Re: (unknown)

October 29, 2002

Olive flax fish oil on top of the other things below.

Re: (unknown)

,

Would that be oil that I should take at each meal (Olive?, fish oil?, 30

weight?)...or a food that is high in fat (avocado?, walnuts?) or

something else? Thanks for the info.

(OOOO-nonnie)

October 31, 2002

In a message dated 10/31/2002 6:09:31 AM Pacific Standard Time,

gnyoro@... writes:

> hello my friends am a new member

>

Welcome, and please tell us more about yourself.

How old you are, what your diagnosis is, a little about yourself and

interests.

Looking forward to 'meeting' you.

K

November 2, 2002

on 11/2/02 7:46 PM, m harris at mehharris@... wrote:

> He put me on mtx, plaquanil, and sulfasalizine. That was in Sept. of 1999 and

> I have been doing fairly well since then, the nodules went away, the carpal

> tunnel is pretty much non-existent (a little tingle occasionally in my right

> hand).

That gives me hope that maybe mine will go away. I have them on my elbows

and the tops of my hands. I also have bumps on my knees, but I don't know if

those are nodules or not.

Anyway, I will try to wish mine away.

Sue in NC

November 3, 2002

Hi ,

Nice to meet you and welcome to the group. I was interested to read about

your experiences with RA induced carpal tunnel.

Carpal tunnel symptoms which later included tennis elbow were the reasons I

first sought medical attention back in 2000. I didn't realize RA could

cause the carpal tunnel. It makes sense. During the time I was being treated

for the carpal tunnel, I had already started experiencing all over body

aches and pain and was popping ibuprofen like candy. Who knew it would all

turn out to be related? I started having finger involvement while being

treated for carpal tunnel; baby finger on right side started swelling,

ultimately became somewhat deformed, was extremely red and painful. I will

never forget the day I left my office to go take a picture of a location

where a citizen had complained of having damaged his/her vehicle (can't

remember anymore whether it was a male or female caller) so I could send the

picture to the insurance adjuster. I was standing by the car with the door

open, I inadvertently knocked my hand (right little finger) against the

door, and the pain was so intense it literally took my breath away. I

remember feeling like I was actually frozen in place from the pain. It was

the most absolute awful feeling, I will never forget it.

Anyway, when I showed my finger to my ortho, he started me on Vioxx and I

have been on it, off and on, ever since.

I also got a laugh out of your description about walking ever so slowly

behind the nurse at your first visit to the rheumatologist's. My first

visit was very much like yours, didn't take the doc long with the diagnosis.

In retrospect, it seems amazing that all the other docs " just didn't get

it " . My pcp kept blowing off my complaints of pain and stiffness until I

convinced her to refer me to a rheumatologist at the end of 2001. A whole

year of misery. Unfortunately, not an unusual story with this group.

And like you, I, once in a while, have some slight tingling and/or numbness

in my hands, mainly at night, just to remind me of carpal tunnel still

lurking. (LOL)

Suzanne in lovely NW FL (gotta love this weather!)

<snip>

> Then I started seeing " bumps " on my wrists and forearms, next my fingers

on both hands were starting to tingle and feel numb (RA induced carpal

tunnel). My Dr. sent me to a Rheumatologist. By this time I was in real

bad shape, I could hardly get up and it took me about five minutes to walk

50 feet. (If I sat on the floor, my job sometimes requires me to get there,

it was extremely painful to get there, it took me about 5 minutes to get up)

I walked into the examining room (about three minutes after the nurse). The

rheumatologist took one look at me and asked about my symptoms, when I got

to the bumps, he said RA and by the way, those are called nodules.

>

> He put me on mtx, plaquanil, and sulfasalizine. That was in Sept. of 1999

and I have been doing fairly well since then, the nodules went away, the

carpal tunnel is pretty much non-existent (a little tingle occasionally in

my right hand).

>

> About the only side affects are a little hair lose, dry mouth/skin/eyes,

and IF I take the sulfasalizine too late I get heart burn (ranitidine for

that).

>

> I have read alot of postings and have found comfort in the fact that I'm

not alone. Thank you all so very much for giving me that.

November 4, 2002

on 5/11/02 7:23 AM, rhonda m pineau at scottron2@... wrote:

> Just wanted to update anyone who's interested on Olivia's problem.

> Before I start though, I'd like to say that all that's gone on with her

> began well before starting zp. I never thought enzymes were the cause of

> her problems, so if I ever gave that impression, sorry. (Course, I've

> only been giving them to her for a couple weeks so I'm sure they had

> nothing to do with it but have stopped for now.) Went to the doc's this

> a.m., they tested for a uti, nothing. Really was hoping that's what it

> was. Sent her for xrays and she's backed up but no serious obstruction.

> He told me to give her pear juice for a week or so and see if that didn't

> get some out. While we were there she pooped and he didn't think it was

> too unusual, while I thought it was but whatever. He says the next step

> would be to try rinidine? I don't think that's spelled right, but he

> thinks maybe she's having some sort of acid problem but to wait til we

> get the bm thing fixed first. So this would explain her discomfort, that

> pelvic thing she does, (although, again he mentioned something about her

> trying to reach an orgasm which I still think is absurd.). So now we

> wait. Again. I asked him what could cause this and he said maybe too

> much calcium. mentioned something before about magnesium sulfate,

> is that for a uti or to help process calcium? I " m sorry, I'm a little

> emotionally exhausted so I hope this all makes sense and maybe someone

> can offer some advice that the doc may have forgotten. Thank you all for

> your previous advice, it's so nice to have someone listen and know that

> it's not nothing. Rhonda

>

November 4, 2002

> I officially unsubscribed from smartbansters. It makes me depressed

> to read so many negative comments on my positive journey to wellness.

> PNW_bandsters will be my link for info for now on.

I know how you feel...I originally unsubscribed from " Bandsters " for the

same reason but stayed with " Smart Bandsters " because the group seemed more

stable and there was less fighting. These days I find myself barely reading

the list because of all the crap going on and am considering leaving it too.

I'm looking forward to December 5th when I become eligible to join " Graduate

Bandsters " in the hope that it will be a little more pleasant and maturing

to read.

.

November 4, 2002

Rhonda,

I take Magnesium to process calcium (due to kidney stones). I'm not sure if it

is used for UTI's. Hope that helps.

Carla