Newbie's first post.........

[Guest guest]

Hi, I'm new to the group, but I've been lurking a few days. I'm

actually doing this for my wife who has had RA since she was a kid.

She's now 52 and it's gotten waaaaay worse in the past 4 or 5 years.

She's pretty much in constant pain now. Taking lots of meds (which she

doesn't like to do). Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.

It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs and

she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable while

lying down would be appreciated.

I've done a little searching of back messages without too much

success. I'm wondering if you guys could comment on a couple things...

1. She's thinking of trying Accupuncture. Has anyone had any success

with AP? Are there any things to look for or avoid in a AP?

2. We've read about the TENS machines that are battery powered devices

that connect to your skin via wires, and electrically stimulate your

muscles to mask pain. Any experiences with those?

Thanks for any help you can give,

Don

[Guest guest]

Hi Don,

Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, " Glad to see you, sorry you

have to be here. " Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with

you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of

joining an RA group?

<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.

It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs and

she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable while

lying down would be appreciated. >>

Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has

she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint

replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago

and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the

problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder

replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what

to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I

can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred

hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by

that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that

the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able

to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine,

and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my " press here if you have pain "

button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they

discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to

remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days

and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that

can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no

" test " to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to

wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch

of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary

because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself

using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was

agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your

wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished

now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look

into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's

sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the

potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that

may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number

of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and

centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a

good idea.

So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the

question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's

pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using

a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream --

I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot.

So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her

doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about

obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during

sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.

Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on

the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I

have something called an " egg crate " on top of my mattress -- it's

essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It

goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those

Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also

good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my

twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are

fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my

body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an

ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop

that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find

an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised

how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or

rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.

I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking

in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.

cheers

Jenni

[Guest guest]

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Jenni

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:09 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Hi Don,Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, "Glad to see you, sorry you have to be here." Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of joining an RA group?<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs andshe can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable whilelying down would be appreciated. >>Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine, and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my "press here if you have pain" button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no "test" to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a good idea.So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream -- I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot. So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I have something called an "egg crate" on top of my mattress -- it's essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.cheersJenni

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/25/05 6:26:05 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, d.knieriem@... writes:

I'm not 100% sure the joint damage is really really bad yet. She just had it MRI'd, but all they told her was that the pain was caused by Arthritis, duh. I'm sure if the joint damage was really bad they would have mentioned it.

Then the doctor needs to find out .. which are the right meds for her to control the pain. And you were dead-on about the 25 year old mattress, lol. That's just about exactly how long we've had ours. YES, it is time for a new one! But, you and someone else mentioned those mattress toppers. If budget limits us, which one do you think would help the shoulder more - a topper, or a new mattress? She's definitely gonna try using pillows to prop up. She already takes all kinds of prescrip pain meds. And uses heat pads.

I find a water bed works best for me my grand kids tease me about the bed that moves,If I sleep in a regular bed my hips hurt. Sometimes she'll get to a pain point where she starts to give up and get depressed.

Don't let it get there... First you have to deal with the pain if you are in pain 24/7 anyone is going to get depressed. I hate the fatigue that goes with RA I can deal with the pain now... but not the fatigue.

Sounds like you understand what your wife is going though and that is important, my husband doesn't understand why I am exhausted all the time and I am tired of trying to explain.

Best to all

Chrisina

Chrisina DenBaugh, CEOwww.Adoption-Free-Search.orgEmergency Medical Locators for Adoptee's"Dedicated to adoptee's whose lives are imperiled by medical crisis"Free Medical locations Locating and obtaining biological medical histories For the adoption community and all in needBiological family traces for transplants availableStaff members are online 24/7 To handle emergency searches.Donations of old databases, year books, cross directories greatly appreciated Fax: 775-845-4334No one should die because they are adoptedFREE DNA Project for Adoptee's and Birth family _http://www.touchedbyadoption.org/_ (http://www.touchedbyadoption.org/) IF YOU CAN FOSTER OR ADOPT A DOG IN ANY STATE PLEASE CONTACT ME AT ONCE. Feed a Dog in Need Click on site belowhttp://www.animalrescuesite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites.woa/237Donations are not currently Tax Deductible http://www.adoption-free-search.org/Donate.htm

[Guest guest]

-

A Big Hello to the New ones on the site..Pain..There are various

types of meds for pain.Being that all the ones used for RA have been

pulled from the market or should be..There are narcotics..Also There

are patches called Lidoderm..They have LIdocaine in them..These help

alot.Also comes in an ointment.Not hot or cold.It sinks deep and

deadens the pain.Love the stuff.When my arms or

wrist,elbrows.etc..hurt I rub the ointment on and wrap the area with

an ace bandage.....Skye

-- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , <slbhounds@b...> wrote:

> I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any

other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

>

> Blessings

> Loucretia

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Jenni

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:09 PM

> Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

>

>

> Hi Don,

>

> Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, " Glad to see you,

sorry you

> have to be here. " Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman

to be with

> you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to

the idea of

> joining an RA group?

>

> << Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.

> It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs

and

> she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable

while

> lying down would be appreciated. >>

>

> Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of

severity... has

> she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a

joint

> replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight

months ago

> and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to

fix the

> problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total

shoulder

> replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I

knew what

> to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the

hips. I

> can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-

dark-hundred

> hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of

recovery by

> that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon

told me that

> the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed

to be able

> to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the

IV morphine,

> and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my " press here if

you have pain "

> button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day

until they

> discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want

you to

> remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for

a few days

> and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without

help, and that

> can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders

there's no

> " test " to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also

able to

> wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a

whole bunch

> of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to

be necessary

> because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully

dressing myself

> using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest

movement was

> agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one

arm. Your

> wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is

100% vanished

> now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something

to look

> into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful

night's

> sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure,

and it has the

> potential to help enormously if the joint is badly

deteriorated. Now, that

> may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age,

the number

> of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is

constant and

> centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an

orthopedist a

> good idea.

>

> So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out

of the

> question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing

your wife's

> pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is

to try using

> a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot

cream --

> I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're

worth a shot.

> So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or

asking her

> doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also

ask about

> obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place

during

> sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.

>

> Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been

sleeping on

> the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to

replace it. I

> have something called an " egg crate " on top of my mattress --

it's

> essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft

surface. It

> goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing

in those

> Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those

are also

> good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6

pillows on my

> twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium,

and two are

> fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various

places on my

> body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that

everything's at an

> ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move

or flop

> that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a

while to find

> an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be

surprised

> how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a

couple inches or

> rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.

>

> I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid

arthritis speaking

> in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.

>

> cheers

> Jenni

>

>

>

>

> -------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------

>

[Guest guest]

Jenni -

Thanks soooo much for your reply! My wife, Eileen, is pretty much not

so good with computers or the internet. They frustrate her for some

reason, heh. Plus, lately with her shoulder pain she can't stand to

use the mouse or keyboard for long. But I'm "always" on the puter -

they're my hobby. I build/fix them, etc. etc. I've printed out and

showed her all the replys. She said to tell you all "thanks" for the

great suggestions.

Anyhow, I had been trying to console her lately when her shoulder hurt

so bad by saying maybe they could replace it. She said, no way, that's

only hips. Heh, so now I know I was right. And you say that it's even

easier than a hip replacement! Great news. But I don't think she's

quite ready for that yet. It would almost "have" to be dr recommended

so our insurance would pay, for one thing.

I'm not 100% sure the joint damage is really really bad yet. She just

had it MRI'd, but all they told her was that the pain was caused by

Arthritis, duh. I'm sure if the joint damage was really bad they would

have mentioned it.

And you were dead-on about the 25 year old mattress, lol. That's just

about exactly how long we've had ours. YES, it is time for a new one!

But, you and someone else mentioned those mattress toppers. If budget

limits us, which one do you think would help the shoulder more - a

topper, or a new mattress? She's definitely gonna try using pillows to

prop up. She already takes all kinds of prescrip pain meds. And uses

heat pads.

Anyway, Jenni, thanks again for the nice reply. Sometimes she'll get

to a pain point where she starts to give up and get depressed. I

always try to tell her not to give up. I think finding all you "good

guys" on this group will be great for both of us.

Don & Eileen

Hi Don,

Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, "Glad to see you, sorry you have to be here." Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of joining an RA group?

<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.

It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs and

she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable while

lying down would be appreciated. >>

Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine, and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my "press here if you have pain" button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no "test" to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a good idea.

So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream -- I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot. So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.

Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I have something called an "egg crate" on top of my mattress -- it's essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.

I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.

cheers

Jenni

[Guest guest]

Loucretia,

Thanks for the horse linament suggestion. I just looked up online and

found some for sale. But she's already on so many oral meds that she

says she's afraid to rub any ointment type stuff on her shoulder

without asking the doc first - which she says she will do next visit.

She doesn't like taking so many meds because of the possbile side

effects (like maybe going blind with Placquenil), etc.

Thanks,

Don

Message: 10 Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 16:27:24 -0400

From: <slbhounds@...>

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

[Guest guest]

Thanks Skye,

We'll definitely be checking out patches, which she had never heard of

before. But again, she's on soooo many meds she worries about

interactions and side effects. Here's just a partial list she rattled

off to me:

Placquenil

Naprosen

Dexycyclate (sp?)

and some Methamoprosin (or something).

Plus, she gets bad migraines sometimes, so she's on a couple other

strong drugs for them.

Plus, she's on something for a thyroid prob.

Sheeesh! Anyway, thx,

Don

A Big Hello to the New ones on the site..Pain..There are various types of meds for pain.Being that all the ones used for RA have been pulled from the market or should be..There are narcotics..Also There are patches called Lidoderm..They have LIdocaine in them..These help alot.Also comes in an ointment.Not hot or cold.It sinks deep and deadens the pain.Love the stuff.When my arms or wrist,elbrows.etc..hurt I rub the ointment on and wrap the area with an ace bandage.....Skye

-- In Rheumatoid Arthritis@

[Guest guest]

Welcome Don and Eileen!

I had really bad shoulder pain before 1997. Had an MRI done and there were bone spurs and arthritis in my shoulder. Ended up getting arthoscopic surgery. Wished I hadn't cuz now I can't raise my left arm over my head without pain. They also took a bone out of my shoulder they said I didn't need *shrugs*

Has Eileen tried getting a shot of depo-medrol into the shoulder? My husband fell 15ft from a tree in September while helping a friend cut a tree down when hurricane Ivan was coming....he hurt his shoulder and now has a torn rotator cuff. He just got a shot Thursday and he says the pain has gone away. I coulda told him it would! Had enough shots over the years....so he is feeling much better now. Just a suggestion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maggie

http://www.4HockeyFans.com

http://www.4FloridaHockey.com

MSN: Maggies1429

AOL: Maggies85

-----Original Message-----From: Rheumatoid Arthritis [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ]On Behalf Of Don KSent: Monday, April 25, 2005 9:22 PMRheumatoid Arthritis Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........Jenni - Thanks soooo much for your reply! My wife, Eileen, is pretty much not so good with computers or the internet. They frustrate her for some reason, heh. Plus, lately with her shoulder pain she can't stand to use the mouse or keyboard for long. But I'm "always" on the puter - they're my hobby. I build/fix them, etc. etc. I've printed out and showed her all the replys. She said to tell you all "thanks" for the great suggestions.Anyhow, I had been trying to console her lately when her shoulder hurt so bad by saying maybe they could replace it. She said, no way, that's only hips. Heh, so now I know I was right. And you say that it's even easier than a hip replacement! Great news. But I don't think she's quite ready for that yet. It would almost "have" to be dr recommended so our insurance would pay, for one thing.I'm not 100% sure the joint damage is really really bad yet. She just had it MRI'd, but all they told her was that the pain was caused by Arthritis, duh. I'm sure if the joint damage was really bad they would have mentioned it.And you were dead-on about the 25 year old mattress, lol. That's just about exactly how long we've had ours. YES, it is time for a new one! But, you and someone else mentioned those mattress toppers. If budget limits us, which one do you think would help the shoulder more - a topper, or a new mattress? She's definitely gonna try using pillows to prop up. She already takes all kinds of prescrip pain meds. And uses heat pads. Anyway, Jenni, thanks again for the nice reply. Sometimes she'll get to a pain point where she starts to give up and get depressed. I always try to tell her not to give up. I think finding all you "good guys" on this group will be great for both of us.Don & Eileen

[Guest guest]

My shoulder knees elbows hands just achy places that are red and swollen

----- Original Message -----

From: Sue

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 8:23 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Which on Loucretia?

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: slbhounds@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 1:27 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Jenni

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:09 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Hi Don,Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, "Glad to see you, sorry you have to be here." Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of joining an RA group?<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs andshe can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable whilelying down would be appreciated. >>Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine, and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my "press here if you have pain" button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no "test" to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a good idea.So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream -- I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot. So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I have something called an "egg crate" on top of my mattress -- it's essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.cheersJenni

[Guest guest]

My Dad used it and let me tell u he was a sick man

had 2 open heart surgerys

I can count how many stints or balloons,

Not to mention trasplant

it is very mild trust me but I understand to ask first.

good luck

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Don K

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 9:22 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Loucretia,Thanks for the horse linament suggestion. I just looked up online and found some for sale. But she's already on so many oral meds that she says she's afraid to rub any ointment type stuff on her shoulder without asking the doc first - which she says she will do next visit. She doesn't like taking so many meds because of the possbile side effects (like maybe going blind with Placquenil), etc.Thanks,Don

Message: 10 Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 16:27:24 -0400

From: <slbhounds@...>

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

[Guest guest]

Sorry loucretia, I meant which horse linament do you use?

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: slbhounds@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 6:38 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

My shoulder knees elbows hands just achy places that are red and swollen

----- Original Message -----

From: Sue

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 8:23 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Which on Loucretia?

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: slbhounds@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 1:27 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Jenni

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:09 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Hi Don,Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, "Glad to see you, sorry you have to be here." Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of joining an RA group?<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs andshe can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable whilelying down would be appreciated. >>Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine, and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my "press here if you have pain" button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no "test" to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a good idea.So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream -- I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot. So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I have something called an "egg crate" on top of my mattress -- it's essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.cheersJenni

[Guest guest]

I really couldnt tell ya ,,my mom gets it in a big bottle and she gives me some.

I will find out,I do know she gets it from the local feed and farm supply

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Dorey

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 2:10 AM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Sorry loucretia, I meant which horse linament do you use?

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: slbhounds@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 6:38 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

My shoulder knees elbows hands just achy places that are red and swollen

----- Original Message -----

From: Sue

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 8:23 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Which on Loucretia?

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: slbhounds@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 1:27 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Jenni

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:09 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Hi Don,Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, "Glad to see you, sorry you have to be here." Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of joining an RA group?<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs andshe can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable whilelying down would be appreciated. >>Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine, and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my "press here if you have pain" button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no "test" to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a good idea.So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream -- I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot. So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I have something called an "egg crate" on top of my mattress -- it's essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.cheersJenni

[Guest guest]

Hi Don I am Sherrie I have been reading the post that every one has

sent to you and before I invested in a mattress I woud do some

checking to to then I just bought one I had a waterbed and had to

give it up it got to hard to get in and out of a topper may be the

way to go for now we are here for you and your wife hope we can help

you out Sherrie

>

>

> Hi, I'm new to the group, but I've been lurking a few days. I'm

> actually doing this for my wife who has had RA since she was a kid.

> She's now 52 and it's gotten waaaaay worse in the past 4 or 5

years.

> She's pretty much in constant pain now. Taking lots of meds (which

she

> doesn't like to do). Her main prob right now is her right

shoulder.

> It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs and

> she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable

while

> lying down would be appreciated.

>

> I've done a little searching of back messages without too much

> success. I'm wondering if you guys could comment on a couple

things...

>

> 1. She's thinking of trying Accupuncture. Has anyone had any

success

> with AP? Are there any things to look for or avoid in a AP?

>

> 2. We've read about the TENS machines that are battery powered

devices

> that connect to your skin via wires, and electrically stimulate

your

> muscles to mask pain. Any experiences with those?

>

> Thanks for any help you can give,

> Don

[Guest guest]

Hi Don and welcome to the group. You say your wife is taking lots of meds but not which ones she is now on and which ones have been tried unsuccessfully in the past. Also it's not clear if she is seeing a rheumatologist and is satisfied with her treatment. Inadequately treated RA can lead to permanent joint damage and it is important to adopt a treatment that is likely to slow or stop joint damage. Once it happens I know of nothing to reverse it.

I'm not familiar with either acupuncture or a Tens unit but I have heard mixed reports on acupuncture and good reports on a Tens unit. For comfort in bed I have heard good things about a foam topper for a mattress but I'm not really sure just what it is. I think it is about 3 inches thick and helps to distribute weight instead of allowing it to concentrate at a point.

Please provide us with more details and we might be able to offer more suggestions. God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: donktg

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 2:12 PM

Subject: Newbie's first post.........

Hi, I'm new to the group, but I've been lurking a few days. I'mactually doing this for my wife who has had RA since she was a kid.She's now 52 and it's gotten waaaaay worse in the past 4 or 5 years.She's pretty much in constant pain now. Taking lots of meds (which shedoesn't like to do). Her main prob right now is her right shoulder. It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs andshe can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable whilelying down would be appreciated.I've done a little searching of back messages without too muchsuccess. I'm wondering if you guys could comment on a couple things...1. She's thinking of trying Accupuncture. Has anyone had any successwith AP? Are there any things to look for or avoid in a AP?2. We've read about the TENS machines that are battery powered devicesthat connect to your skin via wires, and electrically stimulate yourmuscles to mask pain. Any experiences with those?Thanks for any help you can give,Don

[Guest guest]

Memory foam is a good thing to use as a mattress topper. It conforms to your body. You can buy a queen sized 4" Memory Foam at Sam's Club for about $100. We put it on top of the memory foam we already had on our Sleep Number bed. My husband and I are both ailing from aches, his from a fall, mine from RA. We sleep really good on the new bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maggie

http://www.4HockeyFans.com

http://www.4FloridaHockey.com

MSN: Maggies1429

AOL: Maggies85

-----Original Message-----From: Rheumatoid Arthritis [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ]On Behalf Of Harold Van TuylSent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 2:25 PMRheumatoid Arthritis Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

For comfort in bed I have heard good things about a foam topper for a mattress but I'm not really sure just what it is. I think it is about 3 inches thick and helps to distribute weight instead of allowing it to concentrate at a point.

[Guest guest]

Hi Don, welcome.

I have tried accupuncture and had good success and a bad experience. I

think what you need to do with accupuncture is talk to someone that works at

a long term disability insurance and see which accupuncturist their clients

have reported success with. That was how I found mine (the good

experience). The bad experience was when I allowed this mans son to treat

me and the son didn't follow his parents work ethics, he didn't believe in

all the massage before and after the needs to open the channels prior to

treatment and after the treatment. This seemed to make a big difference.

As well, I have a machine similar to a tens machine (supposed to be a little

more advanced) and it works great. Again to test it out I was at a big fair

called the PNE where these machines were being demo'd. Because I was

working a booth at this fair I was there everyday and I just got the guy in

the booth with these machines to give me a treatment each day. After 10

days I knew it was working well so I bought the machine. Now we use the

machine alot on my sons sports injuries with great success. Also my

extended health plan pays for some brands of tens machines, just not the

particular brand I bought.

Good luck to you and your wife.

Dorey

www.LivingWithRheumatoidArthritis.com

----- Original Message -----

From: " donktg " <d.knieriem@...>

<Rheumatoid Arthritis >

Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 2:12 PM

Subject: Newbie's first post.........

>

>

>

> Hi, I'm new to the group, but I've been lurking a few days. I'm

> actually doing this for my wife who has had RA since she was a kid.

> She's now 52 and it's gotten waaaaay worse in the past 4 or 5 years.

> She's pretty much in constant pain now. Taking lots of meds (which she

> doesn't like to do). Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.

> It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs and

> she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable while

> lying down would be appreciated.

>

> I've done a little searching of back messages without too much

> success. I'm wondering if you guys could comment on a couple things...

>

> 1. She's thinking of trying Accupuncture. Has anyone had any success

> with AP? Are there any things to look for or avoid in a AP?

>

> 2. We've read about the TENS machines that are battery powered devices

> that connect to your skin via wires, and electrically stimulate your

> muscles to mask pain. Any experiences with those?

>

> Thanks for any help you can give,

> Don

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Which on Loucretia?

Dorey

----- Original Message -----

From: slbhounds@...

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 1:27 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

I use Horse linoment on mine.It seems to help better than any other.It dont make it go away but does ease it some

Blessings

Loucretia

----- Original Message -----

From: Jenni

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:09 PM

Subject: Re: Newbie's first post.........

Hi Don,Welcome to the group... as Harold often says, "Glad to see you, sorry you have to be here." Sounds like your wife is a very lucky woman to be with you. Is she unfamiliar with the internet or just resistant to the idea of joining an RA group?<< Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs andshe can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable whilelying down would be appreciated. >>Well, let's offer some suggestions in descending order of severity... has she been to an orthopedist to talk about the possibility of a joint replacement? I had the same shoulder pain beginning about eight months ago and I finally accepted the only way it was going to stop was to fix the problem rather than treating the symptoms. I had a total shoulder replacement in January. I've had both hips replaced before so I knew what to expect, but the shoulder replacement was MUCH easier than the hips. I can't describe how much easier. I went into the hospital at o-dark-hundred hours on a Monday morning, had my surgery around 8am, was out of recovery by that evening, and I went home the next afternoon. My surgeon told me that the only prerequisite for leaving the hospital was that I needed to be able to make the switch to oral pain medication and not require the IV morphine, and boy that didn't take me long. I tossed my "press here if you have pain" button overboard immediately and gritted my teeth for half a day until they discharged me. If you have a hip or knee replacement they want you to remain in the hospital until you've been in physical therapy for a few days and are able to walk with a cane and navigate stairs without help, and that can take days or possibly a week or longer -- but for shoulders there's no "test" to pass other than no longer needing an IV. I was also able to wriggle into\out of clothing the day I went home. I'd bought a whole bunch of button-up blouses in anticipation, but it turned out not to be necessary because prior to the surgery I'd spent six months carefully dressing myself using my shoulder as little as possible because the tiniest movement was agonizing, so I already knew how to put on a shirt with only one arm. Your wife is probably familiar with this too. My shoulder pain is 100% vanished now, and I have most of my mobility back. It's really something to look into if the pain is bad enough in one area to preclude a restful night's sleep. This is not a major life-altering surgical procedure, and it has the potential to help enormously if the joint is badly deteriorated. Now, that may not be your wife's problem, but taking into account her age, the number of years she's had arthritis, and the fact that the pain is constant and centered in one area, it's likely enough to make consulting an orthopedist a good idea.So that's the most radical idea. If surgery is absolutely out of the question, or it turns out that joint damage isn't what's causing your wife's pain, there are other options. The most obvious thing here is to try using a heating pad, warming blanket, hot water bottle, or the Icy Hot cream -- I'm sure she's already tried those ideas, but if not, they're worth a shot. So are things such as taking a hot shower before bedtime, and\or asking her doctor for some pain medication to help her sleep. She can also ask about obtaining a shoulder sling to keep the joint stabilized in place during sleep, if movement is what's causing the pain.Last but not least, if you're one of those couples who's been sleeping on the same mattress for the past 25 years, now is the time to replace it. I have something called an "egg crate" on top of my mattress -- it's essentially a large bumpy piece of foam that creates a soft surface. It goes under the fitted sheet and is MUCH cheaper than investing in those Tempur-Pedic foam things or the Sleep Number bed, although those are also good ideas if finances aren't an issue. I also have about 6 pillows on my twin mattress; some are firm supportive ones, some are medium, and two are fluffy feather pillows. I use them to tuck all around various places on my body and to support certain joints and limbs, so that everything's at an ideal position for comfort during the night and nothing can move or flop that's going to hurt badly enough to wake me. It can take a while to find an idea pillow configuration, but it's worth a shot -- you'd be surprised how much it helps to do something like elevate your knees a couple inches or rest your arms on a pillow instead of flat down on the mattress.I hope some of this helps. It's ten years of rheumatoid arthritis speaking in concert with severe osteoporosis and three metal joints.cheersJenni

[Guest guest]

Hi Harold,

Thanks for the reply. My wife is now on Placquenil (400mg daily which

is the max recommended maintenance dose), Naprosen, Dexycyclate, and

also Methotrexate (like you). She was

just bumped up from 3 Methotrexate pills to 5 pills a week. She's

curious how many you are taking. This stuff was pretty much

controlling the pain till about 2 or 3 months ago. Now she's in at

least some pain all the time, and is having really bad pain in her

right shoulder (especially when laying down).

But her other prob is pretty frequent migraines. For these she's also

on Imitrex and another drug.

We think her RA doc is ok and very knowledgeable about RA meds. She's

going to see him again in early May and will discuss "what's next", and

her shoulder MRI results.

She wants to give accupuncture a try, and someone else in the group

said they tried TENS and had some success. Would be nice if we could

rent one to try it - I'm gonna check into that.

Anyway, for now she's trying some of the pillow, sling, mattress type

suggestions for her shoulder when she lays down. I'll let you know how

it goes.

Thanks again,

Don & Eileen

Harold Van Tuyl wrote:

Hi Don and welcome to the group.

You say your wife is taking lots of meds but not which ones she is now

on and which ones have been tried unsuccessfully in the past. Also

it's not clear if she is seeing a rheumatologist and is satisfied with

her treatment. Inadequately treated RA can lead to permanent joint

damage and it is important to adopt a treatment that is likely to slow

or stop joint damage. Once it happens I know of nothing to reverse it.

I'm not familiar with either

acupuncture or a Tens unit but I have heard mixed reports on

acupuncture and good reports on a Tens unit. For comfort in bed I have

heard good things about a foam topper for a mattress but I'm not really

sure just what it is. I think it is about 3 inches thick and helps to

distribute weight instead of allowing it to concentrate at a point.

Please provide us with more details

and we might be able to offer more suggestions. God bless.

-----

Original Message -----

From:

donktg

To:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent:

Sunday, April 24, 2005 2:12 PM

Subject:

Newbie's first post.........

Hi, I'm new to the group, but I've been lurking a few days. I'm

actually doing this for my wife who has had RA since she was a kid.

She's now 52 and it's gotten waaaaay worse in the past 4 or 5 years.

She's pretty much in constant pain now. Taking lots of meds (which she

doesn't like to do). Her main prob right now is her right shoulder.

It hurts all the time, but when she lays down it totally throbs and

she can't sleep at all. Any suggestions on getting comfortable while

lying down would be appreciated.

I've done a little searching of back messages without too much

success. I'm wondering if you guys could comment on a couple things...

1. She's thinking of trying Accupuncture. Has anyone had any success

with AP? Are there any things to look for or avoid in a AP?

2. We've read about the TENS machines that are battery powered devices

that connect to your skin via wires, and electrically stimulate your

muscles to mask pain. Any experiences with those?

Thanks for any help you can give,

Don

[Guest guest]

Thanks Maggie, we'll check it out.

Don & EIleen

Maggie wrote:

Memory foam is a good thing to use as a mattress

topper. It conforms to your body. You can buy a queen sized 4" Memory

Foam at Sam's Club for about $100. We put it on top of the memory foam

we already had on our Sleep Number bed. My husband and I are both

ailing from aches, his from a fall, mine from RA. We sleep really good

on the new bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maggie

http://www.4HockeyFans.com

http://www.4FloridaHockey.com

MSN: Maggies1429

AOL: Maggies85

-----Original Message-----

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis

[mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ]On Behalf Of Harold

Van Tuyl

Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 2:25 PM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re: Newbie's first

post.........

For comfort in bed I have heard

good things about a foam topper for a mattress but I'm not really sure

just what it is. I think it is about 3 inches thick and helps to

distribute weight instead of allowing it to concentrate at a point.