Re: Rheumatoid Arthritis( with /and)Sjorgens and raynauds Joan

[Guest guest]

Hi Joan:

Welcome to the group. I am happy that your daughter

found this group for you - what a great girl she is to

try and help you.

We have wonderful, supportive and caring people here,

and I am sure that you will be finding many friends.

Our moderators, a and , are the absolute best

at finding us so much information and research on the

latest RA treatments and such. This group has been so

good for me, in that we do all understand what we are

going through, and know what it is like to be coping

with autoimmune disease.

I really related to what you said about being held

together with chemicals. Sometimes it feels like that

to me too - so many different pills on my bathroom

countertop - I would never have believed I would take

so many, and also be injecting myself with another

med.

I hated needles! I have RA, Fibromyalgia, OA, and

Raynaud's. I have very dry eyes, and use eye drops

daily, and occasionally have an eye ointment I use at

nighttime when my vision becomes very gritty or

blurry.

I don't think I have all the symptoms of Sjorens, but

it might come in time, as these darn diseases seem to

like to cluster together.

What medications are you on? I currently am on Mtx,

Enbrel, Mobic, and Ultracet. I have different meds

for the FM, asthma, and high blood pressure, and also

am on an anti-depressant which helps. Right now, my

RA is in pretty good control, and the FM is the one

that is really getting to me nowadays. I was dx with

RA 8 years ago, and have seen a lot of good new meds

come through during that time. Have you tried any TNF

inhibitors? Enbrel has really helped me. I also can

relate to the fatigue problem - it is mental in a lot

of ways in that this all just wears you out

emotionally, physically, and mentally. At times its

just hard to get going because of it all, but I have

horses and chickens and such to feed and water, so

thankfully I have them to get me out of bed somedays

lol.

Anyway, welcome again -

Kathe in CA

--- joan_wacker <joan_wacker@...> wrote:

> My daughter found this site for me. She thought it

> may be a place to

> ask questions that my Rheumatologist does not have

> time for. I also

> feel like it would be nice to have someone to

> commiserate with. I

> can't be the only person in this world that has this

> many complaints.

> I hope she is right, that I can find someone to chat

> with.

> I was diagnosed with RA 10 years ago. However, the

> last couple of

> years my symptoms have gotten worse. Now I have

> vascular problems in

> my hands and dry mouth and eyes. Everytime I go to

> the doctor, he adds

> another medication. I feel like I am being held

> together with

> chemicals. It is frustrating to the point that I

> don't know if the

> fatigue is physical or mental. I guess posting this

> message will find

> me afriend.

> Joan_Wacker

>

>

>

>

>

>

Kathe

" To ride a horse is to borrow freedom. "

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear Kathe,

I am visiting my daughter in Massachusettes, I live in California. I did not

check my e-mail for a few days. So, I was amazed to find 274 messages form the

group. I couldn't have asked for a better welcome.

This is my medication history. I started out on Daypro, I believe. And we

kept try different NSAIDs until we found one that did not give me gastritis. I

can't tell you how many times I was given steroids for flare ups. Then we added

plaquenil and Azulfadine. that worked for a couple of years. He added Mtx and

then Enbrel. I am pretty much in control now. Of course Iam on an

antidepressant. But I have to tell you, My little grandsons are the best

medicine out there. They get me up and moving. Although I am not the Grandma I

thought I would be, you know, taking them on outings, etc. I can not pick up

the chubbie 8 month old, but so what. I can still make the trip here to see

them. I am truely blessed.

My question to you is this. Did you not feel that when a new medication was

added to the regime, that one should be taken away? My rheumatologist said I

can try reducing the Plaquil. However, I came off one a day and could feel the

difference. Should I have given it a longer try? Does the body have to reach

an equilibrium? They don't tell you things like this.

Anyway, thank yoou for welcoming me into the group. I feel like I am finally

at a place where I can listen to others

Your friend,

Joan

Kathe Sabetzadeh <lv2ryd@...> wrote:

Hi Joan:

Welcome to the group. I am happy that your daughter

found this group for you - what a great girl she is to

try and help you.

We have wonderful, supportive and caring people here,

and I am sure that you will be finding many friends.

Our moderators, a and , are the absolute best

at finding us so much information and research on the

latest RA treatments and such. This group has been so

good for me, in that we do all understand what we are

going through, and know what it is like to be coping

with autoimmune disease.

I really related to what you said about being held

together with chemicals. Sometimes it feels like that

to me too - so many different pills on my bathroom

countertop - I would never have believed I would take

so many, and also be injecting myself with another

med.

I hated needles! I have RA, Fibromyalgia, OA, and

Raynaud's. I have very dry eyes, and use eye drops

daily, and occasionally have an eye ointment I use at

nighttime when my vision becomes very gritty or

blurry.

I don't think I have all the symptoms of Sjorens, but

it might come in time, as these darn diseases seem to

like to cluster together.

What medications are you on? I currently am on Mtx,

Enbrel, Mobic, and Ultracet. I have different meds

for the FM, asthma, and high blood pressure, and also

am on an anti-depressant which helps. Right now, my

RA is in pretty good control, and the FM is the one

that is really getting to me nowadays. I was dx with

RA 8 years ago, and have seen a lot of good new meds

come through during that time. Have you tried any TNF

inhibitors? Enbrel has really helped me. I also can

relate to the fatigue problem - it is mental in a lot

of ways in that this all just wears you out

emotionally, physically, and mentally. At times its

just hard to get going because of it all, but I have

horses and chickens and such to feed and water, so

thankfully I have them to get me out of bed somedays

lol.

Anyway, welcome again -

Kathe in CA

--- joan_wacker <joan_wacker@...> wrote:

> My daughter found this site for me. She thought it

> may be a place to

> ask questions that my Rheumatologist does not have

> time for. I also

> feel like it would be nice to have someone to

> commiserate with. I

> can't be the only person in this world that has this

> many complaints.

> I hope she is right, that I can find someone to chat

> with.

> I was diagnosed with RA 10 years ago. However, the

> last couple of

> years my symptoms have gotten worse. Now I have

> vascular problems in

> my hands and dry mouth and eyes. Everytime I go to

> the doctor, he adds

> another medication. I feel like I am being held

> together with

> chemicals. It is frustrating to the point that I

> don't know if the

> fatigue is physical or mental. I guess posting this

> message will find

> me afriend.

> Joan_Wacker

>

>

>

>

>

>

Kathe

" To ride a horse is to borrow freedom. "

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/30/2006 5:07:27 PM Eastern Standard Time,

joan_wacker@... writes:

> Anyway, thank yoou for welcoming me into the group. I feel like I am

> finally at a place where I can listen to others

hello Joan , where about in MA are you visiting ? i'm from MA