Most people understand as they can see the swelling. If it continues to get worse though, I won't be able to continue working. Usually by the time I get home, I just wrap them in the heating pad and sit on the couch as I just can't do anything else.
My toes feel more "tight" and just generally sore. My heels have actually just started hurting me as well. I wear custom orthotics in my shoes. I typically wear lace up casual shoes or special sandals that accomodate my weak ankles and orthotics. You can actually see the sandals in the picture of my knee! I have one pair in tan and one in black. Not exactly how fashion but they work! I even wear my orthotics around the house in my slippers!
Yes, Harley has little diamonds in the middle of his bow!! Its hard to find "manly" bows!!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Oh Michele
#262735 - 05/10/06 04:10 PM
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Janey
Reged: 10/25/03
Posts: 1716
Loc: Maryland
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you poor thing. Everything looks so swollen. I pray that the Enbrel will work for you and reduce your swelling and pain. How long have they been that swollen? I am so sorry.
My hands are no where near as swollen as yours are. I'm surprised that you can work now at all. Especially since you have to do such fine detail stuff.
Take care sweetie.
Love,
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Janey
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They've been "puffy" since last summer but blew up in January. Thats when the docs finally started listening to me instead of telling me I was "just depressed" because I lost my babies! I am having increased difficulty at work. Some stuff is going undone right now, like writing out recall cards because I can barely right anything, let alone hundreds of post cards! There have been a few repairs that I could have normally done but haven't been able to do because of the swelling and loss of function. Luckily, its a small office so I'm usually not too busy. However, that also means I work alone most of the time so there isn't anyway to help with the things I can't do. I have Will open my water bottles before I leave home in the morning because I can't break a seal on a bottle. I do the bare minimum cleaning at the office (and home! ). I know the majority of my patients because they have been coming here for years and if there is something I can't do, I'll tell them. Most people are pretty understanding. If the RA continues to get worse though, I will have to look into disability. But, I'm trying to remain positive about the Enbrel. Third shot down this morning! It really doesn't hurt too much but this one left a pretty good welt! I definitely won't be wearing shorts this summer!
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Those drawstring capris at Target would be perfect for summer.
I am very sorry to hear that you are having such a terrible time. Fortunately you work in a small office and know the patients so they can help out with the little things you can't do. The problem with hands is that there aren't many jobs that you can do without them.
Why would you have puffy hands and joint pains because you were depressed? It is frustrating when the doctors don't listen. I'm glad that the docs finally started listening to you and they got you on meds. Is this your GP that wouldn't listen? When was the first time you saw the Rheumy doc? I know you posted on the boards but I can't remember.
Hugs,
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Janey
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Last summer is when things started getting really bad as far as joint pain and swelling. I'd had some issues in my ankles and hips but they called it tendinitis or bursitis, always some sort of "itis!" I was getting frustrated with the fertility treatments and the fact that we still hadn't come up with answer as to why I had lost my babies. You probably don't remember but the cycle I got pregnant on, I ovulated prematurely and we didn't even do iui as the Re thought it was a hopeless cycle. Then, my eyes started acting up, went to a specialist and it was, surprising, iritis! Yet another "itis!" So, as I sat down the following week (a week before I found out I was pregnant) I told then RE i wanted to see a rheumy doc because I had been searching on line and suspected I had something else going on. Of course I had to wait something like 6 weeks to get the appointment. By the time I saw the rheumy, I was already pregnant and he diagnosed probably fibromyalgia and said to follow up with him after the baby(s).
When I lost the twins, I started hurting (physically) more and swelling. So, I called the rheumy and the first appt I had with him after losing the twins, he told me I just had fibro and was depressed.  A month later, he couldn't deny the swelling and loss of joint function I was having and finally did the testing and diagnosed RA. Now, the rheumy doc has been treating me much better, don't know if he was just having a bad day or what!
My Gp, who is in internist, is wonderful. I hadn't seen her in a while because when you're doing fertility treatments, your RE becomes the primary. But I did go back to see her this spring, just for a routine call and some refills. I wish all dr's were as compassionate as my gp! She wouldn't treat the RA though because she admitted it was difficult to treat and she didn't know enough about it to feel that should could give me the best care. I'd rather have a dr who is honest any day! 
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Not sure, but I think its the other one (descriptive, huh? too early in the morning for me to think straight). I don't know if this diet is for any kind or just one, but you might want to do a google search and see if it looks useful.
-Becca
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At least I've learned a lot about my
body...
IBS-A and still figuring things out
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