Doctors Raise Arthritis Awareness

I have had Rheumatoid for 25 years and have been through all of the meds. Have had adverse side effets and had to continue with steroid and an anti-inflamatory. The steroids gave me a bleeding ulcer and I now have coronary heart disease which can happen with the meds we have to take. After my bypass I am looking forward to trying Orencia so I can cut down or off the steroid which is a two edged sword. It is a battle every day of my life and many don't know about secondary diseases that come along: Fibromyalgia and Neuropathy have been very painful. Dry eye, dry mouth and others complicate the diagnosis. I fought the wheel chair for years until I found out how much easier it was to get around and I was less exhausted after an outing. My advice: Never give up, never give in. Take the help offered and thank God for the good and bad days.

I too, have RA. Was diagoned 3 years ago. I am a fairly young person, and try my best to stay that way. I fear the future. I take a fistful of drugs everyday so that I am able to get out of bed and go to work. Most of my family and friends don't understand to impact of this diesease, they think I am a whimp I think. There is alot of things I can't do, alot of things I do, but am sorry for as soon as I do them because of the pain it may cause. Medidcation has ruined my eyesight, my teeth, my weight, my kidneys and not to mention my mind. I think making people aware of this disease is a great thing. Just because I look normal, does not mean I am. People need to understand the daily fight to those who have this.
To Penny: Keep on fighting!!! I know I will! Hang in there and enjoy life!!!

I have had RA since I was 14 months old. I fought it till I was 11 years old. It went dormant with only minor flairs till I had my son at the age of 23. Then here we go again. All the pain & meds. My brother inlaw even told me I would never dance again.
Well after 5 years of trouble I got better & I showed my brother inlaw I could dance again. Then 17 years ago it started up again. This time it will not go away. Some meds made me sick, gain weight or messed with my eyes. My ins. does not pay for these biologics very well or the ones you inject at all. so I keep on going. Like Molly I take several meds a day & get up & go to work every day. I know people need to understand the daily struggle it is to even get out of bed daily or to walk on most days. You'd think after 51 years of pain & suffering they would come up with a cure or some drug that would not have such bad side effects. Most people don't even think anything is wrong with me or realize all the suffering I do even taking meds. every day. Yes, like Molly I think people think I am sometimes lazy or a whimp. But they don't know the pain we have with the arthritis or don't realize the daily struggle we have just getting around & doing what we need to do.

Do any of you take pain medications to help with it?

All this is well and good but what about the kids that have RA. My daughter has had it since she was 1 year old. Now she is 10 and still dealing with this disease. I think something should be said about it to. Shelly I feel for you because I know where you have been and where you are. My daughter takes Enbrel and it is wonderful. Plus I believe in prayer. People should understand that not only adults deal with pain and stiff joints but so do children. There are days my daughter wants to run and play but can only sit and watch. But she don't let the pain and stiffness rule her life she will try and try to do things until she does things like everyone else. Don't let anythink stop you ever. I know it don't her.

Do they make any or can you take any pain medications for this?

been there wrote:

Do any of you take pain medications to help with it?

I have taken Darveset and Hydrocodone(Lortab), Tramadol (caused anxiety) and others which worked well - however after long term use they gave me "involuntary muscle movements" Spasms that kept me up at night and wouldn't allow me to rest during the day. switched to Oxycodone, but the way it makes me feel only allows me to take one per day. I don't like being "out of it" during the day. I am limited because of the formulary I am on and I am very sensistive to side effects. Pain med's help and can be great when used properly and not overused. Keep trying different ones to see what helps. Praying for you
Penny

been there wrote:

Do any of you take pain medications to help with it?

Shelley - I am not so sure that was Tramadol - sorry - can't think of the name of it. Also tried Vicadin which worked, but side effects. Sorry!

been there wrote:

Do they make any or can you take any pain medications for this?

I took Enbriel and Humira. They were good, but I became allergic to Enbriel and ended up in the hospital with Sepis on the Humira - hoping to start Orencia after my bypass. They can be great drugs for some people, unfortunately some people just can't take them. Prayer or rather the power of God is essential - He guides our days and lives and is always there and always loving us!

I took Loratab for a short time, I don't like the side effects to pain meds. So I usually just don't take anything but Advil. Try to just tough it out. I don't want to depend on pain meds. I know there will come a day when I have to take them, but right now I choose not to. I too have a neice that is 12 who has RA, I am not sure what she takes now, they have just changed her medicine. She is doing good. She keeps a rash alot of the time because of the meds, but she would rather have a slight rash than the pain of RA. She is one tough cookie. It is just a pretty crappy disease, but it beats the alternative!!!! I hope they get a big turn out for this simanar, I wish I could attend.

Yes, I take pain meds. Arava & Voltaren both help with pain & inflamation. Have also had Methotrexate & Plaquenil was the 3rd med to take with other 2. Methotrexate caused sickness & weight gain. Plaquenil caused my eyes to do weird things. So now I only take Arava & Voltaren. If I miss any dose of these 2 I sure know it, cause the pain is worse & the inflamation.
Marie I know how your child feels. When I was a kid so many times I wanted to be outside with my sisters, but I was inside stuck in a tub of hot water then put on couch for heating pads on my left elbow & left knee. But I still refused to make it stop me as a kid, I still went outside every chance I got & tried to do most of what the other kids did. I never could run very well but I tried. I thank God I have done as well as I have, even though now that I am older it seems to be getting worse. All the new meds may help better but the side effects are so bad you are afraid to take them or you have trouble with your insurance paying for it. Good luck to everybody. I hope some day they find a cure! I hope everybody gets better.

Thanks to all of you who answered. I am going to the Doctor on Thursday and I am at a point I cannot stand the pain any longer without some help. I also have Lupus, so it's a journey sometimes for me to even get out of bed. I will not stop, or ever give up! I appreciate all your kind answeres, now I know some different things to discuss with my doctor. Thanks again!!

been there wrote:

Thanks to all of you who answered. I am going to the Doctor on Thursday and I am at a point I cannot stand the pain any longer without some help. I also have Lupus, so it's a journey sometimes for me to even get out of bed. I will not stop, or ever give up! I appreciate all your kind answeres, now I know some different things to discuss with my doctor. Thanks again!!

I have also be diagoned with Lupus and RA, they say that is rare, and to find a doctor to treat both illness is hard. I take several drugs for both illnesses, but I still do not take RX pain meds on a regular basis, that is my phobia. If I did, maybe I would not hurt so much, but I work in medical field and have seen first hand many disturbing things regarding pain meds and I am just afraid. My experience with RA drugs, was not pretty at first, but I kept on taking them and everything smoothed out eventually. Don't give up, and keep in cose contact with your doctor, finding the right combo of meds sometimes takes a while. Hang in there girl!!! I am pulling for you, we all have to stick together!!!! Good luch to you and everyone else on this topix, it is good to be able to share with folks that actually understand. Blessings to you all!!!

Please excuse all my typo's in the above post, takes a while for my hands to work properly, but you guys all know that!!!!!

I have had RA for 46 years. I'll be 48 in January. I know what it's like to live with this disease. Over the years I have had 9 total hip replacement surgeries and 2 total knee replacements. Doing great right now. Only take Mobic (15mg) and Lortab (7.5mg. When things get rough, I just remember when I was 5 years old laying on the couch crying from hurting so much, My dad sit beside me and said, "Baby, I can't say I know how you feel cause I don't. But the way I see it you have two choices - You either lay here and let the arthritis win or you get up grit your teeth and go on. It's your choice." So I just grit my teeth and go on. Take it one day at a time. My favorite saying is Tough times don't last. Tough people do.

i seem to have a problem with not focusing in the work and i have problems following along in class what should i do?