Guest guest Posted January 16, 2001 Report Share Posted January 16, 2001 Pat, That was a wonderful overview of how to deal. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you said to Janick. Knowledge is power. I have quite a few health problems but even though I am going into the hospital for my 7th major surgery in 6 years, I consider the RA to be the most lifestyle affecting situation and asthma. Depression is very real and as you say is easily treatable. I have been taking Zoloft for years. I need it. The pill box saves my life. I do exactly what you say. And yes there are lots of different drugs and combinations and as my doctor would say you need to find the right " magic bullet " . I have had RA for 2 years and have taken-several NSAI, arava, methatrexate, A-sulfadine(allergic), enbrel and now remicade. The remicade and enbrel helped the most for me and for me the remicade is easier. The inflammation is down and fatigue gone but pain still remains. From reading info on this list and links provided I have decided to have a real heart to heart with my doctor about pain management after this surgery is out of the way. Janick, We deal. It's not the same life as before but it is life and worth living! Temple Kuddle Kritters Farm 3 Fox Haven Way Chelmsford, MA 01824 dat2352@... http://www.homestead.com/kuddlekrittersfarm/index.html http://www/homestead.com/kuddlekraft/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2001 Report Share Posted January 16, 2001 > I work full time, ski on the weekends, and sail in the summer. > All > of these things 3 years ago I thought I would never do. Thanx Pat! That's exactly what I needed to hear!!! Just a little more info about me. I was an extremely active person until I got pregnant last year. I was weight training, kickboxing and aerobic dancing 5-6 times a week. I was working full time also, and also had a full course load at university where I was studying to get my MBA. I continued on this " regime " even when I became pregnant. At 18 weeks of gestation, my cervix started to dilate and I was put on complete bed rest until the end of my pregnancy for probable preterm labor. The preterm labor was indeed probable because my pregnancy lasted until the 40th week!! Then I developped preeclampsia, and I finally had to be induced!!! I also had other minor complications of pregnancy with multiple vaginal infections, iron deficiency anemia, severe nausea (with initial weight loss) and decreased platelets. After pregnancy, a lot of things went on in my personal life... I moved to another city in september (at 4 months post-partum), bought a house, renovated the house (heating system, windows, kitchen and bathrooms), started 2 part time jobs. On top of all that I took one class at university because I still had 3 courses left to get my MBA degree. I couldn't get back into a physical fit lifestyle with all this stuff going on... I had a goal for the new year (ie 2001). Be more disciplined so I could get everything done and take a semester off from university. Then all this stuff strikes me!!! This is probably why I'm taking this all so hard. I'm an overachiever and I always push myself towards new limits: physically and mentally. Dealing with limitations for me (especially physically) is one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with... All this blabla just to say that I needed to know that some people can actually enjoy an active lifestyle, something that I couldn't live without... Janick who is sorry that this message was so long... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2001 Report Share Posted January 16, 2001 Hi Janick and Welcome! Glad you are here! I wanted to say, before I was dx'd with JRA at age 13, I was also very active. I don't want to take your hope away, but you also have to prepared that you will lose a lot of your physical activities you once did. It all depends on the severity of the disease and I want you to be prepared for that as well. I used to run practically every day. I was on the softball team at my grade school, along with volleyball and basketball and some track. Now I can barely walk. I have to use my wheelchair for long distance walking like the mall or grocery shopping. I am very happy Pat can still enjoy some of her activities. VERY happy for her. But please remember that is her experience with the disease. I have RA in EVERY joint. So it is obvious why I lost my activities. I think the only real physical activity I can do is SEX! Which my doc told me was a great pain reliever! Tis true! But, that was also 19 years ago and today they have much better drugs to treat the disease aggressively. You are very lucky to be diagnosed today. I wish I had that advantage. =) ~Rainy Sue > > I work full time, ski on the weekends, and sail in the > summer. > > All > > of these things 3 years ago I thought I would never do. > > Thanx Pat! > > That's exactly what I needed to hear!!! > > Just a little more info about me. I was an extremely active person > until I got pregnant last year. I was weight training, kickboxing and > aerobic dancing 5-6 times a week. I was working full time also, and > also had a full course load at university where I was studying to get > my MBA. I continued on this " regime " even when I became pregnant. At > 18 weeks of gestation, my cervix started to dilate and I was put on > complete bed rest until the end of my pregnancy for probable preterm > labor. > > The preterm labor was indeed probable because my pregnancy lasted > until the 40th week!! Then I developped preeclampsia, and I finally > had to be induced!!! I also had other minor complications of > pregnancy with multiple vaginal infections, iron deficiency anemia, > severe nausea (with initial weight loss) and decreased platelets. > > After pregnancy, a lot of things went on in my personal life... I > moved to another city in september (at 4 months post-partum), bought a > house, renovated the house (heating system, windows, kitchen and > bathrooms), started 2 part time jobs. On top of all that I took one > class at university because I still had 3 courses left to get my MBA > degree. I couldn't get back into a physical fit lifestyle with all > this stuff going on... > > I had a goal for the new year (ie 2001). Be more disciplined so I > could get everything done and take a semester off from university. > Then all this stuff strikes me!!! This is probably why I'm taking > this all so hard. I'm an overachiever and I always push myself > towards new limits: physically and mentally. Dealing with > limitations for me (especially physically) is one of the hardest > things I have ever had to deal with... > > All this blabla just to say that I needed to know that some people can > actually enjoy an active lifestyle, something that I couldn't live > without... > > Janick > who is sorry that this message was so long... > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2001 Report Share Posted January 16, 2001 Janick - (sorry I end up reading a few day's worth of e-mail at once so am answering your separate e-mail on the same evening) I just want to write again to let you know that many people can still enjoy an active lifestyle - maybe just a little different. Like I said in my other post I still do most of the things I always have - hiking, biking, jogging, snowshoeing, volleyball - but I have pain in my feet so before I go I take one of my Voltaren (anti-inflam) and when I get home I usually need to take a Vicodan so that I'm comfortable to sleep. Drugs are our friends!! =) =) Things may need to slow down a little or you may need to have more rest inbetween but try not to let this diagnosis get you down. As far as other ways to help control pain - I use: heat, ice, massage LaVina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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