Guest guest Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 Am I a wimp? I have had muscle and joint problems all my life but was not RX'd until about 1996 or 7(?) I am an active 78 yr old female. I am in various levels of pain at all times though I take Prednisone, Paquenil and Naproxin faithfully. I am very active, do all my yard work, trim hedges, mow, keep plants dead headed, dig and plant, pull weeds, trim sidewalks and garden edges, water, manage my home, make necessary repairs where feasible, keep it reasonably clean, wash, iron, exercise, swim some, do water walks, drive, do my own shopping. My right ankle and foot is trying to turn to the right and if I don't really keep it exercised, it tries to lock on me. Actually, all my joints including hands are doing uglies like that, but my left knee and right ankle are worse. I water walk 5 days a week (this summer) 3 days otherwise, and do stand-up and sitting down exercises called morning moves. I have also been trying to re-learn to swim and was able to free style for 25 yards the other day. At water walk the other day along with about 35 ladies ranging from 50 to 84 doing the slides I remarked that it really hurts my ankle to do them. (I do do them anyway, as my ankle will freeze if I don't.) The therapist said she had never heard of anyone complaining of pain from the slides and ask if anyone else had. I was the only one raising a hand. She said it was kind of odd that I was the only one it bothered. She is a very caring person and would not intentionally embarrass or hurt another person and remarked that maybe it was a special kind of arthritis than the others have. I just said, yeah it might be, but it made me wonder if I am being a big baby wimp. I really don't know to what to look forward or what to compare my progress. I haven't had a big flare for a while so feel that I am a lot better. I am usually too busy to think about it much, but would like to have some comparison and have some idea of how much pain is to be expected so I can judge my ability to accept pain. I think I had accepted it pretty well and gone on about my living, but perhaps need to re-evaluate my attitude. Appreciate any information or suggestions and thanks. Tvksi/lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 Welcome, Tvksi! Nothing about you sounds wimpy, LOL. I'm assuming your diagnosis is RA. Are you taking anything to prevent osteoporosis? It might be a good idea to visit and mention these concerns to your rheumatologist. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Am I a wimp? > Am I a wimp? > > I have had muscle and joint problems all my life but was not RX'd > until about 1996 or 7(?) I am an active 78 yr old female. I am in > various levels of pain at all times though I take Prednisone, > Paquenil and Naproxin faithfully. I am very active, do all my yard > work, trim hedges, mow, keep plants dead headed, dig and plant, > pull weeds, trim sidewalks and garden edges, water, manage my home, > make necessary repairs where feasible, keep it reasonably clean, > wash, iron, exercise, swim some, do water walks, drive, do my own > shopping. > > My right ankle and foot is trying to turn to the right and if I > don't really keep it exercised, it tries to lock on me. Actually, > all my joints including hands are doing uglies like that, but my > left knee and right ankle are worse. I water walk 5 days a week > (this summer) 3 days otherwise, and do stand-up and sitting down > exercises called morning moves. I have also been trying to re-learn > to swim and was able to free style for 25 yards the other day. > > At water walk the other day along with about 35 ladies ranging from > 50 to 84 doing the slides I remarked that it really hurts my ankle > to do them. (I do do them anyway, as my ankle will freeze if I > don't.) The therapist said she had never heard of anyone complaining > of pain from the slides and ask if anyone else had. I was the only > one raising a hand. She said it was kind of odd that I was the only > one it bothered. She is a very caring person and would not > intentionally embarrass or hurt another person and remarked that > maybe it was a special kind of arthritis than the others have. I > just said, yeah it might be, but it made me wonder if I am being a > big baby wimp. I really don't know to what to look forward or what > to compare my progress. I haven't had a big flare for a while so > feel that I am a lot better. > > I am usually too busy to think about it much, but would like to have > some comparison and have some idea of how much pain is to be > expected so I can judge my ability to accept pain. I think I had > accepted it pretty well and gone on about my living, but perhaps > need to re-evaluate my attitude. > Appreciate any information or suggestions and thanks. > Tvksi/lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 > > Welcome, Tvksi! Nothing about you sounds wimpy, LOL. > > I'm assuming your diagnosis is RA. Are you taking anything to prevent > osteoporosis? > Yes. I took fosamax for a year but I got to where I could barely swallow. My throat just closed up and the pain was almost unbearable and quite frightening.Since the fosamax was the only ew med I had taken drig that year, I re-read the sheet that comes with the med and decided that was the problem and stopped taking it. Gradually the swallowing improved to nearly normal and in the meantime, I take calcium + vit D. Haven't had a bone scan since so don't know density now. > It might be a good idea to visit and mention these concerns to your > rheumatologist. I've moved away from the area where my Rhuemy practices and the Dr here thinks I am doing so well that he says to just keep up with what I'm doing. Have'nt told him of the incident. Have Apt Sept 25th. I take a lot of juices,vegetables and whole grains etc, but almost no red meats, tomatoes, bell peppers, white potatoes, milk, nor orange juice. My muscles had been geting so flacid, even with mild exercise, that I had very little strength. I began to exercise more, breathing exercises,too, and although I was getting quite a bit of protein from chicken, turkey, pinto beans and rice, decided I needed more protein to re-build. I have been taking a whey protien supplement along with a Lactaid simily and amazingly, the muscles are gaining strength and some of the flab is melting away. I'm not losing weight, but I am gaining muscle tone. The joints, neck and spine and some of the muscles are still inflamed in various levels. I will check out theurls you gave me, and thanks. respectfully, tvlsi/lee > > > > Not an MD > > I'll tell you where to go! > > Mayo Clinic in Rochester > http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester > > s Hopkins Medicine > http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org > > > [ ] Am I a wimp? > > > > Am I a wimp? > > > > I have had muscle and joint problems all my life but was not RX'd > > until about 1996 or 7(?) I am an active 78 yr old female. I am in > > various levels of pain at all times though I take Prednisone, > > Paquenil and Naproxin faithfully. I am very active, do all my yard > > work, trim hedges, mow, keep plants dead headed, dig and plant, > > pull weeds, trim sidewalks and garden edges, water, manage my home, > > make necessary repairs where feasible, keep it reasonably clean, > > wash, iron, exercise, swim some, do water walks, drive, do my own > > shopping. > > > > My right ankle and foot is trying to turn to the right and if I > > don't really keep it exercised, it tries to lock on me. Actually, > > all my joints including hands are doing uglies like that, but my > > left knee and right ankle are worse. I water walk 5 days a week > > (this summer) 3 days otherwise, and do stand-up and sitting down > > exercises called morning moves. I have also been trying to re- learn > > to swim and was able to free style for 25 yards the other day. > > > > At water walk the other day along with about 35 ladies ranging from > > 50 to 84 doing the slides I remarked that it really hurts my ankle > > to do them. (I do do them anyway, as my ankle will freeze if I > > don't.) The therapist said she had never heard of anyone complaining > > of pain from the slides and ask if anyone else had. I was the only > > one raising a hand. She said it was kind of odd that I was the only > > one it bothered. She is a very caring person and would not > > intentionally embarrass or hurt another person and remarked that > > maybe it was a special kind of arthritis than the others have. I > > just said, yeah it might be, but it made me wonder if I am being a > > big baby wimp. I really don't know to what to look forward or what > > to compare my progress. I haven't had a big flare for a while so > > feel that I am a lot better. > > > > I am usually too busy to think about it much, but would like to have > > some comparison and have some idea of how much pain is to be > > expected so I can judge my ability to accept pain. I think I had > > accepted it pretty well and gone on about my living, but perhaps > > need to re-evaluate my attitude. > > Appreciate any information or suggestions and thanks. > > Tvksi/lee > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Tvlsi/lee - Because of your RA, your age, and your prednisone use, you are at increased risk for osteoporosis and fracture. Prednisone may increase the risk independent of BMD. And you may have other risk factors I'm unaware of. How much prednisone are you taking per day and for how long have you been taking it? Your physician needs to know that you stopped the Fosamax. It's also possible you have a fracture in your foot. Not an MD I'll tell you where to go! Mayo Clinic in Rochester http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester s Hopkins Medicine http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org [ ] Re: Am I a wimp? > >> >> Welcome, Tvksi! Nothing about you sounds wimpy, LOL. >> >> I'm assuming your diagnosis is RA. Are you taking anything to > prevent >> osteoporosis? >> > > Yes. I took fosamax for a year but I got to where I could barely > swallow. My throat just closed up and the pain was almost unbearable > and quite frightening.Since the fosamax was the only ew med I had > taken drig that year, I re-read the sheet that comes with the med > and decided that was the problem and stopped taking it. Gradually > the swallowing improved to nearly normal and in the meantime, I take > calcium + vit D. Haven't had a bone scan since so don't know density > now. > >> It might be a good idea to visit and mention these concerns to > your >> rheumatologist. > > I've moved away from the area where my Rhuemy practices and the Dr > here thinks I am doing so well that he says to just keep up with > what I'm doing. Have'nt told him of the incident. Have Apt Sept 25th. > > I take a lot of juices,vegetables and whole grains etc, but almost > no red meats, tomatoes, bell peppers, white potatoes, milk, nor > orange juice. My muscles had been geting so flacid, even with mild > exercise, that I had very little strength. I began to exercise more, > breathing exercises,too, and although I was getting quite a bit of > protein from chicken, turkey, pinto beans and rice, decided I needed > more protein to re-build. I have been taking a whey protien > supplement along with a Lactaid simily and amazingly, the muscles > are gaining strength and some of the flab is melting away. I'm not > losing weight, but I am gaining muscle tone. > > The joints, neck and spine and some of the muscles are still > inflamed in various levels. I will check out theurls you gave me, > and thanks. respectfully, tvlsi/lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.