A

[Guest guest]

Suzanne,

You're welcome and I'm glad my experience helped you. I think we all worry

about medication side effects, but the alternative of joint destruction is

just as scary. I continue to read everything I can on alternatives hoping

for a miracle. Sorry about your diagnoses but glad you have a doctor you

trust.

a

> Dear a,

> Your reply to Charlie was like a message from the Holy Spirit to me.

> Just last night a fellow choir member was warning me about the negatives of

> methotrexate. I got a little worried but thought about how I trust my rheumy

> who seems so knowledgable.

> I was just diagnosed with RA in Jan. and Sjogrens last week.

> Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

>

> Gratefully,

> Suzanne

[Guest guest]

i am so sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. hang in there and

fight. you are suffering!! had i have known 16 yrs ago with my accident the

pain i'd suffer today, i would have fought harder. i was hit about 50 miles

per hour. then spun off where i hit my head several times and landed on a

fire hydrandt!! my back and neck are still all out off whack and hurting

after the chiro yesterday. i don't think i like this!! waah!! kathy in il

[Guest guest]

Kathy,

I'm in the same boat as you. I was healthy until I was in a car accident

that just bruised my knee. From there things just spiraled and then started

spreading to other joints. I still swear it was an infection that I picked

up during arthroscopic surgery. Oh well, we can't change the clock. Your

accident sounds pretty scary. I'm sorry you've suffered from it for so

long.

a

> i am so sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. hang in there and

> fight. you are suffering!! had i have known 16 yrs ago with my accident the

> pain i'd suffer today, i would have fought harder. i was hit about 50 miles

> per hour. then spun off where i hit my head several times and landed on a

> fire hydrandt!! my back and neck are still all out off whack and hurting

> after the chiro yesterday. i don't think i like this!! waah!! kathy in il

>

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

I seriously believe you and Kathy are correct. I was healthy until

having double pnuemonia in 1995. I ended up with Still's and all of

my other diseases, including RA, started after that. I am convinced

that " episode " was an enviornmental catalyst.

Hugs,

Alan

> Kathy,

> I'm in the same boat as you. I was healthy until I was in a car

accident

> that just bruised my knee. From there things just spiraled and

then started

> spreading to other joints. I still swear it was an infection that

I picked

> up during arthroscopic surgery. Oh well, we can't change the

clock. Your

> accident sounds pretty scary. I'm sorry you've suffered from it

for so

> long.

> a

>

>

> > i am so sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. hang in

there and

> > fight. you are suffering!! had i have known 16 yrs ago with my

accident the

> > pain i'd suffer today, i would have fought harder. i was hit

about 50 miles

> > per hour. then spun off where i hit my head several times and

landed on a

> > fire hydrandt!! my back and neck are still all out off whack and

hurting

> > after the chiro yesterday. i don't think i like this!! waah!!

kathy in il

> >

[Guest guest]

Heidi...since WE all know the baby as " Tad " anyway... what's wrong with

TAD for his/her name. TADDIE for a girl...TAD for a boy!

After all, this is what he/she is " use " to being called! Don't want to

confuse the baby right from the start, don't you know!

Love you Heidi! I am SO happy for you!

Susie

n & Heidi wrote:

> Hi a,

>

> Thanks for the mail, this is a bit of a late reply but I suppose it's

> better late than never.

>

> It's been a mission choosing a boys name, for the girls it was easy -

> Emma and Chloe kind of stuck from the beginning, although I prefer

> Chloe. The boys name has been far harder, besides " Fabian " I also like

> Dominic or Sebastian but unfortunately these are very common names

> here, but you never know - maybe when I meet Tad I'll decide he looks

> like a " Bob " or something lol!

>

> Sorry to read you are still getting those headaches, that must be

> getting a bit much now that it's been going on so long. I hope you get

> some answers and relief from your visit to the neurologist.

>

> Hugs,

>

> Heidi

>

>

>

> a wrote:

>

> Message: 20

> Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2003 20:42:26 -0400

> From: a <paula54@...>

> Subject: Re: Hi Everyone!

>

> Hi Heidi. It sounds like your life is a little on the crazy side. What

> a

> way to get a much needed break in your job. Tad sound like he/she is

> progressing very well. Chloe is really a nice name. Like Kathe, I

> think of

> the singer when I think of Fabian. I don't know any other Fabiens so

> it

> would definitely be unique. You have time to think of different names

> and

> when you see the little baby you'll know if you made the right choice.

> I am

> so excited for you and Jules. Have a great weekend and get plenty of

> rest.

> a

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Iris,

So sorry I'm way behind on email and am slow answering you. I'm glad you

were able to pick up your prescription.

I hope it is possible for us to hold out for regrowth of cartilage, but 5

years is along time to suffer while waiting.

MTX made me very sun sensitive. Please be careful. It sounds like it may

be making you sun sensitive.

You're so welcome for answering questions. I'm just glad and I are

able to do it.

a

> Dear a,

>

> Thank you for the reply to my question. I was able to pick up my prescription

> today. The doc's

> office called me back late this afternoon and told me the same thing.

>

> The article about regrowth of cartilage was great! So if I can hold off for 5

> years, I may avoid a

> knee replacement?

>

> It has been almost 90 here for the last two days. I have been in my car quite

> a bit and have had a

> problem with the heat staying in my body for hours after I went in the

> air-conditioning. My hands,

> face, and forearms have been a lot hotter than the rest of my body. Could this

> be a reaction to

> the mtx? I have also developed a light rash on my arms. With it being so hot,

> so early, I believe

> we are going to have a really warm summer. I dread the thought of 5 months of

> heat.

>

> Thanks to you and for always being there and answering our questions.

> Iris

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the prayers, a. My mom and I will both need them. I'm

considering hiring someone for a day, but my brother is moving the large

items. It's mainly boxing things and cleaning afterward that I'll need

help with. Hopefully my 14 year old wonder brother, , will be a

help. I'm bribing him with a bookshelf stereo for his new room. I know

it's not good to bribe, but it's more like payment for lots of work. A

motivational tool, LOL.

Love you,

Carol

Re: [ ] a - neurologist

Thanks Carol. I hope those * & %holes can sleep at night. I'm really

shocked at what is going on. I guess it is time for me to start a letter

writing campaign.

Thanks for the hugs. I hope you feel better too. You have a lot facing

you in the next few weeks between your mom's surgery and moving her. I

guess mom doesn't realize how hard it would be for you. Maybe a moving

company could be called? There is no way I could move even my mother's

clothing let alone her entire house! Shoot I feel bad that my mom

carries MY groceries. It is supposed to be the other way around. I know

how you feel about taking the prednisone, but it may be a blessing. It's

long term prednisone that is the most harmful, so hopefully a short

course is all you'll need to get you through this flare. I'll be keeping

you and your mom in my prayers. a

> a, I'm so sorry they're putting you through this. As if it's not

> bad enough to have RA, then headaches from the accident; let's add

> stress to the mix! #$^holes. It really gets me mad that they don't

> see the bigger picture and would rather pay for tests and possibly

> surgery, than the splint that would almost assuredly relieve your

> headaches.

>

> (((((((((((((((((((big hug))))))))))))))))))))) and prayers, Carol

[Guest guest]

Thanks, a. I thought it odd that my doc told me to just stop but to call him

if the hot

flashes were bothering me. Well, they are! I am going to give NewPhase a try and

I will let you

know if it helps. Iris

--- a <paula54@...> wrote:

> Stopping estrace cold turkey must have sent you into a tail spin. Don't

> they taper your dose rather than stopping abruptly? I was taking a similar

> product that I got from Our Health C0-Op. I only took it for about a month

> and my hot flashes decreased and a few months later they stopped. I don't

> credit this supplement for it, I think I am just lucky. My hot flashes

> lasted a few months and just stopped. I wish everyone was as lucky as I am.

> Black Cohosh has been used for a very long time. Studies conflict as to

> their effectiveness to treat hot flashes.

>

> NewPhase

> http://www.sunsource.com/newphase/home.asp

>

> Questions and Answers About Black Cohosh and the Symptoms of Menopause

> http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/blackcohosh.html

>

> Effects of Black Cohosh on

> Menopausal Hot Flashes

> http://www.rosenthal.hs.columbia.edu/cohosh.html

>

> Association of Reproductive Health Professionals

> http://www.arhp.org/healthcareproviders/resources/hrtresources/resources.cfm

>

> Red Clover

> http://www.supplementwatch.com/supatoz/supplement.asp?supplementId=239

>

> a

>

>

> > Hi a,

> >

> > My doc told me to stop taking estrace as I was sneaking up on 50 and have a

> > family history of

> > heart problems. I am having terrible hot flashes and told a friend about

them.

> > She sent me a

> > herbal supplement called NewPhase; phytoestrogen support for women. It

> > contains a multi-herbal

> > Isoflavone Blend of Soy protein concentrate, Kudzu extract, Red Clover

> > extract, Chastefree, and

> > Black Cohosh. Do you know anything about this product or the individual

> > componets?

> >

> > I appreciate any information you have on this. Thanks. Iris

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

A,

I could not help but notice some of the posts and see that you might

have gotten hurt feelings. Though the posts were personal in nature,

I encourage you not to take them as a personal assault. The women on

this board either are or have been VERY SICK. Much more sick that

most people will ever fully grasp. Please understand that many are

jaded against mainstream med docs and theories because their

illnesses all began with a lie by their plastic surgeons. Then after

getting sick they were told a couple of hundred times by a few dozen

docs that nothing was wrong, and that if by fat chance anything was

wrong, it certainly was not caused by the implants! The lie

continues and is perpetuated by virtually every mainstream med doc

out there and the docs and chemical companies continue to make

billions of dollars because of our collective naive ignorance.

There is absolutely no way to fully articulate the feelings of hurt

and frustration that are caused by these doctors. After a few dozen

docs it is easy to begin to beleive that one is slowly going crazy,

and I mean truly crazy, as in mentally ill. That is a scary feeling.

I for one am not very good at being " organic " and " natural " , etc.,

but these women have fought long and hard to find something,

ANYTHING, that will help them feel and/or get better. For many that

means alternative therapies that someone who does not understand

might find extreme. Try to remember that not going natural is what

got us into this mess in the first place and that many times it is a

safer option than all of the drugs and chemicals out there. Of

course, that is not always the case, there is always an exception.

I'm sure I can speak for everyone on this board and say that we are

very happy that you are concerned about your friend. Please continue

to provide her with information, you might save her years of pain and

heartache.

Last but not least, though I do not agree with everything posted

here, I beleive that the women who founded this board and/or devote

hundreds to thousands of hours trying to help others, deserve to call

the shots and express strong opinions. Just try not to take it

personally, they are just trying to protect themselves and many many

others.

Sorry for the long post, hope I didn't offend anyone...

Ann