Could I Be A Woman With Rheumatoid Arthritis?

I also have a son who had JDm - he was diagnosed in kindergarten. He never took Embrel. Home health came to our house every week for 3 years and administered an IV of solu-medrol. I'm glad to hear your son is in remission - mine has been off meds for three years as well. From what I understand, the disease usually follows one of three courses -
1. Constant battle that never recedes
2. Relapse after first weaning from meds, then remission.
3. Remission with no recurrence of symptoms after approximately 3 years on meds.

Hopefully our sons are two of the lucky ones who will remain healthy and conquer this disease.
Good luck to you,
Amy

I was diagnosed with RA about 5 years ago. Over the years, I've falling in LOVE with my HomeMedics paraffin wax baths. I only wish it didn't take so long to heat the wax up and give my soar fingers some relief.

Hi Catherine,

I understand why you are hesitant to get the RF factor testing...but my advice is (i was just dx'd with RA 6 months ago, pretty new to it) Go get the testing done..it may not even be RA, there are many other conditions and auto immune diseases that mimic RA.  The importance of finding out is there could be something dangerous going on, and also keep in mind that it usually takes 6 months to 1 year for many of the different medications to take effect, and it is said that joint damage occurs in the first 2 years of the onset of RA.  Disease modifying drugs are the medications that slow and stop joint damage.  I've been on 3 different meds in the last 6 months and already have a new rheumatoid nodule on my knee, to go with the 2 other on both my feet.

Thanks Elisabeth...I think I'm going to pick up those gloves and give them a try.  And I'll check out your blog soon...I've added it to my Google Reader.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
Also at Catherine-Morgan.com ( http://catherine-morgan.com/ )

Hi Catherine,

I can understand your hesitancy at throwing off a delicate balance, especially when you're already dealing with competing side-effects. I was recently diagnosed with RA and I have been doing the same dance. I opted for daily meds, but I have a different mix of conditions that are a little more compatible. Heat is a wonderful treatment, as is gentle pressure- I picked up a pair of IMAK arthritis gloves recently and they've been a huge help in managing daily aches and pains (like you, I spend a lot of time at a keyboard).

I'm still new to tracking my triggers, but weather (cold and damp) have a big impact on my flares, while stress and tiredness just make everything worse. I track my daily discoveries with RA on my blog Redefining "Good" ( http://redefininggood.wordpress.com ), as well as tricks and treatments that work well (or don't, for that matter). Good luck on finding what works well for you- I'll be following your progress!

~elisabeth

You'll have to let me know how Enbrel works out for you.  I've heard good things.  I'm just not ready to try new meds right now.  I'm already on meds for asthma, high blood pressure, high heart rate, and CFS.  I'm afraid adding more meds into the mix might help the pain but then cause a problem with something else.  As it is...My blood pressure medicine exacerbates my asthma, my asthma medicine increases my heart rate, and my heart medicine makes me tired.  Hopefully I can keep the pain under control without meds, but I guess it's something that will most likely be in my future.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com ( http://catherine-morgan.com/ ) and Women4Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ )

I don't think I am stressed, but a lot of changes have gone on at work and life.  (I'm a social work, just FYI.) 

In the last 8 months, I have graduated from college, gotten married, moved from Washington, DC area to Washington State, looked for work for 3 months, started a new job, bought a house, had major drama in the office, been promoted to a management position in the office.. so probably all of it caused the flare.  My reumy also switched my meds in April because the meds I was in VA I hated, and the new meds weren't working.  I'm going on Enbrel in October.

Thanks for sharing your story...It sounds like you have a great husband. 

I've heard that stress can play a large factor in the onset of "flares" with RA...Have you noticed this to be true?

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan.com ( http://catherine-morgan.com/ ) and Women4Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ )

I have RA.. I'm 29, I'm a newlywed, I work over 50 hours a week, just graduated from college.  I diagnosed when I was 27, and I thought great, here I am busting my butt in school for what, I was reading the stats, and it said that most people end up on SSI ten years after their diagonsis.  You are going to have your good days and your bad days.  Most of my days are good days, I have my days where I want to lay in bed all day, but I chose to get up and go to work. 

I recently went through my first flare, where I laid on my couch at night and cried.  My husband is wonderful.  He cooked dinner everynight, cleaned the house because he knew that I physically couldn't do it, did the laundry, and comforted me because I felt like I was failing at my job because literally all I could do is my 8 hours of work, and come home and sleep.

The meds work if you need them.  They make your energy better, they make the pain better, and they generally make your life better. 

Hey Catherine,  have you tried Pilates?  My friend has Rheumatoid Arthritis that is pretty bad.  He started going to one of those Pilate's trainers that put you in that mid evil contraption.  He is doing MUCH better now.

Elizabeth Faden
Co-owner www.completepregnancy.com ( http://www.completepregnancy.com )
http://www.completepregnancy.com
http://www.twitter.com/ElizabethFaden

Last night I went out to get the paraffin wax bath, but  when I got there I found electric hand warming mitts right next to the paraffin bath.  I figured it was the same concept only less messy, so I thought I would give it a try.

My hands were really hurting me all day yesterday, and by last night I was in a lot of pain.  I tried the warming mitts as soon as I got home, and they worked GREAT.  I used them off and on for about two hours, and my hands were 95% pain free.  I thought I would need to use them again once I woke up, but even today I only have minor discomfort. 

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan

at Catherine-Morgan.com ( http://catherine-morgan.com/ ) and Women4Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ )

Thanks for telling me about how Embrel helped your son.  I'm hoping my symptoms don't continue to get worse, and that I can avoid needing medications.   But if I do end up needing to take Embrel, I feel better knowing your son had success with his treatment.

Thanks Elana.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan

at Catherine-Morgan.com ( http://catherine-morgan.com/ ) and Women4Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ )

When my son was a teenager he was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis. It first appeared with rheumotoid arthrititis symptoms throughout his entire body. It was so bad he couldn't carry his lunch tray. For the next 2 years he went on a variety of medications trying to control the disease which attacks the skin and muscles.

It wasn't until his doctor, in what I describe as a last ditch effort to help my son have any quality of life, decided to have him try Embrel. At that time, Embrel was very new and because the supply was so limited, you had to be approved to take the medication. Although my son didn't technically have RA, he was approved.  I can only say it changed his life.

Fortuneately for him JDM is an auto immune disease that in some cases dissipates after a couple of years. After 3 years on Embrel the doctors took him off the medication and he has been symptom free and disease free for 6 years.

I don't know what the criteria for using this medication is, I can only speak from what I observed in my son and the change was so quick and so dramatic that it was as if he didn't have a disease.

I do hope the anti-inflammatory diet makes a difference and your pain is reduced to a level that doesn't interrupt your work.

Take care,

Elana

elana
Blogher Contributing Editor,Business&Careers FunnyBusiness ( http://funnybusiness.typepad.com/funnybusiness )

I went to the beach with my mother this afternoon, and we were talking about how the doctor recommended that I try warm soaks for the pain in my hands.  She told me that she knew of someone with RA who used warm paraffin wax soaks to relieve the pain.  I was thinking I would give it a try, so I quick Googled it when I got home to see if it is really recommended for the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis...And apparently not only is it recommended but people find it very helpful at temporarily relieving their pain.  Here is a link...

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments/r...

I called around and found one for a resonable price at Sally's Beauty Supply store...I think I'm going to go out later and get it.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan

at Catherine-Morgan.com ( http://catherine-morgan.com/ ) and Women4Hope ( http://women4hope.wordpress.com/ )

should not happen to me

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