Anyone else out there with rheumatoid arthritis?
- Thread starter luvtorun
- Start date
Hi Jane!
I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 12, I'm almost 30 now. The diagnosis came after a couple years of me sneaking aspirin from my parents and from my parents accusing me of being a hypochondriac (thanks mom & dad).
At the time, the disease was nearly crippling. There were days when I couldn't get out of bed. My hands and knees would swell up huge and get hot. I'm one of those lucky people who have the total body symmetrical arthritis. It affects all of my joints, but particularly my fingers, knees, hips and back. I had to drop out of my PE class and was sent to study hall essentially as punishment for not being able to be active. I spent all of my free time in sedentary activities as my rheumatologist didn't want me exercising. I could tell you when it was going to rain by how badly my fingers were hurting.
At 18, the diagnosis was upgraded to Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was no longer a juvenile. I was put on prednisone and huge doses of motrin.
To make a long story short (too late, huh?) I became a vegetarian about eight years ago. Within six months, most of my symptoms had disappeared and I stopped taking all of my meds. I also started exercising, which made me feel better too.
In the past 8 years, there have been a few seriously painful periods when I take motrin or Alleve. For the most part, I don't take any pain killers at all. My knees and hips pop when I move pretty often and my fingers are a little twisted, but at least I'm not constantly in pain.
I would recommend that ANYONE diagnosed with this disease become as active as possible. Keeping your joints moving is a way to slow the degenerative effects of the arthritis.
Jane, feel free to pm me if you want to.
Lunacat
I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 12, I'm almost 30 now. The diagnosis came after a couple years of me sneaking aspirin from my parents and from my parents accusing me of being a hypochondriac (thanks mom & dad).
At the time, the disease was nearly crippling. There were days when I couldn't get out of bed. My hands and knees would swell up huge and get hot. I'm one of those lucky people who have the total body symmetrical arthritis. It affects all of my joints, but particularly my fingers, knees, hips and back. I had to drop out of my PE class and was sent to study hall essentially as punishment for not being able to be active. I spent all of my free time in sedentary activities as my rheumatologist didn't want me exercising. I could tell you when it was going to rain by how badly my fingers were hurting.
At 18, the diagnosis was upgraded to Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was no longer a juvenile. I was put on prednisone and huge doses of motrin.
To make a long story short (too late, huh?) I became a vegetarian about eight years ago. Within six months, most of my symptoms had disappeared and I stopped taking all of my meds. I also started exercising, which made me feel better too.
In the past 8 years, there have been a few seriously painful periods when I take motrin or Alleve. For the most part, I don't take any pain killers at all. My knees and hips pop when I move pretty often and my fingers are a little twisted, but at least I'm not constantly in pain.
I would recommend that ANYONE diagnosed with this disease become as active as possible. Keeping your joints moving is a way to slow the degenerative effects of the arthritis.
Jane, feel free to pm me if you want to.
Lunacat
luvtorun
Cathlete
Hey Lunacat and thanks for responding.... I wish I could go without medicine but as active as my RA is, I just can't. There is no way to make my story (journey) with RA short, but I'll try. When I was diagnosed I was put on methotrextate and naproxen but this only partially controlled me. I was then tried on Arava which worked beautiful but made my hair fall out. All of it didn't come out but it was really thin and unacceptable to me and my rheumatologist. He then tried me on Remicade which about did me it. I developed antibodies to it after the third infusion and had a hypertensive/tachycardic episode that I am surprised did give me a stroke. He wanted then to put me on Enbrel but you couldn't get it at that time due to manufacturing problems at the company that makes Enbrel, so back on Arava and all the while on prednisone pulses which blew my weight up over 160 lbs. When the Enbrel came available, I started on it in January 2002. It was like I didn't even have RA, so good was this regimen. In April 2002, I went on Weight Watchers, dropped the weight and started exercising with the Firm, then found Cathe. I am a size 8 now, never have been that size in my adult life. I was always pretty sedentary until I got RA. I was so tired of feeling miserable, so I took control and now, even with RA, I am healthier and fitter than I have ever been, in one of those strange ironic twists of life.
Now... the Enbrel, we believe, has loss its effectiveness, I starting flaring last fall and it moved into my wrists, whereas it has just been in my feet, ankles, and fingers. I am back on methotrexate but on a higher dose, 15 mg. a week, just finished a prednisone taper - it didn't blow me up this time, I just due to my exercise level, and on Mobic - an anti-inflammatory... I took Vioxx for five years before they pulled it from the market, then Bextra, and they pulled that.. now on Mobic (until they pull that LOL). If the methotrexate does not hold me when I am completely off the Enbrel, then I will have to try Humira, another injectable.
I told you I couldn't give the brief version... LOL..... I just keep on keeping on though. I have to do modifications on my exercise.... like downwards dogs.. I have to be up on my fingertips because I can't bend my wrists, same with pushups, I use dumbbells to push up on to keep my wrists straight.
I am so glad you shared your story with me. Maybe one day, I'll be able to be without medicine if my RA ever goes into remission. Oh and I do take flax seed oil supplements and eat salmon regularly as I have read Omega-3's really help RA. I am not a vegetarian but if this dramatically helped you, I would be willing to try it. I would have to be educated though on how to replace my protein on a vegetarian diet. I'll have to give this some thought.
So nice talking to you. Thanks for sharing.
Now... the Enbrel, we believe, has loss its effectiveness, I starting flaring last fall and it moved into my wrists, whereas it has just been in my feet, ankles, and fingers. I am back on methotrexate but on a higher dose, 15 mg. a week, just finished a prednisone taper - it didn't blow me up this time, I just due to my exercise level, and on Mobic - an anti-inflammatory... I took Vioxx for five years before they pulled it from the market, then Bextra, and they pulled that.. now on Mobic (until they pull that LOL). If the methotrexate does not hold me when I am completely off the Enbrel, then I will have to try Humira, another injectable.
I told you I couldn't give the brief version... LOL..... I just keep on keeping on though. I have to do modifications on my exercise.... like downwards dogs.. I have to be up on my fingertips because I can't bend my wrists, same with pushups, I use dumbbells to push up on to keep my wrists straight.
I am so glad you shared your story with me. Maybe one day, I'll be able to be without medicine if my RA ever goes into remission. Oh and I do take flax seed oil supplements and eat salmon regularly as I have read Omega-3's really help RA. I am not a vegetarian but if this dramatically helped you, I would be willing to try it. I would have to be educated though on how to replace my protein on a vegetarian diet. I'll have to give this some thought.
So nice talking to you. Thanks for sharing.