Guest guest Posted January 6, 2006 Report Share Posted January 6, 2006 Prakasha: My friend, we have all been where you are now, and we are here to support you 100%. Yes, the traditional medications are scary, but if we are to fight this battle with RA 100%, we do need to consider the use of them, in addition to any alternative therapies, because the traditional meds are the ones that will fight the progression of the disease and destruction of our joints. I am so sorry that you have suffered joint damage and are in pain. When I was first dx almost 7 years ago, I began on Plaquenil as my DMARD. That worked well for almost 2 and one-half years, and then the RA became aggressive again and I began on Methotrexate which I am still on, along with Enbrel. Along the way, I also tried Arava, but quit due to side effects. The Mtx is taken at a a much lower dose than given to cancer patients, and with 8 week blood work, for the last 4 years, I have not had any detrimental effect on my liver. I also take Folic Acid and Milk Thistle dailiy to hopefully protect my liver from the effects of the meds I take. There are many medications out there that you can discuss with your doctor (see the meds on our group site), and I am sure that you can find one that will be helpful to you. Many people go the alternative route only to find that they need the traditional meds after all, just like you, and I am sorry that the alternatives did not work for you. I know it is scary to think of taking these sorts of meds for the rest of our lives, but I have decided that I will do it so that I can fight RA with whatever is out there that will help me. Mtx and Enbrel have been my best drugs - I was in a remission, but am in a bad flare right now, but I feel it is more Fibro than RA, so I still feel the RA meds are keeping the RA in check well. My joint x-rays show very little damage, and I can still do much of what I need to, and I attribute this to early and aggressive treatment of the RA with the traditional meds - that was my choice to deal with my RA. All of us have challenges in dealing with our RA and choices to make regarding our treatment. We are all brothers and sisters under the skin with this one, and we are here for you. Please let us know what you decided - and best of luck - take care - Kathe in CA --- brightt@... wrote: > Wonderful brave & inspiring ones - > > I've hesitated to write this since so many of you > have much bigger > challenges to deal with. But, the fact is, I need > your help. > > I was diagnosed with RA in 1999. Of course, at first > I was overwhelmed. > The possible side effects of the medication the > rheumy recommended > frightened me. I resolved to try to take care of it > with > natural/alternative medicine. I do feel that the > strict " natural " > program I pursued (with the advice of a wonderful > herbalist) helped > control the inflammation and reduced the number of > and length of > flares. > > However, now I must face the fact that--in spite of > this--my RA has > definitely progressed. My joints have continued to > deteriorate. And I > know I must try other means to deal with it. I just > had a thorough > checkup with my GP. My liver, kidneys, etc. are all > great. But my RF is > 130 and my SED is 98, up quite a bit from my > original tests. > > Now I know I must investigate conventional medicine. > But I'm still > scared to pieces of the possible side effects. So > scared that tears > come into my eyes just from typing these words and > admitting my fears > to you. Most of my physical systems are in good > shape; I'm frightened > about, frankly, destroying them. > > Any insight, encouragement, thoughts, cautions, > inspiration or whatever > comes to mind that you'd like to share with me will > be so gratefully > embraced. > > Thank you so much for all that you are, all that you > do, and the way > all of you honestly (and more bravely than you > realize) deal with your > challenges. > > Prakasha > > > > Kathe in CA __________________________________________ DSL – Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less. dsl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 In a message dated 1/9/2006 8:11:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, ksp2242@... writes: My sister was here yesterday preaching me the goodness of healing stone therapy as I was limping to the coffee maker to pour her a cup. If only she knew what I really wanted to do with those stones. LOL nothing bad i hope. you are right we know what's best, just have to find it. Hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Hey, I'll Knock 'em on the bean with the hammer end of my cane, too. Tell them all to go jump in an icy lake! kerri paquette <ksp2242@...> wrote: I've been in hiding so please excuse my slow response. I think in this disease we all go through so many stages and those stages come and go. Some days, I'm thankful I have my medicine, because what would I do without it, somedays I wish I'd choke on it so it would be over, and somedays I wish my doc would choke on it, lol. Pain wreaks havoc on our minds as it is and then we have so many influences jumping at un from every angle. My sister was here yesterday preaching me the goodness of healing stone therapy as I was limping to the coffee maker to pour her a cup. If only she knew what I really wanted to do with those stones. We just need to find what is right for us, when it is right, where it is right and only we know that. Tomorrow may bring such a different day to us that we may feel the need to react to things differently and thats OK. Its our lives and our bodies and we have to live with that. So, do what you feel is best and I'll be right behind you throwing stones at people. ;o) take care. kerri sue --------------------------------- Photos Got holiday prints? See all the ways to get quality prints in your hands ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Thank you so much for your helpful ideas. I am going to look into those videos you mentioned and talk to the yoga teacher at my health club about using a chair or other adaptations. -- In , brightt@... wrote: > > Hi, . > > I have to be very careful with my wrists, too; so I totally understand > about not putting any stress on them. Yes, anything on all fours is out > unless it can be done with the forearms on the floor (instead of the > hands). Personally, I can't do floor poses anymore; so, for me, > everything has to be on a chair, or standing (being very careful with > knees & ankles), or on some kind of platform--my bed. > > Many of the yoga poses don't involve the wrists at all; so, if that's > the only part of your body that holds you back from yoga, you can very > easily do a program that won't hurt your wrists. Of course, as we all > know, there are many other joints that can be compromised by RA; and we > always have to adapt, adjust & accommodate! > > Here's an example of an adapted pose. The Cat/Cow--which is great for > flexibility in the spine. Normally, it's done on all fours. This is the > one where you arch your back like a Halloween cat and then do the > opposite arch, swaying the back like a sway-back horse or cow. This > pose can be done very effectively in a chair. Sit nice and straight on > the edge of the chair with your feet flat on the floor. Rest your hands > gently on your knees or thighs, palms down. Slowly and gently arch your > back toward the back of the chair, bringing your head forward, > shoulders forward. Let the movement go all the way down into the hips > if that's comfortable. Don't strain, just do it gently. Then, the > opposite arch--bring the chest & belly forward, shoulders & head back. > Again, all the way down into the hips if it's comfortable. Again, > gentle. This should feel nice. If it hurts at all, don't go as far. > Gentle gentle gentle. > > Also, do you know the pose Downward Facing Dog, sometimes called > Downward Dog? (This involves feet and hands on the floor, buttocks in > the air--making the body into a triangle--arching the back.) Not a good > pose for tender wrists! This can also be done with a chair. Stand > behind a chair. Let your arms rest on the back of the chair and walk > backward as far as comfortable. Next, slightly arch your back downward, > toward the floor and look up toward the ceiling. > > I'll be happy to give you more ideas if you like. And you can find some > excellent videos or DVDs for adapted poses. > > If you go to a class, you need to be sure that the teacher is *formally > trained* to teach people with physical challenges, special needs, or > disabilities. You can also search for terms like " gentle yoga " and > " chair yoga. " Here's a handful of videos/DVDs I recommend. I know > there are many more that I just haven't investigated. If you find > something else that you like, please let me know. > > Ageless Yoga - Joint Freedom by Schlorholtz > ( has other excellent tapes that can benefit people with RA > too) > > Flexible Strength & Vitality - Joint Freeing Series (Structural > Yoga Therapy) > > Alice Christensen (Easy Does It Yoga)- > I've used her books but haven't tried any of her videos; I'm > sure they'd be good. > > Happy stretching! > > Prakasha > > > On Apr 13, 2006, at 4:43 PM, mitlersu wrote: > > > Prakasha, > > I was interested to read about adapting yoga poses for the wrist. I > > love yoga but have given it up because of my wrists. Any pose that > > puts stress on my wrists is out. What kind of adaptations do you > > suggest, I can't do anything that requires being on all fours( I > > forget the names of the various poses!) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I also like Austin's Lite and Be Fit - it's on Lifetime in > > > > the mornings but I DVR it. She has pretty backgrounds and the > > first > > > > half hour is mroe relaxed and gentler and then the second > > program > > > > incorporates more aerobic/core exercises. Good for those days > > you > > > > can't work out and want to go light esp the first half. I find > > it > > > > more relaxing than anything. Yoga bothers my wrists so until I > > get > > > > my strength up - I've done less of it. > > > > > > > > Smita > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 That's great, . Ask your yoga teacher if she/he has been trained to teach people with physical challenges. Be sure that you have a teacher who will respect your limitations and won't try to push you in any way. I hope it works out for you. :-) Prakasha On Apr 13, 2006, at 7:12 PM, mitlersu wrote: > Thank you so much for your helpful ideas. I am going to look into > those videos you mentioned and talk to the yoga teacher at my health > club about using a chair or other adaptations. > > > > -- In , brightt@... wrote: > > > > Hi, . > > > > I have to be very careful with my wrists, too; so I totally > understand > > about not putting any stress on them. Yes, anything on all fours > is out > > unless it can be done with the forearms on the floor (instead of > the > > hands). Personally, I can't do floor poses anymore; so, for me, > > everything has to be on a chair, or standing (being very careful > with > > knees & ankles), or on some kind of platform--my bed. > > > > Many of the yoga poses don't involve the wrists at all; so, if > that's > > the only part of your body that holds you back from yoga, you can > very > > easily do a program that won't hurt your wrists. Of course, as we > all > > know, there are many other joints that can be compromised by RA; > and we > > always have to adapt, adjust & accommodate! > > > > Here's an example of an adapted pose. The Cat/Cow--which is great > for > > flexibility in the spine. Normally, it's done on all fours. This > is the > > one where you arch your back like a Halloween cat and then do the > > opposite arch, swaying the back like a sway-back horse or cow. > This > > pose can be done very effectively in a chair. Sit nice and > straight on > > the edge of the chair with your feet flat on the floor. Rest your > hands > > gently on your knees or thighs, palms down. Slowly and gently arch > your > > back toward the back of the chair, bringing your head forward, > > shoulders forward. Let the movement go all the way down into the > hips > > if that's comfortable. Don't strain, just do it gently. Then, the > > opposite arch--bring the chest & belly forward, shoulders & head > back. > > Again, all the way down into the hips if it's comfortable. Again, > > gentle. This should feel nice. If it hurts at all, don't go as > far. > > Gentle gentle gentle. > > > > Also, do you know the pose Downward Facing Dog, sometimes called > > Downward Dog? (This involves feet and hands on the floor, buttocks > in > > the air--making the body into a triangle--arching the back.) Not a > good > > pose for tender wrists! This can also be done with a chair. Stand > > behind a chair. Let your arms rest on the back of the chair and > walk > > backward as far as comfortable. Next, slightly arch your back > downward, > > toward the floor and look up toward the ceiling. > > > > I'll be happy to give you more ideas if you like. And you can find > some > > excellent videos or DVDs for adapted poses. > > > > If you go to a class, you need to be sure that the teacher is > *formally > > trained* to teach people with physical challenges, special needs, > or > > disabilities. You can also search for terms like " gentle yoga " and > > " chair yoga. " Here's a handful of videos/DVDs I recommend. I know > > there are many more that I just haven't investigated. If you find > > something else that you like, please let me know. > > > >       Ageless Yoga - Joint Freedom by Schlorholtz > >        ( has other excellent tapes that can benefit people > with RA > > too) > > > >        Flexible Strength & Vitality - Joint Freeing Series > (Structural > > Yoga Therapy) > > > >       Alice Christensen (Easy Does It Yoga)- > >        I've used her books but haven't tried any of her videos; > I'm > > sure they'd be good. > > > > Happy stretching! > > > > Prakasha > > > > > > On Apr 13, 2006, at 4:43 PM, mitlersu wrote: > > > > > Prakasha, > > > I was interested to read about adapting yoga poses for the > wrist. I > > > love yoga but have given it up because of my wrists. Any pose > that > > > puts stress on my wrists is out. What kind of adaptations do you > > > suggest, I can't do anything that requires being on all fours( I > > > forget the names of the various poses!) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I also like Austin's Lite and Be Fit - it's on > Lifetime in > > > > > the mornings but I DVR it. She has pretty backgrounds > and the > > > first > > > > > half hour is mroe relaxed and gentler and then the second > > > program > > > > > incorporates more aerobic/core exercises. Good for > those days > > > you > > > > > can't work out and want to go light esp the first half. > I find > > > it > > > > > more relaxing than anything. Yoga bothers my wrists so > until I > > > get > > > > > my strength up - I've done less of it. > > > > > > > > > > Smita > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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