Disabled | Arthritis Information

Share
 

Hi guys, just thought I would tell you I had a bad day today, but the worst was when I decided to go for a gentle walk of 20 mins.  I took my cane but hoped I could do without it!  Yeah right, after 5 mins I felt totally useless, feet, knees, hips, shoulders, wrists were all hurting, felt so depressed, came home and had an eating binge, and I had been doing so well.  Don't know what to do anymore, blood pressure is up, liver alt tests are high, cholesterol is up, and I am already on meds for these probs!  My doc is really concerned about blood pressure, any ideas on bringing it down?  Took my two little boys to watch 10,000 BC and it was really good.  Then came home and hubby informed me that my sis from UK had called with bad news.  My uncle (mums brother had died) he hadn't been well for a while but worsened considerably after my mum passed away last Jan (2007).  So I really hope I can change my health trends as I really feel I can't control anything lately.  Is there a nutritional eating plan I can follow to improve my cardiac health, I am pre-diabetic and obese from pred for 8 years too.  Help me please, I feel really down and vulnerable at present.  Sorry guys but I need assistance, everyting I try doesn't seem to work for long and I know my MTX is going to be stopped soon and then pred will have to go back up, its like a rollercoaster ride.  Cheers Janie.  Hi Janiefx,

 
I am so sorry to hear you are going through a tough time.  I wish I had some sage advice to offer but I am so new to this.  I just wanted to acknowledge your post and please know that there are people out there who care and support you.  Here's a cyber HUG for you!  Hugs, Janie.
 
Sweetie, for the diet, look into an antiinflammatory one - and allergy testing.  If cost is a concern, then do slow elimination diets.  Maybe the Mediterian (spelling) one. 
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
P.S.  Please think about adding probiotics!

janie...one thing I would recommend is oatmeal.  I believe it lowers both blood pressure and cholesterol.  http://food-facts.suite101.com/article.cfm/oatmeal_to_lower_your_cholesterol  If you get tired of the oatmeal, add a whole grain cold ceral.  keep up with those walks...start out with something you can do with no problems and add a bit of time on to each one as you get going.  You'd be surprised at how much the activity helps with your RA as well!

My brother gained a lot of weight and was diabetic and needed medication for it.  He ended up losing a lot of weight and no longer is a diabetic and his blod pressure is good again. 
 
You can do it, Janie!!  I know with the RA it makes it a bit harder to make these goals and stick with them , but it'll be worth it in the long run.
 
And remember, you need to break bad habits and create NEW ones.
 
Good luck!
Kelly
This may be a giant bit of bad advice but maybe it isn't.  Years ago my husband was very very overweight and after seeing a pic of himself with our daughter at the daddy daughter dance he decided to do something about it.  So he did the Atkins diet for several months.  He lost a ton of weight and adding exercise to the dieting became quite fit.  The diet gave him the jump start and fast results he needed to really give him that burst of encouragement and success. Some of his routine has fallen by the wayside, and his love for doritos and sugar cereal have caused him to gain some of it back, he is still  looks good.  But when he feels like he's put on a few to many, he goes back on the diet for a week or two.
I don't know if their are any special considerations for someone with RA and also prediebetic.  But it's worth looking into.  I think it is anyway. But maybe someone on the board knows something I don't.
 
Aside of all that Janie, I want you to know I'm rooting for you.  And praying for you to.  Hugs.
Janie - you will be our inspiration and sometimes when you have to walk through the hard doors God sets in front of us, the other side is better, you just don't realize it at the time.  Take care ~~ CathyPinto and friello beans help with the cholesterol. The darker the bean the better. Also ask doc about presciption Omacor. It is a cholesterol med thats what it was made for but it is consentrated fish oil fat. It also helps regulate sugar and thyriod and well fishoil is good for RA. Also i googled it and it helps for heart attack victims to take after they have had a heart attack. I had had high liver markers four years ago and they went back to normal. I have the high cholesterol problem also. I am thinking vitamin E may also help ask your doc i have a script for that also. But please run this all by your doctor. This is not the time to self medicate. Ask him if this sounds helpful. Stir clear of the cheese or at least cut down. HI Janie. I just wanted to point out that high doses of fish oil not only help keep inflammation in check but they also thin your blood and help get that high blood pressure under control!

You also might enjoy a water exercise class if there is one in your town. Where I live many pools have a thing called "water works" which is specifically for arthritics, but most places with pools have aquafit and other low impact water exercise programs.PS...try some milk thistle for those liver enzymes! I would suggest the lemon/oilve oil drink but thaqt might make it harder to lose weight.Janiefx,
 
I think that you are on the right path. I believe that you realize that your weight is the cause for many of your ills and that many of your ills will be lessened by losing weight and I know that you will because you are trying. I know that weight loss seems so slow and it is but will be so rewarding. I am proud of you and I don't worry about your going "off the wagon" sometimes, not a big deal. Know that I believe in you and am in your corner rooting for you knowing that you will be the winner, you go girl.
 
LEV
Actually the Omacor does help me keep my wieght down some as it takes away the pred munchies. So it may also help you loose some wieght. And it is a high cholesterol medicine. Sounds like a win win. Ask your doctor about it.Also if you do get the Omacor do not take other fishoil products as you could get a tummy ache. I took some over the counter the day before so my first Omacor gave me a tummy ache. Then i read the leaflet after i took it. Sort of backwards no reason for others to learn the hard way i already did. But it does not upset my tummy now it makes it feel better. Takes away the bloating for me.I'm sorry Janie. 5 mins is better than none.
 
much hugs.
Janie, I'm sorry.  Others here have given better advice that I could, other than to add the obvious, lower your salt intake to help with your high blood pressure.  You probably already do that, but I just wanted to be sure. 
 
You sound so sad and defeated.  I sure hope tomorrow is a better day.  Your attempt to walk even with your health problems shows that you're someone who tries to help herself.  People like you win in the end, so please don't despair.  This is just a temporary setback.

Janie, so sorry you are having so much trouble.  There have been some great suggestions. In addition to reducing your salt, try increasing your potassium with bananas, beans, and other fruits and vegetables.  I found this article that looked interesting...

http://www.healthcastle.com/potassium-high-blood-pressure.shtml

Try making small changes in your diet to start and work up from there.  Gradual changes stick around longer than sudden, extreme ones.

And give yourself credit for those 5 minutes.  Do what you can, rest when you need to.

Giant hugs! I guess i am messed up because i have low potassium and low blood presure not high bloodpressure. So i spend my day slugging down bananas and hot and spicy V8. My high cholesterol is simply heridetary. I am not over wieght but my cholesterol last time checked was 294 to the bad and maybe 50 to the good. I had to go to rasinbran to combat the bananas. So i guess the low potassium combats the pred wieght gain. I had gained wieght from the shots i used to get in my spine. Well one day the doctor put shots in all of my muscles i think it was like fourteen shots. It didn't do a thing but make me gain wieght. I quit getting the shots about two years ago and the wieght came off. I am finally starting to gain a bit of wieght in my tummy lately I new it was coming as i have been on the pred scince October. It has been a few years scince i have had my cholesterol checked. I will ask them to run it next blood test i get. But i get my liver enzymes checked pretty regularly and they have gotten better. Anyway my high potasium diet is helping to keep off the wieght. Scince my snacking is regulated by my health not what i want to eat but what i have to eat. And i am allergic to milk and i hate soy milk it is just not milk tasting to me. So i put water on my rasinbran but i actually have learned to like it that way. The eighteen year old boy saw me pooring my rasinbran one day. He said i don't understand how you can eat that stuff it's not even sweet. I waited for him to walk away before i put the water in it. He caught me and said i am no longer confused i am just plain freaking out. Everyone makes a comment but his was the most. I didn't eat cereal for years because of the inability to have milk and i missed my cereal. Evening time i always have a good meal with plenty of veggies and some meat. But sometimes it is hamburger helper and veggies. Continue with the five minute walks and don't get discuraged. They will help and will sometimes get to ten and twenty. It will give you a feeling of acompishment when the minutes add up. But for now five minutes is good. With our health and everything it is one small step at a time and occasionally a quick miracle but it usually takes time. I have lost my spelling abilities so thanks all for putting up with me lately, I blame the meds.Janie, I hate to sound like a commercial or something, but there's this dr. - he's a cardiologist at a huge hospital in Manhattan. He is on Oprah every now and then. Anyway, he has a couple books out called "You - on a diet" and "You - the owner's manual". He has some really interesting info on taking care of your body, what each organ does etc. Not that you don't know that already but he describes things in a way that's facinating. Anyway, I can only wish you strength and hope and know that you're in my thoughts in this tough time. As far as your eating binge today, don't beat yourself up about that. We all have moments. tomorrow is another day. Feed yourself good, fresh, healthy food tomorrow. It will make a world of difference. I hope you feel good soon.HI guys, thankyou so much for all your advice and inspiring words, I do take probiotics and fish oil 3g a day, I will keep up the walking and today is a new day so I shall set a good example to my children and do the right thing, thankyou again for caring, I really do feel like I have this little hidey hole in our computer room, and all my little friends who understand me are hiding in there just waiting to be called out to playtime!!!!!  Thankyou so much each and everyone of you, I read all your posts and realise you care.  Love and hugs Janie.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com