Help for rheumatoid athritus?

[triplets]

Hi,
After complaining for 2 years of joint pain, been told today I test positive for RA. Not shocked as I have had flare ups in my joints quite often in the last few months. I understand it usually appears in your 30-50`s, I will be 56 on Sat. Having three exhausting 10yr olds I am worried that it is going to affect my life and need to start looking for ways to help myself. I have to see a consultant at the end of the month, who may or may not decide to put me on medication. Anyone know more about this?

Hi.

I've had arthritis for years. Was diagnosed when I was 23.

Taking cod liver oil helps.

Light excercise is good.

Ibuprofen when you're having a flare-up but not all the time.

Tis 'orrible, but cope-able.

Hi Squonk, is yourS RA or OA?

Hi triplets, my really good friend has it she was diagnosed 4 years ago, she is very active and think this helps her a lot, no doubt you will be with 3 ten year olds , she has started having reflexology and swears this really helps, she checked with her doctor first.

Mine's osteo

I think rheumatoid is more progressive, but the treatments I mentioned earlier will help both.

I think its worth exploring everything you can, I just need to know more about it all first, just makes you feel so old!

have a bit of a look here if you haven't already.

Don't even think about it making you old. As I said, I was diagnosed at 23! It does not mean you are old.

Especially RA.

Have just looked at that site, guess I should not go delving too much until I see the specialist, presume he will run more tests?

don't know.

I was pretty much left to get on with it. But mine is different from yours. Yours is a disease, whereas mine is wear and tear.

This was in the paper today

A bit drastic and possibly not a lot of help, but maybe worth a thought?

triplets,
I've had inflammatory arthritis (similar to RA but no rheumatoid factor) for 18 years (since I was 14) and as the mighty Squonk says tis horrible but cope-able but I've only come to this way of acceptance after many years of denial and refusal to accept.

A supportive partner is helpful as is regular light exercise (I swim as much as possible), I have also tried many, many alternative therapies over the years (including cod liver oil) and not much has seemed to help me but that shouldn't stop you trying what feels right for you. The biggest thing you need to overcome is to learn your new limits and that it may not be possible to do everything you want to all the time. Your dc's are probably old enough to understand whats going on and be able to help out a bit more maybe.

Consultants are a lot better at treating with drugs straight away now as its been proven that early medication is critical to minimise disease progression.
I am on Methotrexate, folic acid, anti-inflammatories, sulfasalazine and tramadol.

It' good that you are seeing the consultant so soon. Hope I haven't waffled too much but come back if you need any more info.

as marmite mentioned, swimming is fab.

Sitting in the toddler pool is the only time I am genuinely pain free.

Sometimes I even swim

I saw that report in the paper as well.

Thanks, useful info. I am abit confused as my doc said that all the other blood results were good, cant remember the terms CRS or ESR something like that, and she also said my immune system blood result was good, the only result that wasnt good was the RA factor and she said that in normal patients it would read between 20-30 and mine was 60!

argggghh just lost everything I'd typed, in summary;

ESR = erythocyte sedimentation rate (measures inflammation)

CRP = C-reactive protein (measures levels of protein which can indicate inflammation)

It is possible to be positive for RA and not have any physical symptoms, there is just an increased likelihood in the future although I know you have already been getting flare-ups.

Try not to worry too much but for now try to think about what could influence your flare- ups, is it food/exercise/stress and maybe take some small steps to change a few things. I can sometimes pin-point flare-ups (a night out dancing is a sure fire problem the next day) but other times there is nothing which can be frustrating but as I have said you do learn to live with it.

Well certainly there is alot of stress going on atm. My Dh is awaiting his test biopsy result for bowel cancer, he goes for a CT scan tomorrow, its been a very worrying time since Jan, and yesterday I was told that one of my trio may be dyslexic!

triplets,

I don't know what to say, sounds like life is very stressful for you atm and not sure how I can help without sounding trite.

Take each day as it comes and try to make sure you take some time out for yourself every day, even if its just a quiet cup of tea looking out the window or some deep breathing in the shower. Try to get some good sleep as well as life is always harder when you are tired.

Do you get the ct results tomorrow? Will be crossing my fingers for some good news soon on the biopsy for your dh.

night night

No, I don`t think so, the letter said up to two weeks, it has been agony. Life has been such a rollercoaster the last 14 years, I was hoping that this year would be a turning point for us, it has but not the way we would have chosen .......again.

bromelain is good for this too You can get it at holland and barrett

Thanks, feel I cant concentrate on me until we get Dh results and know what we are dealing with, he had his CT scan today, all very scary. I just cannot believe the last 14 years, dont know how we have both survived all the sadness, stress, joy with the trio, tiredness, oh everything, but we are still here!