What is wrong with me?
help? Is moving to the new location what triggered it?
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 45,889
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From: Loveland, CO
^It seems like the move triggered it but I don't want to move back to the desert. It's way too hot in the summer. I'm hoping my body gets used to the humidity and affects it less, with time.
Joined: Feb 2002
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I'm sorry to hear about your arthritis, and can sympathize. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis which I've been dealing with for 30 some years. While there are different forms of Rheumatoid Arthritis, the consistent thing I have found is to keep moving. Exercise is my main treatment. Early in my disease I started doing aerobics and running, when my body would allow it. It really makes a difference.I also found that certain foods tend to flair it. One word of caution, I started taking anti inflammatories (Sulphasalazine) which made me a little better, but started having swollen toes which can be a side effect. Doctor insisted it was another form of arthritis that would be chronic, but after doing a search for side effects quit the drug and gave up the doctor. I'm not really a fan of prescription drugs. Once you establish what form you have, do a search on it. You'll probably find a support group that will give you a better idea of how to deal with it.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 58,680
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From: West Henrietta UPSTATE NY
Wow, Patty, I just saw the news. My thoughts will be with you! One of my track girl friends has RA, she has had it for years. She takes it one day at a time.
Humidity is indeed a factor that makes the situation worse, but as you are now living in just about my favorite place, I can really appreciate your hesitance to move back to the desert.
Humidity is indeed a factor that makes the situation worse, but as you are now living in just about my favorite place, I can really appreciate your hesitance to move back to the desert.
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Freehold
Some more on arthritis meds. Be sure to always take the ibuprofen with food, never on an empty stomach.
You have to have a full eye exam by an ophthalmologist once a year because the plaquenil can cause eye problems in a small percentage of people. I did not have any problems after when I took it for 20 years.
Plaquenil is an anti malarial. They don't really understand why it helps contain RA.
I have never taken cortisone orally. Once in a while one of my joints gets into bad shape and my rheumatologist give me an injection in that joint. That will clear it up and even helps other joints. This happens maybe once very two years.
Our rheumatologist would only consider biologicals (Enbrel, Humira, Remicade) as a last resort, since he is worried about the long term side effects.
You have to have a full eye exam by an ophthalmologist once a year because the plaquenil can cause eye problems in a small percentage of people. I did not have any problems after when I took it for 20 years.
Plaquenil is an anti malarial. They don't really understand why it helps contain RA.
I have never taken cortisone orally. Once in a while one of my joints gets into bad shape and my rheumatologist give me an injection in that joint. That will clear it up and even helps other joints. This happens maybe once very two years.
Our rheumatologist would only consider biologicals (Enbrel, Humira, Remicade) as a last resort, since he is worried about the long term side effects.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 45,889
Likes: 5,407
From: Loveland, CO
geezer, Doug and Herman, thank you for your inputs. I appreciate your help.
I took just one generic Plaquenil last night and felt much better, for hours. That's so encouraging. I am to take just one a day, for a week, before bumping it up to two a day. I look forward to feeling good enough to go back to my exercise routine of my weight machine twice a week, and the gym, for the ellipticals, three times a week. And Weight Watchers, again. I've gotten into an unhappy place with this pain and now my future looks brighter.
I took just one generic Plaquenil last night and felt much better, for hours. That's so encouraging. I am to take just one a day, for a week, before bumping it up to two a day. I look forward to feeling good enough to go back to my exercise routine of my weight machine twice a week, and the gym, for the ellipticals, three times a week. And Weight Watchers, again. I've gotten into an unhappy place with this pain and now my future looks brighter.
