Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis

[Elfinlady]

I've been having joint pain since June. After several trips to my regular doctor and then seeing a specialist, I finally got the diagnosis of rheumatiod arthritis yesterday. The specialist started me on a treatment, but it's likely we'll have to experiment to find what works best for me. I was really hoping it was something we could treat and would go away, not something I'll be dealing with for the rest of my life. Of course, who does want a lifelong chronic condition! :lol:

[all4ramseys@msn.com]

I was diagnosed at 30 (am now 44) but have been having symptoms since my early 20s. My first suggestion would be to deal with the emotional impact as well as the physical. It can be extremely depressing to deal with chronic pain. It will take some time to come to terms with it, but doing some of the following will help.

 

1. Research and read. Rheumatologists are not overly interested in alternative medicine, so this avenue of treatment will be your responsibility.

 

2. Start with the lowest dose/most conservative medicine first. I take Methotrexate only.

 

3. Look into changing your diet some and taking supplements.

 

4. Seek out a research study and get involved. I was in one studying a natural treatment in addition to my drugs.

 

5. Strive to rest regularly and get plenty of sleep. It makes a huge difference.

 

I know this didn't help much, but you are not alone. PM me if you would like to discuss specifics.

 

Holly

[TravelingChris]

SO sorry. Join the club= many of us here have chronic illnesses.:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm so sorry. I think Remudamom has RA too (as I'm sure do others).

[Harriet Vane]

I was diagnosed at 30 (am now 44) but have been having symptoms since my early 20s. My first suggestion would be to deal with the emotional impact as well as the physical. It can be extremely depressing to deal with chronic pain. It will take some time to come to terms with it, but doing some of the following will help.

 

1. Research and read. Rheumatologists are not overly interested in alternative medicine, so this avenue of treatment will be your responsibility.

 

2. Start with the lowest dose/most conservative medicine first. I take Methotrexate only.

 

3. Look into changing your diet some and taking supplements.

 

4. Seek out a research study and get involved. I was in one studying a natural treatment in addition to my drugs.

 

5. Strive to rest regularly and get plenty of sleep. It makes a huge difference.

 

I know this didn't help much, but you are not alone. PM me if you would like to discuss specifics.

 

Holly

 

What specific dietary changes?

[kristinannie]

My mom has RA. I would be glad to try and answer any questions for you or I could give you her email address if you would like to talk to her. I know that the diagnosis is devastating, but please remember that huge strides have been made in this area. My mom isn't symptom free, but lives a relatively normal life. Hugs and prayers!

[MelAR05]

I know one of the homeschool ladies here who was diagnosed with RA sometime this past spring and heard her doctor started her eating vegetarian. From my understanding, hers is pretty aggressive. It came on very quickly. Here are a couple of her blogs about it - http://rawellness.blogspot.com/ and http://artags.blogspot.com/search/label/Just%20me .

 

It does look like after reading her blog that she has started taking methotrexate. I don't know much about RA but maybe this will be of some help. :grouphug:

[Marylou]

this has helped me http://noarthritis.com/

[Joanne]

Just wanted to give (soft, tender) {{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}.

 

My dd has JRA. It can be a difficult road to balance treatments/meds with the associated side effects.

[Elfinlady]

Thanks for the commiseration and advice. I'm already a vegetarian, but I am looking into the diet aspect. The doctor put me on Methotrexate, and we're waiting to see if that works for me before we try anything more aggressive.

 

I thought I was handling this okay, but last night I just started bawling because it suddenly hit me that I have this life altering illness. I am better today though, emotionally anyway. The prednisone the doctor gave me until the Methotrexate kicks in doesn't seem to be working. The office is closed tomorrow, so I'll call Monday morning if there's still no improvement.

Edited September 15, 2011 by Elfinlady

[Negin]

So very sorry. :grouphug:

 

Much of this may have already been mentioned or you may have read up on it.

 

Unlike the “wear and tear†joint pain of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, in which the immune system attacks itself.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually starts around 40 to 50 years of age. Women are 3 times more likely to develop the pain and swelling that mark this condition than men.

 

EAT MORE

Turmeric daily – excellent for rheumatoid arthritis – sprinkle on vegetables and you can add ¼ tbsp turmeric at the end of cooking almost any food. Aim to have at least ½ tsp turmeric per day. Add a dash to soups.

Season meals with ginger and turmeric as often as possible

Both these spices have anti-inflammatory properties.

 

Get more omega-3s from: wild Alaskan salmon and other cold-water fish; freshly ground flaxseed; chia seeds; omega-3-fortified eggs; and walnuts.

 

5-9 daily servings of fresh fruits and veggies from across the color spectrum

Fresh fruits and vegetables—naturally rich in antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory substances—have been found helpful for rheumatoid arthritis in numerous studies.

 

EAT LESS

Polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn and soy oils)

Partially hydrogenated oils (margarines, vegetable shortenings)

Processed foods that contain these fats

Fewer animal products

Saturated fat

Sugar

Processed foods, particularly those made with grains high in gluten.

 

SUPPLEMENTS

A good probiotic

Interesting new research in both animals and humans, however, points to a previously undiscovered factor in rheumatoid arthritis—bacteria. Germs in the gut of mice appear to trigger an immune response that results in this painful condition, reports the journal Immunology.

When you see illnesses that seem to be inflammatory or autoimmune, flora in the gut may well be playing a role.

60% of your immune system’s receptor cells are located in the colon and another 15% in the lower part of the small intestine.

Ideally, probiotics should comprise about 85% of the bacteria in the GI tract. But the rapid increase in drug-resistant pathogens—caused by feeding antibiotics to livestock and overuse of these drugs by the mainstream medical community—means that more people have much lower levels of beneficial bacteria.

Today, many have beneficial bacteria counts as low as 5 per milliliter—when they need 5 billion per milliliter! Given this kind of friendly flora meltdown, a good probiotic such as Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 PLUS, 1 capsule in the morning and another on an empty stomach in the evening, is ideal. Each capsule contains a blend of 12 different strains of live lactic acid bacteria plus 10 viamins, 8 minerals, and 18 amino acids.

The most crucial ingredient is E. faecelis TH10, a special strain of lactic-acid producing bacteria. Research finds that this TH10 type of probiotic may also help protect against H. pylori (implicated in ulcers), E. coli, and antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

While you can get millions of colony-forming units of friendly flora from probiotic foods (like yogurt with live, active cultures), you want a probiotic product that includes organic acids, which bacteria utilize to keep the colon’s pH acidic enough to further promote the growth of good bacteria. In addition, it needs to be enteric coated to keep the billions of beneficial bacteria intact and able to survive stomach acid and bile.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 PLUS is stable at room temperature—important if you’re traveling—and is gluten-free, non-GMO, and hypoallergenic with no preservatives. Third-party research confirms its benefits

[Negin]

Fish Oil - Studies show that people with rheumatoid arthritis who take fish oil have improvements in stiffness and pain. Take a good brand – such as Carlson’s.

 

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that is found mostly in plant-based oils. GLA can be gotten from several plant-based oils including evening primrose oil, borage oil, and black currant seed oil. Most of these oils also contain some linoleic acid.

GLA may help reduce inflammation.

Some preliminary evidence suggests evening primrose oil may reduce pain, swelling, and morning stiffness; but other studies have found no effect. When using GLA for arthritis symptoms, it may take 1 - 3 months to see any benefit. It is unlikely that evening primrose oil would help stop progression of the disease, so joint damage could still occur.

For rheumatoid arthritis: Evening primrose oil (EPO), 3,000 mg daily, or gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), 1,400 mg daily, both divided into several smaller doses throughout the day. It’s worth trying for at least 3 months.

 

OTHER TIPS

Acupuncture reduces pain in 90% of patients!

 

Homocysteine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in our bodies. In small quantities, it’s safe. In large amounts, it can produce free radicals that can lead to a build up of plaque in the arteries and heart disease. Rheumatoid arthritis patients tend to have high homocysteine levels, which, point to inflammation.

A simple inexpensive homocysteine blood test indicates inflammation. Make sure you get this test next time you see your doctor. A change in diet, stress reduction, or vitamin therapy can all reverse it.

Every time you have your cholesterol checked, tell your doctor to check your homocysteine. You need to fast for about 12 hours (nothing but water).

Homocysteine levels should be 8-14 micromoles per liter, and ideally, less than 10.

When you have enough betaine, vitamins B6 and B12, and folic acid – you can keep your homocysteine levels low.

Green leafy vegetables are the primary source of folic acid. Folic acid may be the most important nutrient to keep your homocysteine levels low. It is also very abundant in legumes (beans). The way you cook vegetables can also either reduce or retain folic acid. When you stir fry, you seal in a number of nutrients and retain more folic acid than if you steam or boil them.

Some medications and other substances block the absorption of folic acid. They include oral contraceptives, alcohol, nicotine, anticonvulsants, antibacterials, and some chemotherapy drugs.

Aging is a factor in high homocysteine levels.

Aim for 400-800 mcg a day if on medications or if your diet lacks folic acid.

Eat at least one serving of dark-green leafy vegetables a day.

Tea also contains a lot of folate. Drink a couple of cups of green tea daily. If your homocysteine is high, tea is a much better choice than coffee.

B12 often becomes lower as we age. If you have digestive problems or not enough friendly bacteria like acidophilus and bifido, you are likely lacking in B12. Begin by chewing your food well. Next, consider taking enzymes and hydrochloric acid. Check with your health care practitioner about these supplements before taking them.

B12 is lacking in a vegan diet. However, many vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy get sufficient B12 from their diet and a healthy digestive system.

B6 helps lower homocysteine. It is found in meat and whole grains, but the amount in food may not be enough to lower your homocysteine. Consider taking a multivitamin with 25-50 mg of B6.

Probiotics lower homocysteine. Take probiotics and add dietary sources of friendly bacteria like plain yogurt, sauerkraut, and miso soup.

[Negin]

You will benefit from a gluten-free diet if you have:

• An autoimmune condition like lupus, psoriasis, or rheumatoid arthritis

• If you regularly experience 2 or more of the following symptoms:

Abdominal Pain

Gas and Bloating (especially after eating bread)

Diarrhea

Frequent heartburn

Allover Weakness

• Eliminate bread, pasta, barley, and rye

• Read food labels to avoid sources of gluten: soy sauce, lunch meats, blue cheese. Google “avoid gluten†for a complete list.

• Add more fresh fruits, vegetables, and rice to your diet.

 

Daily Meditation and Prayer for at least 6 months

 

A common class of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, as well as Crohn’s disease, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have recently been linked to leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers. Earlier research suggests these meds increase the risk for fungal infections and shingles.

 

Excess weight puts added strain on painful, swollen joints.

[Negin]

All autoimmune conditions, and at their root they are connected by one central biochemical process: A runaway immune response also known as systemic inflammation that results in your body attacking its own tissues.

Autoimmunity occurs when your immune system gets confused and your own tissues get caught in friendly cross-fire. Your body is fighting something -- an infection, a toxin, an allergen, a food or the stress response -- and somehow it redirects its hostile attack on your joints, your brain, your thyroid, your gut, your skin, or sometimes your whole body.

Interestingly, autoimmune disorders occur almost exclusively in developed countries. People in poor nations without modern amenities like running water, flush toilets, washing machines, and sterile backyards don't get these diseases. If you grew up on a farm with lots of animals, you are also less likely to have any of these inflammatory disorders. Playing in the dirt, being dirty, and being exposed to bugs and infections trains your immune system to recognize what is foreign and what is "you."

 

Unfortunately, many of the conventional treatments available can make you feel worse. Anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil, steroids, immune suppressants like methotrexate, and the new TNF-alpha blockers like Enbrel or Remicade can lead to intestinal bleeding, kidney failure, depression, psychosis, osteoporosis, muscle loss, and diabetes, not to mention overwhelming infection and cancer.

When used selectively these drugs can help people get their lives back. But they are not a long-term solution. They shouldn't be the end of treatment, but a bridge to cool off inflammation while we treat the root cause of the disease.

 

Found this from an article a while back.

Nine Steps to Treating Autoimmune Disease

1. Check for hidden infections -- yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme, etc. -- with the help of a doctor, and treat them.

2. Check for hidden food allergens with IgG food testing or just try The UltraSimple Diet, which is designed to eliminate most food allergens.

3. Get tested for celiac disease, which is a blood test that any doctor can do.

4. Get checked for heavy metal toxicity. Mercury and other metals can cause autoimmunity.

5. Fix your gut. Read up on Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

6. Use nutrients such as fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and probiotics to help calm your immune response naturally.

7. Exercise regularly -- it's a natural anti-inflammatory.

8. Practice deep relaxation like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback, or massage, because stress worsens the immune response.

9. Tell your doctor about Functional medicine and encourage him or her to get trained -- go to http://www.functionalmedicine.org for more information and to get a copy of the Textbook for Functional Medicine.

 

RA does not limit itself to the joints. It affects the whole body, although the hands, feet, wrists, ankles, and knees are most often affected.

RA is an AI disease, which means that the body’s immune system turns on itself and attacks its own tissues.

[Remudamom]

Not RA but psoriatic arthritis. I was diagnosed at 25, advised that having children would make it worse (I had five and it did) and am now on Remicade. I've been on so many meds I can't remember all of them, methotrexate only worked for a few months for me. It stinks.

[Green Vixen]

Thanks for the commiseration and advice. I'm already a vegetarian, but I am looking into the diet aspect. The doctor put me on Methotrexate, and we're waiting to see if that works for me before we try anything more aggressive.

 

I thought I was handling this okay, but last night I just started bawling because it suddenly hit me that I have this life altering illness. I am better today though, emotionally anyway. The prednisone the doctor gave me until the Methotrexate kicks in doesn't seem to be working. The office is closed tomorrow, so I'll call Monday morning if there's still no improvement.

 

Hi Elfinlady,

 

I see you posted this a couple of weeks ago so I hope you are doing a little better now!!! I have Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease which my Rheumatologist thinks may be RA. It doesn't really matter the name they give it because the treatments are the same. I've been doing the med rollercoaster ride since last year, Prednisone, Methotrexate, Plaquenil, Sulfasalazine, Arava and who knows what's next.

 

If you have never had a chronic health problem it is going to be a big change for you. Try to do a lot of reading up on it and join an RA forum, this can help you feel more in control of your life. I really like the site http://www.arthritis.org. They have a very active RA community.

 

I hope you start finding relief soon and feel free to PM me! I've only been at this a year but I can help you as much as I am able to :001_smile:.

 

Marisa