Home Community Newsletter Vol 4 Issue 154

Arthritis Insight Newsletter * Vol. 4 Issue 154 May 28, 2003

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Welcome to the 154th issue of the Arthritis Insight Newsletter. All back issues will be posted at community/newsletter
Feel free to pass this newsletter around to others who may be interested.

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The information in this newsletter should not take the place of advice and guidance from your own health-care providers. Material in this newsletter is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Be sure to check with your doctor before making any changes in your treatment plan. Information presented here is the opinion of the authors and has not necessarily been approved or endorsed by the medical advisors.

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Notes From Tina
(Tina@arthritisinsight.com)
Tina Underwood aka KrissyJo

Tina's surgery is over and went very well! Hopefully this will take care of her back problems and she'll be feeling much better soon.

The Fundraiser was a huge success! Thanks to our members we raised a grand total of $5,231.58. It looks like you guys will be stuck with us for a long time to come. You'll find a list of prize winners below. I'll be sending out notices to all the winners asking for shipping information within the next week so keep an eye on your e-mail boxes!

~Kimmy

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Ron's Ramblin's
(Ron@arthritisinsight.com)
Ron Griffin aka IndyRon

Hi gang, It has been a while since I last sat down to write one of these columns. I just want to thank all of you who were so supportive during the past month or so. It was really tough, but I have to keep in mind that Dad is now much better off than he was. No more pain and no more suffering. Three weeks with him in an ICU was tough on all of us.

I learned a lot about myself, my family, and my friends during this time. While it is really tough to let go of some one you love very much, especially your parents, I have learned that it is possible to grow as a person and to come to a better understanding of life during times of sadness and sorrow. I have learned how strong a person can be when they have to be; I have learned how one can make difficult life and death decisions and be able to know that the choices that made were the correct ones; and most of all, I have had reaffirmed that love of and from family and friends can carry you through almost any difficulty. Thank you all for being there for me.

Please keep positive thoughts for Tina (KJ) as she works through her recovery from her surgery. It seems that this year has been tough on the staff and others her at AI. We will survive this just as we have survived all that has come before and we will be stronger and closer than ever.

(((((HUGS TO ALL OF YOU)))))

~Ron

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Your Weekly Giggle
Be careful what you wish for...

A man walks into a restaurant with a full-grown ostrich behind him, and as he sits, the waitress comes over and asks for their order. The man says, "I'll have a hamburger, fries and a coke," and turns to the ostrich.

"What's yours?"

"I'll have the same," says the ostrich.

A short time later the waitress returns with the order. "That will be $6.40 please," and the man reaches into his pocket and pulls out exact change for payment.

The next day, the man and the ostrich come again and the man says, "I'll have a hamburger, fries and a coke," and the ostrich says, "I'll have the same."
Once again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.

This becomes a routine until late one evening the two enter again.

"The usual?" asks the waitress.

"No, this is Friday night, so I will have a steak, baked potato and salad," says the man.

"Same for me," says the ostrich.

A short time later the waitress comes with the order and says, "That
will be $12.62."

Once again the man pulls exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table. The waitress can't hold back her curiosity any longer. "Excuse me, sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact
change out of your pocket every time?"

"Well," says the man, "several years ago I was cleaning the attic and I found an old lamp. When I rubbed it a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, just put my hand in my pocket, and the right amount of money would always be there."

"That's brilliant!" says the waitress. "Most people would wish for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!"

"That's right! Whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there," says the man.

The waitress asks, "One other thing, sir, what's with the ostrich?"

The man sighs and answers, "My second wish was for a tall chick with long legs and who agrees with everything I say!"

Check out all the jokes at:
fun/jokes
Send yours in today!

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Tina's Tips
Tina@arthritisinsight.com

Arthritis can affect your ability to do even the simplest of tasks. I've heard some people say, "Accept your limitations." I'm not sure accepting them is the way to go. I prefer to challenge those limitations, work around them, finding alternate ways of achieving the same goal. Every week I'll share some tips I've found to work around those annoying limitations and I hope all of you will send in your tips too. We may not be the next Martha Stewart, but sometimes the simplest things can help so much.

Anybody else having "one of those weeks"? :o) Our mailbox has once again been filled to overflowing with spam. 12,000 pieces of junk that I'm trying to work my way through in order to get to the saved mail which, of course, is where all the tips are. So I've dug through the archives and found one that solved a problem for me, I hope it makes things a little easier for you too.

Pump Hair spray bottles may be difficult to handle, especially when your fingers hurt...I have found that a water bottle with a trigger handle is easier to spray and even provides a better mist...
Submitted by: Susan aka smallfry

Anybody got a trick for using a hairbrush when your hands are hurting?

Check out more tips at living/tips.html and send in yours today to Tina@arthritisinsight.com Keep those tips coming!

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Whats New
Check out all the latest updates at updates.html

Fundraiser
While going over our fundraiser totals there appears to be four members that were overlooked and not thanked publicly - to Mary Soltesz, Robert Kershaw, William Ficke and Melinda Hansen - thank you so much for your generous donations!
We have a Final Tally and it looks like we'll be sticking around for quite a while! Drumroll please.......
$5,231.58!!
Thanks again to everyone who donated!
help/fundraiser2003

Photo Album
Suzz51's granddaughter Emma is just beautiful! Go see for yourself.
community/photo

Member Stories
Sister Kate and Michael share their Rheumatoid Arthritis stories with us.
community/stories

News
It must be Friday because we've got all the latest news you can use for your arthritis and general health.
news

Newsletter
Another week - another newsletter. Issue 153 is up and ready for your reading pleasure. ;o)
community/newsletter

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Fundraiser 2003 - Winner List
help/fundraiser2003/winners.html

GRAND PRIZE: CAROLINE MAROLD

FIRST PRIZE: NAN BRODSKY

SECOND PRIZE: JULIE SHERMAN

THIRD PRIZE: LAURA RAYFIELD

FOURTH thru TENTH PRIZE:

Elizabeth Walsh
Joanne Paradise
Margie Hauke
Mike Canterbury
Susan Gannon
Denise Lehman
Gillian Enever

Congratulations to all of our winners! And again - a HUGE thank you from all of us here at Arthritis Insight for keeping us up and running!!

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Arthritis Insight Chat
community/chat

Time to get the party started! Got some extra time? Can't sleep? Drop into the chatroom to talk to other members that know exactly what you're going through.

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Cooking with Char
Char LeFleur
Char@arthritisinsight.com

Char's not feeling well this week so we're gonna feature some of her past recipes in case you missed them the first time around. My sweet tooth is working overtime this week so I think we'll take a look at some desserts...

No Bake Cheese Cake

Use a bought graham cracker crust.

Mix together a 10 oz tub of whipped topping
a block of softened cream cheese
1 tsp. of vanilla

Put mixture into the graham cracker crust and top with cherry pie filling and refrigerate until served.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Not being a cherry cheese cake fan, I have developed this variation
Mix the filling as above, but add 1 tsp. (or more to taste) of cinnamon to the mixture. After filling the graham cracker crust, top with a can of apple pie filling. Makes a very simple yet elegant dessert.

Milk Chocolate Malt Brownies

1 package (11.5 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup instant malted milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup malted milk balls, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.
Heat milk chocolate and margarine in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Beat in sugar, vanilla and eggs. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except malted milk balls. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle with malted milk balls. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Better Than Sex Cake (You be the judge! lol)

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate chip cake mix (or your choice of flavor)
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix (or your flavor choice)
4 eggs
1 bar German sweet chocolate, grated
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 8-oz. carton dairy sour cream
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (pecans are great)
1 6-oz. package chocolate chips (mini chips work best!)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.
Pour into a lightly greased tube or bundt pan.
Bake for approximately 55 minutes or until toothpick comes
out clean.

Frosting can be varied according to your preference. You can simply dust the cake with powdered sugar or make a glaze to pour over it. If your feeling really indulgent how about putting a frosting on it.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, or have recipes you would like to share, please send them to Char@arthritisinsight.com.

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MAY IS ARTHRITIS AWARENESS MONTH!
Back to Basics: Information you can print and share with family and friends
From: NIAMS
Questions and Answers about Arthritis Pain
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/arthpain.htm

What Is Arthritis?

The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation, but it is often used to refer to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases that can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints. These diseases may affect not only the joints but also other parts of the body, including important supporting structures such as muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments, as well as some internal organs. This booklet focuses on pain caused by two of the most common forms of arthritis--osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

What Is Pain?

Pain is the body's warning system, alerting you that something is wrong. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines it as an unpleasant experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage to a person's body. Specialized nervous system cells (neurons) that transmit pain signals are found throughout the skin and other body tissues. These cells respond to things such as injury or tissue damage. For example, when a harmful agent such as a sharp knife comes in contact with your skin, chemical signals travel from neurons in the skin through nerves in the spinal cord to your brain, where they are interpreted as pain.

Most forms of arthritis are associated with pain that can be divided into two general categories: acute and chronic. Acute pain is temporary. It can last a few seconds or longer but wanes as healing occurs. Some examples of things that cause acute pain include burns, cuts, and fractures. Chronic pain, such as that seen in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, ranges from mild to severe and can last weeks, months, and years to a lifetime.

How Many Americans Have Arthritis Pain?

Chronic pain is a major health problem in the United States and is one of the most weakening effects of arthritis. More than 40 million Americans are affected by some form of arthritis, and many have chronic pain that limits daily activity. Osteoarthritis is by far the most common form of arthritis, affecting over 20 million Americans, while rheumatoid arthritis, which affects about 2.1 million Americans, is the most disabling form of the disease.

What Causes Arthritis Pain? Why Is It So Variable?

The pain of arthritis may come from different sources. These may include inflammation of the synovial membrane (tissue that lines the joints), the tendons, or the ligaments; muscle strain; and fatigue. A combination of these factors contributes to the intensity of the pain.

The pain of arthritis varies greatly from person to person, for reasons that doctors do not yet understand completely. Factors that contribute to the pain include swelling within the joint, the amount of heat or redness present, or damage that has occurred within the joint. In addition, activities affect pain differently so that some patients note pain in their joints after first getting out of bed in the morning, whereas others develop pain after prolonged use of the joint. Each individual has a different threshold and tolerance for pain, often affected by both physical and emotional factors. These can include depression, anxiety, and even hypersensitivity at the affected sites due to inflammation and tissue injury. This increased sensitivity appears to affect the amount of pain perceived by the individual. Social support networks can make an important contribution to pain management.

How Do Doctors Measure Arthritis Pain?

Pain is a private, unique experience that cannot be seen. The most common way to measure pain is for the doctor to ask you, the patient, about your difficulties. For example, the doctor may ask you to describe the level of pain you feel on a scale of 1 to 10. You may use words like aching, burning, stinging, or throbbing. These words will give the doctor a clearer picture of the pain you are experiencing.

Since doctors rely on your description of pain to help guide treatment, you may want to keep a pain diary to record your pain sensations. You can begin a week or two before your visit to the doctor. On a daily basis, you can describe the situations that cause or alter the intensity of your pain, the sensations and severity of your pain, and your reactions to the pain. For example: "On Monday night, sharp pains in my knees produced by housework interfered with my sleep; on Tuesday morning, because of the pain, I had a hard time getting out bed. However, I coped with the pain by taking my medication and applying ice to my knees." The diary will give the doctor some insight into your pain and may play a critical role in the management of your disease.

What Will Happen When You First Visit a Doctor for Your Arthritis Pain?

The doctor will usually do the following:

- Take your medical history and ask questions such as, How long have you been experiencing pain? How intense is the pain? How often does it occur? What causes it to get worse? What causes it to get better?
- Review the medications you are using
- Conduct a physical examination to determine causes of pain and how this pain is affecting your ability to function
- Take blood and/or urine samples and request necessary laboratory work
- Ask you to get x rays taken or undergo other imaging procedures such as a CAT scan (computerized axial tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to see how much joint damage has been done.

Once the doctor has done these things and reviewed the results of any tests or procedures, he or she will discuss the findings with you and design a comprehensive management approach for the pain caused by your osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Who Can Treat Arthritis Pain?

A number of different specialists may be involved in the care of a patient with arthritis--often a team approach is used. The team may include doctors who treat people with arthritis (rheumatologists), surgeons (orthopaedists), and physical and occupational therapists. Their goal is to treat all aspects of arthritis pain and help you learn to manage your pain. The physician, other health care professionals, and you, the patient, all play an active role in the management of arthritis pain.

How Is Arthritis Pain Treated?

There is no single treatment that applies to everyone with arthritis, but rather the doctor will develop a management plan designed to minimize your specific pain and improve the function of your joints. A number of treatments can provide short-term pain relief.

Short-Term Relief

Medications--Because people with osteoarthritis have very little inflammation, pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol*) may be effective. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis generally have pain caused by inflammation and often benefit from aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil).

Heat and cold--The decision to use either heat or cold for arthritis pain depends on the type of arthritis and should be discussed with your doctor or physical therapist. Moist heat, such as a warm bath or shower, or dry heat, such as a heating pad, placed on the painful area of the joint for about 15 minutes may relieve the pain. An ice pack (or a bag of frozen vegetables) wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for about 15 minutes may help to reduce swelling and stop the pain. If you have poor circulation, do not use cold packs.

Joint protection--Using a splint or a brace to allow joints to rest and protect them from injury can be helpful. Your physician or physical therapist can make recommendations.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)--A small TENS device that directs mild electric pulses to nerve endings that lie beneath the skin in the painful area may relieve some arthritis pain. TENS seems to work by blocking pain messages to the brain and by modifying pain perception.

Massage--In this pain-relief approach, a massage therapist will lightly stroke and/or knead the painful muscle. This may increase blood flow and bring warmth to a stressed area. However, arthritis-stressed joints are very sensitive, so the therapist must be familiar with the problems of the disease.

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are chronic diseases that may last a lifetime. Learning how to manage your pain over the long term is an important factor in controlling the disease and maintaining a good quality of life. Following are some sources of long-term pain relief.

* Brand names included in this booklet are provided as examples only and their inclusion does not mean that these products are endorsed by the National Institutes of Health or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular brand name is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that the product is unsatisfactory.

Long-Term Relief

Medications

Biological response modifiers--These new drugs used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis reduce inflammation in the joints by blocking the reaction of a substance called tumor necrosis factor, an immune system protein involved in immune system response. These drugs include Enbrel and Remicade.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)--These are a class of drugs including aspirin and ibuprofen that are used to reduce pain and inflammation and may be used for both short-term and long-term relief in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. NSAIDs also include Celebrex and Vioxx, so-called COX-2 inhibitors that block an enzyme known to cause an inflammatory response.

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)--These are drugs used to treat people with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded to NSAIDs. Some of these include the new drug Arava and methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, penicillamine, and gold injections. These drugs are thought to influence and correct abnormalities of the immune system responsible for a disease like rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment with these medications requires careful monitoring by the physician to avoid side effects.

Corticosteroids--These are hormones that are very effective in treating arthritis but cause many side effects. Corticosteroids can be taken by mouth or given by injection. Prednisone is the corticosteroid most often given by mouth to reduce the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. In both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, the doctor also may inject a corticosteroid into the affected joint to stop pain. Because frequent injections may cause damage to the cartilage, they should be done only once or twice a year.

Other products--Hyaluronic acid products like Hyalgan and Synvisc mimic a naturally occurring body substance that lubricates the knee joint and permits flexible joint movement without pain. A blood-filtering device called the Prosorba Column is used in some health care facilities for filtering out harmful antibodies in people with severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Weight reduction--Excess pounds put extra stress on weight-bearing joints such as the knees or hips. Studies have shown that overweight women who lost an average of 11 pounds substantially reduced the development of osteoarthritis in their knees. In addition, if osteoarthritis has already affected one knee, weight reduction will reduce the chance of it occurring in the other knee.


Exercise--Swimming, walking, low-impact aerobic exercise, and range-of-motion exercises may reduce joint pain and stiffness. In addition, stretching exercises are helpful. A physical therapist can help plan an exercise program that will give you the most benefit.*


* The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse has a separate booklet on arthritis and exercise.

Surgery--In select patients with arthritis, surgery may be necessary. The surgeon may perform an operation to remove the synovium (synovectomy), realign the joint (osteotomy), or in advanced cases replace the damaged joint with an artificial one (arthroplasty). Total joint replacement has provided not only dramatic relief from pain but also improvement in motion for many people with arthritis.


What Alternative Therapies May Relieve Arthritis Pain?

Many people seek other ways of treating their disease, such as special diets or supplements. Although these methods may not be harmful in and of themselves, no research to date shows that they help. Some people have tried acupuncture, in which thin needles are inserted at specific points in the body. Others have tried glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, two natural substances found in and around cartilage cells, for osteoarthritis of the knee.

Some alternative or complementary approaches may help you to cope with or reduce some of the stress of living with a chronic illness. It is important to inform your doctor if you are using alternative therapies. If the doctor feels the approach has value and will not harm you, it can be incorporated into your treatment plan. However, it is important not to neglect your regular health care or treatment of serious symptoms.

How Can You Cope With Arthritis Pain?

The long-term goal of pain management is to help you cope with a chronic, often disabling disease. You may be caught in a cycle of pain, depression, and stress. To break out of this cycle, you need to be an active participant with the doctor and other health care professionals in managing your pain. This may include physical therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, biofeedback, relaxation techniques (for example, deep breathing and meditation), and family counseling therapy.

The Multipurpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Center at Stanford University, supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), has developed an Arthritis Self-Help Course that teaches people with arthritis how to take a more active part in their arthritis care. The Arthritis Self-Help Course is taught by the Arthritis Foundation and consists of a 12- to 15-hour program that includes lectures on osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, exercise, pain management, nutrition, medication, doctor-patient relationships, and nontraditional treatment.

Things You Can Do To Manage Arthritis Pain

- Eat a healthy diet.
- Get 8 to 10 hours of sleep at night.
- Keep a daily diary of pain and mood changes to share with your physician.
- Choose a caring physician.
- Join a support group.
- Stay informed about new research on managing arthritis pain.


You may want to contact some of the organizations listed at the end for additional information on the Arthritis Self-Help Course and on coping with pain, as well as for information on support groups in your area.

What Research Is Being Conducted on Arthritis Pain?

The NIAMS, part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring research that will increase understanding of the specific ways to diagnose, treat, and possibly prevent arthritis pain. As part of its commitment to pain research, the Institute joined with many other NIH institutes and offices in 1998 in a special announcement to encourage more studies on pain.

At the Specialized Center of Research in Osteoarthritis at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, researchers are studying the human knee and analyzing how injury in one joint may affect other joints. In addition, they are analyzing the effect of pain and analgesics on gait (walking) and comparing pain and gait before and after surgical treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

At the University of Maryland Pain Center in Baltimore, NIAMS researchers are evaluating the use of acupuncture on patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Preliminary findings suggest that traditional Chinese acupuncture is both safe and effective as an additional therapy for osteoarthritis, and it significantly reduces pain and improves physical function.

At Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, NIAMS researchers have developed cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) involving both patients and their spouses. The goal of CBT for arthritis pain is to help patients cope more effectively with the long-term demands of a chronic and potentially disabling disease. Researchers are studying whether aerobic fitness, coping abilities, and spousal responses to pain behaviors diminish the patient's pain and disability.

NIAMS-supported research on arthritis pain also includes projects in the Institute's Multipurpose Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases Centers. At the University of California at San Francisco, researchers are studying stress factors, including pain, that are associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Findings from this study will be used to develop patient education programs that will improve a person's ability to deal with rheumatoid arthritis and enhance quality of life. At the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, health care professionals are looking at the causes of pain and joint disability in patients with osteoarthritis. The goal of the project is to improve doctor-patient communication about pain management and increase patient satisfaction.

The list of pain studies continues. A NIAMS-funded project at Stanford University in California is evaluating the effects of a patient education program that uses a book and videotape to control chronic pain. At Indiana University in Indianapolis, Institute-supported scientists are determining whether strength training can diminish the risk of severe pain from knee osteoarthritis. And a multicenter study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and NIAMS, and coordinated by the University of Utah School of Medicine, is investigating the effects of the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate for knee osteoarthritis.

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Member Stories
Sister Kate's Story

HI! I'm Sister Kate and this is a bit of my story:

Eighteen years ago I was diagnosed with RA and chronic fatigue syndrome. I was exhausted and in pain all the time. I went to the rheumatologist recommended by all the internists I knew, and even though he was not always the most "compatible" doc I ever had, I was getting good medical care. I was first put on Motrin (before it was OTC), but that caused GI bleeding and 2 weeks in bed, with more weeks on iron and other medicines to remedy. Then it was every other "new" anti-inflamatory drug to come along for 5-6 years. Finally I was put on methotrexate and had my first remission: after a month I had 2 pain free weeks, but then got toxic hepatitis. Suddenly I was on a medication vacation and back in pain. Through all of this I was sero-negative, but my symptoms were classic RA.

After a while it was Celebrex, then Arava, and finally low-dose prednisone before I got a little pain relief. Then came a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Or, I should say the doc finally decided to believe such an illness exists. I'd diagnosed myself years before that.

In April of 2001) and I fell down 4 stairs, landing flat-footed and breaking my left leg and ankle. Sprained the right one so badly it might as well have been broken. I was laid up for 6 months while that healed and the RA flare subsided.

It seems to me that the fall was the beginning of the long, painful and lonely months that have just passed. In November of 2001 I started falling just walking around the house. When I fell I was unable to get up, and once I landed flat on my back and couldn't even turn over. My Mother Superior got pretty worried and the 2 of us sawa the doctor together. I left the office that day in a wheelchair and frightened. The next day I saw a surgeon, and the day after that I had a deep muscle biopsy to rule out polymyocitis. I should have known when the doc "lost" the biopsy report and I had to locate it for myself that something was wrong, but by then I was in no shape to be thinking clearly, much less take much initiative. Results: cause unknown. I got worse, And worse. The pain was awful, i felt as if I had forgotten how to sleep. I got put on Methadone pain, Neurontin and a couple I cannot now remember, and then went into a deep depression. (No wonder!!) After a year with no real progress and a doc who was yelling at me during every visit, I found a new rheumatologist.

What a find! Dr. E is a gentle, caring and understanding man and very knowledgeable. It was he who realized that we were not dealing with RA. At first he thought I might have Adult Still's Disease, but all the tests were negative. A neurologist did several MRI's and ruled out things like stroke, MS and ALS. The rheumatologist re-checked for fibromyalgia and all 18 pressure points were inflamed and the muscles knottedo he decided to just treat the fibro and see how things went. Three months and 4 days later I was out of the wheelchair and now, 3 months later, I am walking with only one crutch! God has been really good!

I have more understanding support at the convent than before, but I still feel isolated, and have even been accused of making up my illness to get out of work! If they could only understand how wonderful it is to be able to work and be part of things again!

I've been visiting the site and wanting to tell my story fort many weeks, but cataract surgery and a torn retina intervened. But I'm back and glad to be around!

To see the rest of stories go on over to:
community/stories

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Notes and Insights:

Birthday Board!
Happy Birthday Pina aka Pstar, Lillian K., LCrop, Ardis Schmit, Theresa Jordan, Anne-Louise, Nancy Meachum, Betty Horne and Myrtle!!!
Check out all the birthdays at
community/birthday
and make sure to send them an arthritis-friendly e-card:
cgi-bin/postcards/postcard.pl

Gimpfest 2003 Iowa, Here We Come!
Come be part of the fun when dozens of gimps head to Stuart, Iowa on July 24-27.
Get all the details here:
http://www.fadedjeans.com/iowa/

AJAO Regional Conference
"Taming Juvenile Arthritis"
June 2003 - Phoenix, Arizona
The Arthritis Foundation is proud to host the 2003 American Juvenile Arthritis Organization (AJAO) Regional Conference, "Taming Juvenile Arthritis." The American Juvenile Arthritis Organization leads the effort to improve the quality of life for those affected by childhood arthritis and related diseases. This 3-day conference is geared towards children, teens, young adults and family members who are affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and other childhood rheumatic diseases
http://jraworld.arthritisinsight.com/community/involved.html

Join the Arthritis Dieters!
This is a group of people with arthritis who want to lose weight with others who know of the challenges of living with is arthritis. All those medications that make living with arthritis tolerable, but pile on the pounds. This group has been set up to give us a protected group where we can talk to others who know what it is like.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arthritis-dieters/

Wanna help?
Having surgery? Starting a new drug or treatment? Filing for disability? Keep an Arthritis Insight journal so all of our members can share and learn from your experience. If you want to keep a journal just let us know.

Write an article!
We always need articles on all subjects relating to arthritis. C'mon folks, we can't do this without you.

Ken Akers Cheer Fund
Donations to the Ken Akers Cheer Fund will be used to send flowers and gifts to those community members who are hospitalized, flaring or just in need of some good cheer.
community/kenscheerfund

Thank You!
A great big thank you to NeedaBasket.com (http://needabasket.com). NeedaBasket is now Arthritis Insight's official gift basket company. They are giving us a great discount and are donating baskets for our Arthritis Warriors.

Special Offers for Arthritis Insight Members
Whenever possible we will try get to our sponsors to agree to discounts and the like for our members. Here are our current special offers:

Sore No More (http://sorenomore.com) gel will send a free sample of the pain relieving gel to any Arthritis Insight Community Member who emails them at dma@glogerm.com.

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AI Help Desk
Linda Peck

Linda's had a busy week and is taking a well deserved rest. Feel better Linda and we'll see you next week!

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Weekly News Summary
Karen Sears
kaekae@arthritisinsight.com

More health news can be found on our site:
news/

BIRTH AND ADULT WEIGHT AFFECT RISK OF HAND OSTEOARTHRITIS
Low birth weight and high adult weight are associated with increased risk of hand osteoarthritis in men, according to a recent British study.
Doctors Guide, May 27 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D05005D9186?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Osteoarthritis&count=10

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS INCREASES RISK OF DEATH DUE TO VARIOUS CAUSES
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of mortality due to lung and haematopoietic malignancies, disorders of the circulatory system and cerebrovascular causes.
Doctors Guide, May 27 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D2D004A0335?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Arthritis%20Other&count=10

ELDERLY ONSET OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS LINKED TO FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY
In elderly patients, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is closely associated with self-reported functional disability independent of other conditions often accompanied with age.
Doctors Guide, May 27 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D2D0049E960?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Rheumatoid%20Arthritis&count=10

ULNOHUMERAL ARTHROPLASTY IMPROVES PAIN AND FUNCTION IN ELBOW OSTEOARTHRITIS
Most patients with elbow osteoarthritis show measurable improvement in pain and function after ulnohumeral arthroplasty, according to a recent British study.
Doctors Guide, May 26 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D1F002C3D5E?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Arthritis%20Other&count=10

LOWER PREVALENCE OF HAND OSTEOARTHRITIS IN CHINESE POPULATION
Hand osteoarthritis is less common within the Chinese population as compared to the white population in the United States, a recent study suggests.
Doctors Guide, May 26 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D05005D9231?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Osteoarthritis&count=10

HIGH BIRTH WEIGHT FOUND TO BE A RISK FACTOR FOR ADULT RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Perinatal characteristics such as birth weight and initiation of breast-feeding may be associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis in adulthood, suggests a recent study in Sweden.
Doctors Guide, May 26 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D3100241F70?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Rheumatoid%20Arthritis&count=10

DDW: VALDECOXIB BETTER TOLERATED THAN NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS FOR ARTHRITIS
The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor valdecoxib was associated with a 41% reduced risk of causing upper gastrointestinal pain than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Doctors Guide, May 23 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D2F0049B1E4?OpenDocument&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F&c=Osteoarthritis&count=10

U.S. SENATORS ACCUSE NIH OF "POLITICIZING" STEM CELL RESEARCH
Two U.S. Senators, one Democrat and one Republican, accused the National Institutes of Health of "politicizing" the issue of embryonic stem cell research by failing to tell them about new stem cell lines in Sweden that were developed for the first time without the use of "feeder cells" from mice. The issue is significant because scientists say that human cells that have been mixed with animal cells, while suitable for research, probably cannot be used for actual treatment in human patients.
Medscape, May 22 (free registration required)
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/456082

INTERFERON-ALPHA MAY BE HELPFUL IN ARTHRITIS THERAPY
In vitro studies indicate that interferon-alpha could have an important therapeutic role in the treatment of arthritis, Canadian researchers report in the May issue of the Journal of Rheumatology.
Medscape, May 22 (free registration required)
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/455988

BLOOD PRESSURE MONITROING NECESSARY FOR PATIENTS TREATED FOR ARTHRITIS
Slight increases in the systolic blood pressure of patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis can cause thousands of additional cardiovascular and stroke events, according to a recent American study.
Doctors Guide, May 22 (free registration required)
http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256D21004400CA?OpenDocument&c=Osteoarthritis&count=10&id=961CDD58B2967A7C852569E40007966F

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A Closing Thought
The Water Pots

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was shamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own uniqueness. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

To all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers.

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Arthritis Insight Newsletter Copyright 2003

AI Staff
Page last updated on May 29, 2003