Anyone know of any relationship between chemical exposure and RA. I had about a four hour arm leg and breathing exposure with a stong chemical used by an exterminator for bugs under my house. I had to fix a broken water pump tank and the plastic under the house crawl space was soaked with a chemical that I do not know the name of. This was around the same time the RA symptoms started also I was under lots of stress with some family issues at the same time the most stress I think I have ever been under. ANY IDEAS FOLKS Thanks Bearbeall
Hi Billy, I grew up not far from a chemicle plant that belched out some pretty dire smoke.
In 1965 I was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis at a university hospital in the south. The same week my father was diagnosed with Saroidosis and was sent to NIH for further treatment. NIH studied both my father and I looking for a connection and the only common factor was exposure to chemicles. The plant had been shut down and not much information available. I was adopted so the gene thing wasn't part of the equation. I'm sort of traveling in my father's footsteps with chronic illness. He also had RA but mild. I remember that he spent my childhood on large doses of Prednisone for asthma and related pulmonary problems. I've always felt that my chronic illnesses have been caused by this exposure. Good luck in finding an answer. I believe it lies in a number of reasons and causes. Depends on our bodies response. Lindy
Stress is really a pretty well established pre-curser, unfortunately.
Environment plays some interesting links. For example, apparently they call Scleroderma something like "the jack hammer disease". It's also been linked to the stuff in cat litter: silica???
The only trigger for AI diseases I've seen is smoking - which if you think about it, makes a heck of a lot of sense. A good portion of your air, already poluted, is poluted more.
I smoke.
Pip
That makes a lot of sense Pip! about the smoking. I wonder how many of us are heavily exposed to those that are smoking. I know in this day and age we are all exposed to it at some point but i wonder if there is something connecting the two.I don't know but I lived in Camp Lejune for years. Recently it has been brought out that the water there was known to be polluted. They actually called my mom before the story broke to ask if I was still alive. I am but with no family history it makes me wonder . . . Just heard on our news last night, that printers and photocopiers release toxic emissions from the toners used in the ink. These toxins are said to be as bad for us, if not worse, than those in cigarette smoke.I am so glad you asked this. I actually have this problem and it has been diagnosed as being so.
Along with the RA I have Intrinsic Asthma where both can be horribly triggered by chemicals which include anything from pesticide, to new homes, pain, cleaners, perfumes, hair sprays etc.
It's horrible and so hard to get used to.
One other thing is preserves in food which can include pesticides. Pesticides are all over non-organic vegies and fruits and part of ingredients in preserves.
It's a pain, a HUGE pain.
It is thought that mine (breathing and ra) was triggered by using a laser printer in my small room (home business) for years and that by moving into a brand new manufactured home, I went into a body frenzy and couldn't stop getting worse. Once RA is awake, it won't stop, but by limiting the exposure you have to chemicals (if chemicals are your trigger), you can help your body to get better. But i have had symptoms since a child, just not anything worse than ibuprofen use. It is thought that my mother smoking while pregnant and then exposure to my parent's both smoking while growing up contributed to my sickness. Even thought i may not know exactly what caused it, i do know what effects it.
For a couple years i would eat a potato here and have no problems, then eat a potato somewhere else and have a reaction. It was all based on preserves, having the skin on the vegie etc. So i never could figure out a trigger until now.
I was diagnosed with the chemical sensitivity in June and now have to do my best to fix my life day by day.
If you do have chemcial problems, some things to help you are:
1) natural foods or organic(prefer organic)
2) no aftershaves, perfumes, household cleaners, shampoo etc. that isn't organic or natural.
3) stay away from newly finished and painted areas, don't go in new buildings, stay away from exhaust from cars (especially semi trucks).
These are just some things. You can look up multiple chemical sensitivity off the internet fo more information.
God bless and sorry you have experiencing this type of problem. I blow up like a balloon, all RA gets back within 10min after exposure so if i am not at home, it can be hard to get back to the car etc.