Re: I'm New!!

April 6, 2001

| Hi!

| My name is Olivia. I'm from Bolivia, Im'16 old

| years, still I'm in the school , I finish the

| school in two years much. I'm dwarfism.

| I Speak inglish so so because in my city

| speak spanish. I'm friendly, and happy

| person.

| I navegator in internet found this page

belief

| most interesting. I found much page about

it,

| I wanted to chat but I don't can't chat.

| I watched tv a program in Discovery

Channel

| about the live of you, and when you do

| conference, is very interesting. I want to go

| the conference.I want to have a friends.

| Well I wait you writte a letter me.

| Bye.

| atte: Olivia

=============================================

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Pon una encuesta en tu web http://encuestas.ya.com

November 21, 2001

Hi Hege,

Welcome aboard! Your English is much better than my Norwegian (which

is non-existent ;-), and your grammar is better than some native born

Americans I know of. Your only spelling errors were " shore " instead

of " sure " , and " Tanks " for " Thanks " , but it's obvious what you meant.

Sorry to hear of your bad experiences with doctors, but that even

happens here in the US where we pay exorbitant prices for medical

treatment, unlike the free care I've heard that Norway provides to

all its citizens.

It's my understanding (and I may be wrong), that if you have

inflammatory arthritis it is called PA if you have Psoriasis,

otherwise it's call " serum negative " RA. Nail pittings are a pretty

much sure sign that you will also get PA (if you didn't have it

already). I have no idea why it's such a positive indicator, but

fingernail and toenail problems have a high correlation with PA.

We have lots of members from all over the world on this forum, so I'm

sure you'll find someone else from Norway here sooner or later.

Regards,

-- Ron

> Hi all.

>

> My name is Hege, I'm norwegian, age 33. I'v Been reading your

> messages for a while but i'm not shore my english is good enough to

> join this group. I find the medical terms even in norweigen a bit

> difficult, and in english even harder.I hope you all can understand

> me, even if my spelling probably will be wrong at times!!

> I have been learning a lot of you all, and I'm amazed of all the

> things bothering me without knowing it had enything to do with Pa.

> Like many of you I have been pushed around for several years

without

> finding whats wrong with me. It took about 12 years to get

diagnosed

> with Pa, in the mean time I have had several diagnoses like

> fibromyalgia, hypoconder, etc.

> I switched doctor a year ago, after my first one gave up on me. He

> just told me that he couldnt do anything more for me, so just live

> with that the best way you can! My new doctor has been great, and

he

> believed me at once. After a while he sent me to a rheumy that

> finally found out that its Pa going on in my body. Well, this has

> been 12 long years...

> After I was diagnosed we found out that my mum has psoriasis(very

> little) and that even my dad's family has some of it.

> I have only some nailpittings, and bad nails, as well as itchy

scalp.

> Hopefully I want get any moore!?!? Is there anyone out there

without

> Psoriasis, only arthritis?? Or any norwegians that I can e-mail

with?

> I ran out of space her, write more later. Tanks from Hege

November 22, 2001

--Hi Ron and others!

I understand my explanation of my Pa wasn't

good enough! I DO HAVE ARTHRITIS, in almost all of my joints. I

think my ankles and shoulders are the only joints which are not a big

problem. Luckily It hasn't ruined my bones yet, only a bit in my

spine. I tried to ask you all if the psoriasis-bit of the Pa can

stay like it already is, or if it will necessarily become worse!?! I

just have some nail-pittings and ugly-nails and an itchy scalp. I

also wonder if there is anything I can do to prevent it from getting

worse? Right now I'm only taking Celebrex, after almost two years on

Vioxx. I took them for 1 1/2 years before I was diagnosed, but they

didn't work anymore. I started on Celebrex 2 weeks ago after trying

Relifex (Relafen?) which didn't work at all. In January I'm supposed

to go on to DMARDS (Is that what you call them?) but I'm not sure if

I want to! I've seen everything you've all written about

antibiotic-therapy and I will ask my rheumy if they are used here in

Norway. Again, Thanks (with an H!!) a lot for all the information

you all have given me! Have a nice day, Hege

[

November 23, 2001

Hello Hege!

My name is I am 1/2 norwegian 1/2 polish, but can't speak

either languages. Maiden name is ENGUM! Your english is very good! I

do make a great Lefsa Bread!

I was diagnosed with PA just 2 weeks ago, but have been ill for

almost 4 years. I have more trouble with the A than the P. But have

had some flare ups with P. It took the P to get the finial diagnoses

and a new doctor. I find the arthritis is so frustrating. I am a

computer programmer and my hands are bad. Hard to work. What

medications do you take? I started on Methotrexate and I take codine

for pain. I also have some heart problems that may be related to the

PA.

I wish you luck in dealing with this nasty stuff. Take care! Email me

if you need to vent

aka nuttydenise

November 24, 2001

Hi !

It's a bit funny, I'm 100% norwegian, and I have never made

Lefse!!, but I like to eat them though!!

Why dont you speak any Norwegian?

since it seems like we are in the same state of treatment right now,

it would be intreresting to e-mail you. I guess I've got about 100

questions about mtx and other treatments.

Even though I'm Married to a computer-expert, I'm not very good at the

computer yet. How do I find Your e-mail adress?

Thank you to the moderator(Ron?) for making my english look better!!

[

November 25, 2001

Wilkommen- You may find as I have a large amount of Scandinavians

with these conditions, it may be just my personal experience but it seems

northern europeans seem to predominate, I have yet to meet an Italian or

Hispanic with this disease, maybe we inherited it from the Vikings for some

punishment--lefse is good! labskas not so good----glad to have you

aboard--ever get up to Kongsvanger? don't want to get too far OT---good luck

Ed

November 26, 2001

In a message dated 11/26/2001 2:14:41 AM Eastern Standard Time,

newell3480@... writes:

> I have yet to meet an Italian or

> Hispanic with this disease, maybe we inherited it from the Vikings

Hi - I'm Italian - so now you've met one - however my last name doesn't

mean anything in Italian and my Italian grandfather had blonde hair and blue

eyes, so I'm suspecting some Norse or Germanic invaders may be somewhere in

the family tree!

November 27, 2001

Hi Hege -- My experience with psoriasis is that it fluctuates. It usually flares

up when I'm under a lot of stress, or have suffered some physical or emotional

trauma. Also it seems to be worse in the spring and fall. But the biggest factor

for me seems to be stress. Do what you can to minimize it (not always possible,

I realize). I don't have

much problem with my fingernails, but my toenails are a mess. -- Jan O', Alaska

Hege@... wrote:

> --Hi Ron and others!

> I understand my explanation of my Pa wasn't

> good enough! I DO HAVE ARTHRITIS, in almost all of my joints. I

> think my ankles and shoulders are the only joints which are not a big

> problem. Luckily It hasn't ruined my bones yet, only a bit in my

> spine. I tried to ask you all if the psoriasis-bit of the Pa can

> stay like it already is, or if it will necessarily become worse!?! I

> just have some nail-pittings and ugly-nails and an itchy scalp. I

> also wonder if there is anything I can do to prevent it from getting

> worse? Right now I'm only taking Celebrex, after almost two years on

> Vioxx. I took them for 1 1/2 years before I was diagnosed, but they

> didn't work anymore. I started on Celebrex 2 weeks ago after trying

> Relifex (Relafen?) which didn't work at all. In January I'm supposed

> to go on to DMARDS (Is that what you call them?) but I'm not sure if

> I want to! I've seen everything you've all written about

> antibiotic-therapy and I will ask my rheumy if they are used here in

> Norway. Again, Thanks (with an H!!) a lot for all the information

> you all have given me! Have a nice day, Hege

>

> [

November 27, 2001

If you haven't gone to the Roadback.org yet I would strongly

suggest that you do.

It has lots of info that may help you.

I am on the antibiotic therapy and I am so glad that I did.. My nails were

involved and some joints..knee, ankle, thumb, and

big toe...but so far the am stiffness has decreased greatly, and I feel so

much more alert and full of energy.

God luck,

nancy:)

November 27, 2001

Hi Hege,

I don't think the P necessarily becomes worse; it hasn't for me (knock

on wood!) at any rate and is probably the mildest it's ever been (just a

couple patches on elbows and other odd spots). I did have a couple bad

episodes many years ago; to get rid of them I once spent a week in the

hospital undergoing the tar-and-sunlamp treatment, and once I did a

series of PUVA treatments (which I now believe has caused me to have

some skin damage and maybe a tendency to be more susceptible to skin

cancer, but that's another story -- the P cleared up, at least). My PA

is chiefly in my hands, and I guess I am very thankful for that (on the

theory it could always be worse?). I did have some noticeable pitting in

my fingernails a few years ago; not so bad now. But I do need to keep

the nails short; a tendency to " lift " on the tips is a problem. I

basically use Dovonex cream to treat the P (although will give the

hydrogen peroxide a try; why not!!). Sunlight also helps quite a bit in

my case, as does going easy on the chocolate.

Anyway, welcome to this group! Oh, and I'm following the antibiotic

protocol at present for the PA -- I've refused to go on DMARDs. My

latest bloodwork shows nothing, and neither do the x-rays, damagewise.

Not sure what that all means, but " that's my story and I'm sticking to

it. "

--Louise

PA diagnosis 9/99; had PA since at least 1995 however; on AP

(minocycline) since 6/01

Hege@... wrote:

>

> --I DO HAVE ARTHRITIS, in almost all of my joints. I