Arthritis Forum/Message Boards http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/ This is an XML content feed of; Arthritis Forum/Message Boards : Last 10 Posts Copyright (c) 2006-2008 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:51:23 +0000 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:38:23 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.08 30 www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/RSS_topic_feed.asp Arthritis Forum/Message Boards http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/ Polymyalgia Rheumatica : Prednisone and thyroid http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298102#298102 Author: freesia
Subject: Prednisone and thyroid
Posted: 05 February 2012 at 2:38pm

Mollycoo, congratulations on your great blood test results! I'd be jumping for joy if I were you!
I hope the wedding will be wonderful. Best wishes to your daughter and future hubby.

freesia
]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:38:23 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298102#298102 Polymyalgia Rheumatica : Prednisone and thyroid http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298101#298101 Author: Mollycoo
Subject: Prednisone and thyroid
Posted: 05 February 2012 at 9:47am

Hi Pearl,
              thanks for your good wishes.

                   Cheers,
              
                     Molly.]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:47:31 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298101#298101 Polymyalgia Rheumatica : Prednisone and thyroid http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298100#298100 Author: Celtic
Subject: Prednisone and thyroid
Posted: 05 February 2012 at 3:15am

Hi Mollycoo
So pleased to hear of all the normal blood test results - I can remember welcoming such results with a sigh of relief!  Disappointing to have picked up a chest infection when you were doing so well and let's hope it doesn't upset the balance, especially as you say you've only just started reducing again - if the aching worsens or doesn't improve after a week or so, it may be wise to go back up to 5mg just until your body fully recovers from the trauma of the infection and then you can start the next reduction again and look forward to your daughter's wedding - I bet the excitement is mounting - congratulations to your daughter and future hubby and have a lovely time.Clap
All good wishes,  
]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:15:10 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298100#298100 Polymyalgia Rheumatica : Prednisone and thyroid http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298099#298099 Author: Mollycoo
Subject: Prednisone and thyroid
Posted: 05 February 2012 at 1:06am

Hi Freesia,
              got my blood results a few days ago. Thyroid function was normal, (I'm taking 125 mcg thyroxine) blood count normal, ESR 8, CRP 1, cholesterol 5.2 which was up a little since the last time, but I think the over indulging at Xmas may be responsible for that. I'll soon get it down again. The ESR was exactly the same as in July when I was taking a much higher steroid dose, so I'm pleased with that. Got a chest infection and cold at the moment, and a bit more achy than usual, but hoping it's the cold and not a PMR flare, as I've just started reducing again after holding 5mg for 3 and a half months. I'm taking it very very slowly, more so than doctors advised, as I don't want to go "off the boil" just now with my daughter's wedding in a few weeks!!
   Hope you are feeling as well as you can at the moment.
                                                Best wishes,
                                                  Molly.
                                                 ]]> Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:06:36 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29378&PID=298099#298099 Rheumatoid Arthritis : Think Spring http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29398&PID=298098#298098 Author: meme
Subject: Think Spring
Posted: 03 February 2012 at 4:24pm

The problem is if my shoulder continues the way it is I won't be able carry things, etc. ]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:24:44 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29398&PID=298098#298098 Rheumatoid Arthritis : Too Many RA Patients Inactive http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29395&PID=298097#298097 Author: meme
Subject: Too Many RA Patients Inactive
Posted: 03 February 2012 at 4:18pm

You might want to ask the dr about posibility of infectous bursitis. People over the age of 50,women especially,can get it, especially if you have RA, PA hypo or hyper thyroidism,previous shoulder surgery or injury, diabetes etc. The fluid sacs in your shoulder swell causing pain and calcium deposits you discover that you are having a hard time reaching for things, then it seems you can't get your arm above your head and seems to keep getting worse, you start having a hard time driving, dressing, etc.,   it can develop into frozen shoulder, where you can not move your shoulder which can take up to 2 yrs or more to get rid of it and your mobility in that shoulder will not be what it use to be once it is gone. Exteme cases they will do surgery on the shoulder to remove the calcium build up, or the fluid in the shoulder, or even manipulate your shoulder while you are under anesthesia to get it back to normal, there is always the danger that when they try to manipulate your shoulder back to normal range they can break it. You can get it in one or even in both shoulders. Pain can be worse at night, it is treated with nsaids and cortisone shots. The time schedule of it goes like this 4-6 months of pain which is can be very bad at night, 6 months or more of where the shoulder is frozen and you can not move it but the pain is not as bad, then it can take up to a year or more for the shoulder to unfreeze so to speak with the help of physical therapy. As I stated above, you can get it in one shoulder then after that shoulder is over it the other shoulder can become affected or you can even get both shoulders affected at the same time. I am not able to sleep on my left side as I normally do because of the pain, I have to prop a pillow into my back to keep me from rolling on to the left side, which doesn't always work,so If I do roll onto my left side it wakes me up to pain,then I am no table to sleep, I even have to prop up my left elbow to take the pressure off the left shoulder. Then since I already have problems with my neck and shoulders due to PA it has been making the neck hurt really bad causing pain down my back. This feels like the worse I have been in so long. As I stated in my other post I can only do so much then I have to rest. Thank you for the idea of the various teas I will try some.

Edited by meme - 04 February 2012 at 12:17pm]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:18:02 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29395&PID=298097#298097 Rheumatoid Arthritis : Herbal Medicines for Arthritis Ineffective http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29390&PID=298096#298096 Author: waddie
Subject: Herbal Medicines for Arthritis Ineffective
Posted: 03 February 2012 at 3:52pm

Interesting article, so many use herbals to supplement their treatment, including myself.  I don't have OA but DH does and is treated by my own RD.  She prescribes a Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM combo for him which has been very effective for his OA.  He uses a particular brand and found when he switched to another, (because of a great coupon value) it didn't work at all!  We have found the same to be true with fish oil, too!

Unfortunately, the amount of herbal ingredients vary greatly from brand to brand and perhaps if the FDA regulated this more closely, we might have very different outcomes for these studies.  (Perhaps this might account for the variance in the result of this study???) As it is, buyer beware, what the labels say supplements have in them is no guarantee!  Buying from a reputable company who guarantees their product is a good idea.

I swear by my homemade ginger tea for helping reduce inflammation and I use tumeric in cooking all the time, not only for flavor but for anti-inflammatory properties as well.  I know ginger can have an effect on coagulation (as can fish oil) because I was told to stop taking these prior to heart surgery so I am a firm believer in discussing supplement use with your doctor first! 

Heart
]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:52:01 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29390&PID=298096#298096 Rheumatoid Arthritis : Infusion (remicade, actemra) before use Injection http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29401&PID=298095#298095 Author: waddie
Subject: Infusion (remicade, actemra) before use Injection
Posted: 03 February 2012 at 3:06pm

Hi Cindy, I don't think it matters and I *think* one or two of our members have, in fact, gone back to injections after using infusions.  Your RD should be able to answer these questions for you too.

I haven't tried infusions yet but do know what works for one doesn't always work for all.  Several here have found great relief in Rituxin infusions while others Remicade or Oriencia. We are as individual as snowflakes and I believe science is finding a more personally targeted approach works best in treating many diseases.  I hope you find your magic bullet and soon!

Heart
]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:06:01 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29401&PID=298095#298095 Rheumatoid Arthritis : Think Spring http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29398&PID=298094#298094 Author: waddie
Subject: Think Spring
Posted: 03 February 2012 at 2:29pm

Lynn, believe it or not, we have wildflowers already coloring the fields here!  Sweet Williams are out early and running rampant!  I, too, worry about having a hard freeze late in spring, but whatta ya gonna do? A good friend of mine living in France says they have had a mild winter but this past week have not been above 28!  Brrrrrr! 

Meme, how about container gardens?  They don't take much tending and produce well.  Last year my garden fried in the heat but the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and onions I had in containers hung on and did pretty well.  I even kept them over winter and am still picking tomatoes!  Tongue I planted spinach and lettuce in long, window type containers this winter and have had a great harvest.  So much fun to go out and pick fresh stuff for a salad!  We have a small patio area attached to our garage that we covered with 4ml plastic sheeting and hung a heat lamp for extra cold nights.  I can just roll the plastic up for warm spells.  I'm going to do more containers for summer harvest because they are easy to move for protection from too much sun and heat, less bug problems and easy to water too.  I have a Meyer's Lemon, and also a Lime tree that I have had in containers since 2000 and they produce well! 

Have you heard of straw bale gardening?  Here is a link on Facebook that tells all about it:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Straw-Bale-Gardening-No-weeding-no-hoeing-no-tilling/106143169423324?ref=sgm
I'm going to try this for potatoes and maybe tomatoes this year.  No weeding, hoeing or digging sounds good to me and its sort of a raised bed so no stooping too.  I love gardening and gardeners, whether to grow food or pretty flowers, so would hate for you to have to give up on something you love.  Gardening is very Zen, very soothing to me with a tasty payoff.  Don't give up, Meme, even a little gardening can be good for the soul!

Heart 







Edited by waddie - 03 February 2012 at 2:30pm]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:29:17 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29398&PID=298094#298094 Rheumatoid Arthritis : Too Many RA Patients Inactive http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29395&PID=298093#298093 Author: waddie
Subject: Too Many RA Patients Inactive
Posted: 03 February 2012 at 1:40pm

Hi Meme, sleep and the lack thereof is an issue for me as well.  Lack of sleep can have so many disastrous effects on physical health and psyche.  I recently began drinking Valerian tea, 2 cups during the hour prior to bed.  I bought the tincture so use 20 to 30 drops per cup.  Valerian smells horrid - sort of like undies left on too long (Embarrassed) with a little sweat sock tossed in Dead - but if you use an aromatic tea like Chai, sweet orange or spice, you won't notice it at all.  Make sure the tea you use is decaf.  It has worked very well for me but, please, talk to your doctor prior to use - especially if you are currently taking something for sleep already. 

You can find ready made teas in your local grocery or Whole Foods Store that have Valerian in them already but I prefer the tincture so I can control the amount.  Passionflower is another common ingredient in the ready made Valerian teas, which is also beneficial for sleep and can also be found in a tincture.  I love passionflower tea, it has a lovely aroma and naturally sweet flavor that I find very calming.

I'm so sorry to hear about your shoulder, is it tendon related, arthritis or rotator cuff?  I'm having trouble with my right shoulder which RD initially thought was tendon related but yesterday, my left arm was shooting the same sort of pain when I would lift it making me think RA.  She gave me a liquid, Pensaid, which helps but is expensive.  Ask for samples, my RD gave me a little box of them and that really helped! 

Take care, Meme, good to hear from you! Hug

Heart
]]> Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:40:48 +0000 http://www.arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29395&PID=298093#298093