RE: A little Depressed, Confused and looking for suggestions

[Guest guest]

Cookie wrote: I had intended to wait till October(my 5th year wed

anniversary)before I gave up on pregnancy(besides I 43, time to give it

up...); however, due to my recent pains,finger swelling and deformities I

have decided to look at more aggressive treatment.

Ardeith writes: Stopping the damage before it gets worse would be a very

good idea. As for pregnancy......I was 28, in 1971, when my youngest

daughter was born.....was diagnosed in April or May of 1972 with RA......had

I known what I was in for, I wouldn't have conceived her. I could not push

a diaper pin through a cloth diaper, and couldn't squeeze a clothespin to

hang up diapers on the clothes line......had to have my six year old son do

that. Some days I couldn't pull the paper off the sticky part of the

Pampers I used when I gave up on cloth diapers. I must say, though, she was

the only baby I had that never had diaper rash.

In order not to wake my husband, who had to go to work, I would wake my son

to lift the baby for me and carry her to my rocking chair so I could nurse

her. I refused to start any meds while nursing the baby. I had to have my

husband re-build the crib so it was low enough my son could lift the baby

out. I'm right-handed so I carried the baby in my left arm.....I think

that's why my left elbow locked up a bit...

I can't fully straighten that arm. Most of the time, my hands were so bad

I couldn't lift the baby....if someone else lifted her, I could carry her.

So, maybe it's not a totally bad thing to give up on pregnancy.....though I

understand your wish to have a child.

Cookie wrote: I am scared,confused and have no idea with what medication to

start with.

Ardeith writes: I can understand why you are scared, and there are so many

medications out there it is certainly confusing. Educate yourself about RA

and about the drugs.....lots of info online....use it, and listen to your

doctor, too.

We live in a beautiful world and we can enjoy it....even if we are too

crippled to run in a marathon, or climb a mountain.....RA is not the end of

life.....you life may, almost certainly will, change.....but life is still

good......and I'm speaking from 34 years of RA. Don't give up.....ever....

Ardy

[Guest guest]

Dear Cookie- You present particular challenges with compomised lungs but not insurmountable. You should find out which biologic will work for you. I am on remicade and am pleased with it. I was on Cyclosporine therapy for the first six years of my disease and cant say enough about it. Its simply a soil fungus. Talk about natural. I would think about applying for disability if you havent already unless your on you husbands plan and that affords you good coverage. I know giving up plans for children is difficult but it is a prudent one considering that RA is genetic most of the time and passed on from mother to child. My mother did not have it, but my grandmother did. I also got everything my mother did including fibroids which made it impossible to have children. As far as a connection with a Doctor, gosh it is really important. There are things you can do that might help improve things with her. Write her a letter explaining what you are feeling, what you expect. Explain that you want to be completely informed about all options and their effects. Dont let a doctor talk at you. Make decisions together. Most doctors are overloaded with patients and all they see are your Social Security number and insurance ID. Make her see you as a person. Even doctors have bad days. My RD has had one so far but in the space of four years, thats a good thing. Remember that pain does things to your mind and psychological trauma having this disease is as essential to treat as the disease itself. If you can find a support group in your area, it helps to go to meetings. The arthritis foundation is a vast resource. Find your chapter office and they can offer you other RD referrals in the area. There is one in every state. Ask for a referral to a therapist. It does help!!!!!!! Also remember this key fact. Fear of the unknown breeds chaos and despair. Inform yourself about medications and advocate for yourself. Its easy to let RA make you a victim and beat you up and beat you down, but dont let it. Think about an anti depressant along with a biologic and prednisone in a low dose. I sent a link about immunosupressants which explains all the drugs and what they do from a chemist and doctors point of view. Good Luck!!!!!!!! Hugs, Deborah

On 3/25/07, pr_jem <pr_jem@...> wrote:

Hi Everyone,I have not been on in a while. I was dxd with Ra in 2002. For the lst year I have been on Plaquenil b/c I was trying to conceive. I have in the past year experience many slight deformities -

especially in my fingers and toes. The Ra affected my lungs so I can not take MTX. My regular Ra has left to another state. I just found a new one and I am awaiting my blood work. Not to sure i like her, it was not a quick connection. I will give her another try and see what happens. I had intended to wait till October(my 5th year wed anniversary)before I gave up on pregnancy(besides I 43, time to give it up...); however, due to my recent pains,finger swelling and deformities I have decided to look at more aggressive treatment. I am scared,confused and have no idea with what medication to start with. Since the RA is new, I would like to have an idea before my next visit.Any recommendations are welcomed?If anyone lives in Port St Lucie Florida and has a rheumy the like and recommend, I am all ears.I am currently not working, but making due..how expensive r these more advanced meds.Many thanks to all for all.Cookie

[Guest guest]

Cookie,

Not everyone’s RA gets dramatically

worse. My children are a joy to me , I am also 43, my youngest is 7 he is

adopted. I have 5 children, 2 adopted and I am so glad I have them to focus on

instead of just my condition. There is more than one way to have a

child and you can give them so much more than they might have had without you,

RA and all. Bless you, Tana

-----Original Message-----

From:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

[mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On

Behalf Of pr_jem

Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007

10:45 PM

To:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: A

little Depressed, Confused and looking for suggestions

Hi Everyone,

I have not been on in a while. I was dxd with Ra in 2002. For the

lst year I have been on Plaquenil b/c I was trying to conceive. I

have in the past year experience many slight deformities -

especially in my fingers and toes. The Ra affected my lungs so I

can not take MTX. My regular Ra has left to another state. I just

found a new one and I am awaiting my blood work. Not to sure i like

her, it was not a quick connection. I will give her another try and

see what happens. I had intended to wait till October(my 5th year

wed anniversary)before I gave up on pregnancy(besides I 43, time to

give it up...); however, due to my recent pains,finger swelling and

deformities I have decided to look at more aggressive treatment.

I am scared,confused and have no idea with what medication to start

with. Since the RA is new, I would like to have an idea before my

next visit.

Any recommendations are welcomed?

If anyone lives in Port St Lucie Florida and has a rheumy the like

and recommend, I am all ears.

I am currently not working, but making due..how expensive r these

more advanced meds.

Many thanks to all for all.

Cookie