Re-introducing myself & need advice please...

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone - My name is - I'm 39 & have been struggling with RA

for about a year & a half now. I've only posted a few times here, but

I do read through all the posts daily. You have no idea how so many of

you have helped me with your posts. I'm not able to post a lot b/c my

hands are constantly sore, so I hope you don't mind my lurking mostly.

But I do have something that I would love some feedback on...

On the advice of friends & my Dr, I started taking aqua therapy

classes at my local YMCA geared for arthritis. Its been one month now

& I go twice a week. Everytime I get in the water, everyone says how

warm the water is & how good they feel, but I am FREEZING - shivering

& numb. My fingers tips turn white & there have been a few times I've

had to leave the pool early b/c the pain from the numbness was so

awful. On the advice of my teacher, I started wearing lycra pants &

tops in the water (sort of like scuba gear) to keep the heat in, but

it doesn't seem to work. Also its takes me 2-3 days to fully warm back

up ( & then its time to get back in the pool). I keep overdressing my

poor 2 yr old b/c I'm freezing & I don't realize how hot he really is

until I see the sweat on him! Anyway, I know I need to call my dr, but

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Just as an aside,

I do historically have low iron & low blood pressure, so I'm wondering

if the sulfasalazine (that I started at the same time as the swim

classes) are dropping my levels even further? I was really hoping the

swim classes were going to be soothing, but I don't know how long I

can continue like this...