I'm new

August 25, 2005

That's excellent AnneMarie and if I was out of line I am truly sorry, my

intention is only to be of help. I for one certainly did feel sorry for

myself for a time and I lashed out at others who dared to be well,

especially if they did not understand what I was going through. RA is a

challenge, but not an insurmountable one.

Again I would like to welcome you and I hope you find the friendships you

desire here, I know I'm met some wonderful people.

Dorey

www.LivingWithRheumatoidArthritis.com

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

From: " amr408 " <AMR408@...>

Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 9:41 PM

Subject: Re: I'm New

> Hi

> Yes I am married to a wonderful man for 27 years. I have a 23 y/o

> daughter who teaches music.

> I think I am pretty optimistic when it comes to RA.

> I deal with it on a daily basis yet I don't let it stop me from doing

> what I want. I crochet and shop and volunteer. Being a nurse I have

> seen so many people worse off then me and I thank God for giving me

> such a good life. I'm not one to feel sorry for myself. Whatever I

> said to make you think that I do, I don't. I was just explaining to

> where I started and where I have been with RA.

> I hope to make some new friends here and appreciate your concern.

> Thanks

> Hugs

> AnneMarie

>

>> Hi AnneMarie you didn't say, are you married, do you have children?

>>

>> I know how depressing this disease is, and my sympathy is with

> you. I have

>> a suggestion and I hope you will not take offence. I have been

> successful

>> in treating my RA and my goal is to help others. One of the things

> that was

>> very difficult for me was accepting and not feeling resentful of

> all the

>> pain. What I have learned though is our thoughts are THINGS that

> truly

>> create our future. With that said, if we can be grateful for what

> we do

>> have, it's much more productive than thinking of the things we no

> longer

>> have, do you understand what I mean.

>>

>> We are magnificent beings, it's amazing the things we can do.

> There are

>> many things in our lives that we should be grateful for but

> sometimes forget

>> because we have been robbed of the luxury of living without pain

> and

>> limitations. However everyday is a new day and everyday you may be

> closer

>> to a pain free day.........we will all hope and pray for that.

>>

>> Dorey

>> www.LivingWithRheumatiodArthritis.com

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

>> From: " amr408 " <AMR408@a...>

>> <Rheumatoid Arthritis >

>> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 10:23 PM

>> Subject: I'm New

>>

>> > Hi,

>> > My name is AnneMarie from Pennsylvania and I just joined this

> group.

>> > I was diagnosed with RA about 10 years ago. I was initially

> treated

>> > with Rheumatrex (methotrexate), plus Plaquinil, minicycline,

>> > prednisone. All have worked at the stages I was at. I have a

> tendency

>> > to get infections, where some of these meds worked, following

>> > infections, they stopped working. I would develope side affects

> and

>> > would need another med. I've been reading some of your posts, and

> oh

>> > how everything sounds like me. I have been affected by RA in my

> hips,

>> > knees, wrists, fingers, shoulders, toes and even my jaw. I also

> have

>> > osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis,psoriasis, syrogrens syndrome,

>> > vasculitis, & raynauds phenomenom. I also was on Enbrel twice a

> week

>> > and I was on and off it due to infections. This past February I

> was

>> > started on Remicade low dose every moth. I couldn't believe the

>> > immediate affect it had on me. The day after my first dose I

> started

>> > to feel better. They have had to give me Solumedrol and Benadryl

> with

>> > the doses because of my history with reactions, but so far it has

>> > worked. I still remain on methotrexate and low dose of

> prednisone. I

>> > also take folic acid. I read in one of the posts that someone had

>> > mouth sores. I ended up with sores when I started all thses

>> > treatments and my dr put me on folic acid and I really haven't

> had a

>> > sore since.

>> > Any way, I'm sorry for this being so long but its just that I

> really

>> > don't have anyone to talk to about this who knows the pain and can

>> > relate. I'm a 49 year old RN who now is disabled because of RA. I

> was

>> > unable to walk to do my job. I need a wheelchair to go in a store

> and

>> > use my chair with wheels to get around the house. It can be very

>> > depressing. I hope to find some new friends here where I can

> relate

>> > with and who can understand me or where I'm coming from. Thanks

> for

>> > listening.

>> > Hugs

>> > AnneMarie from Pa

>> >

August 26, 2005

you weren " t out of line. Being I don't really talk about my RA to

anyone, I guess I was just venting about what I've been thru and to

just let you guys know that I know where you are all coming from. No

problem. I do hope to create new friendships that will last a

lifetime. Thanks again

Hugs AnneMarie

> >> Hi AnneMarie you didn't say, are you married, do you have

children?

> >>

> >> I know how depressing this disease is, and my sympathy is with

> > you. I have

> >> a suggestion and I hope you will not take offence. I have been

> > successful

> >> in treating my RA and my goal is to help others. One of the

things

> > that was

> >> very difficult for me was accepting and not feeling resentful of

> > all the

> >> pain. What I have learned though is our thoughts are THINGS that

> > truly

> >> create our future. With that said, if we can be grateful for

what

> > we do

> >> have, it's much more productive than thinking of the things we no

> > longer

> >> have, do you understand what I mean.

> >>

> >> We are magnificent beings, it's amazing the things we can do.

> > There are

> >> many things in our lives that we should be grateful for but

> > sometimes forget

> >> because we have been robbed of the luxury of living without pain

> > and

> >> limitations. However everyday is a new day and everyday you may

be

> > closer

> >> to a pain free day.........we will all hope and pray for that.

> >>

> >> Dorey

> >> www.LivingWithRheumatiodArthritis.com

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

> >> From: " amr408 " <AMR408@a...>

> >> <Rheumatoid Arthritis >

> >> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 10:23 PM

> >> Subject: I'm New

> >>

> >> > Hi,

> >> > My name is AnneMarie from Pennsylvania and I just joined this

> > group.

> >> > I was diagnosed with RA about 10 years ago. I was initially

> > treated

> >> > with Rheumatrex (methotrexate), plus Plaquinil, minicycline,

> >> > prednisone. All have worked at the stages I was at. I have a

> > tendency

> >> > to get infections, where some of these meds worked, following

> >> > infections, they stopped working. I would develope side affects

> > and

> >> > would need another med. I've been reading some of your posts,

and

> > oh

> >> > how everything sounds like me. I have been affected by RA in my

> > hips,

> >> > knees, wrists, fingers, shoulders, toes and even my jaw. I also

> > have

> >> > osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis,psoriasis, syrogrens

syndrome,

> >> > vasculitis, & raynauds phenomenom. I also was on Enbrel twice a

> > week

> >> > and I was on and off it due to infections. This past February I

> > was

> >> > started on Remicade low dose every moth. I couldn't believe the

> >> > immediate affect it had on me. The day after my first dose I

> > started

> >> > to feel better. They have had to give me Solumedrol and

Benadryl

> > with

> >> > the doses because of my history with reactions, but so far it

has

> >> > worked. I still remain on methotrexate and low dose of

> > prednisone. I

> >> > also take folic acid. I read in one of the posts that someone

had

> >> > mouth sores. I ended up with sores when I started all thses

> >> > treatments and my dr put me on folic acid and I really haven't

> > had a

> >> > sore since.

> >> > Any way, I'm sorry for this being so long but its just that I

> > really

> >> > don't have anyone to talk to about this who knows the pain and

can

> >> > relate. I'm a 49 year old RN who now is disabled because of

RA. I

> > was

> >> > unable to walk to do my job. I need a wheelchair to go in a

store

> > and

> >> > use my chair with wheels to get around the house. It can be

very

> >> > depressing. I hope to find some new friends here where I can

> > relate

> >> > with and who can understand me or where I'm coming from. Thanks

> > for

> >> > listening.

> >> > Hugs

> >> > AnneMarie from Pa

> >> >

August 26, 2005

Welcome Becky

You too have been thru alot. Its good to see that you've come up from

the ashes. It does " feel good when you feel good "

Take care

AnneMarie

>

> In a message dated 8/24/2005 11:43:33 P.M. Central Standard Time,

> AMR408@a... writes:

>

> Hi

> Yes I am married to a wonderful man for 27 years. I have a 23 y/o

> daughter who teaches music.

> I think I am pretty optimistic when it comes to RA.

> I deal with it on a daily basis yet I don't let it stop me from

doing

> what I want. I crochet and shop and volunteer. Being a nurse I

have

> seen so many people worse off then me and I thank God for giving

me

> such a good life. I'm not one to feel sorry for myself. Whatever

I

> said to make you think that I do, I don't. I was just explaining

to

> where I started and where I have been with RA.

> I hope to make some new friends here and appreciate your concern.

> Thanks

> Hugs

> AnneMarie

>

> I am sorta new here too.

> I am 38 years old and was diagnosed with RA a year ago. I've had a

roving

> pain and a high

> ESR level since I was a kid, and was never told what the high ESR

was

> suppose to indicate.

> I started going to a chiropractor for my left shoulder in 2002 as

I was

> having a hard time moving it and my GP wouldn't do anything for

it. Went to the

> chiro twice a week because he conned me into believing that he

could fix

> anything that might be wrong with me, I started developing various

strange

> symptoms and was ill with viruses all winter of 2003.

> In March of 2004 I had gotten to the point where I could no longer

dress

> myself, turn over in bed or cut my food, or wear most of my shoes

as my feet

> were swollen and my toes turned

> purple. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and my employer

was giving

> me a hard time about taking any time off. All the while I kept

thinking the

> chiropractor had maimed me

> but that I would eventually get better. Thank God for codeine

cough

> medicine. I managed

> to get 3 bottles out of a couple of doctors and Tylenol 3

w/codeine until I

> could get my first appointment with the Rheumatologist.

> Before my first visit, his office sent a whole bunch of forms to

fill out

> and a questionnaire.

> What was strange was that I was having night sweats and had a

really bad

> stiff neck.

> That went away once he started me on Prednisone and took many, many

vials of

> blood.

> The Rheumy was hoping it was something called Reactive Arthritis or

he

> thought it could've been Lyme's Disease, but alas, no. I did the

Methotrexate and

> Arava thing for a while, but

> kept vomiting, and wound up at the ER with vomiting from my first

MTX

> injection.

>

> So now I am injecting Enbrel once a week, no more MTX (I was up to

8 and

> felt like a zombie), have been on Enbrel for 2 weeks and am just

taking Zantac

> for my stomach, 1 Celebrex a day, and am down to 6 mg of Prednisone

a day until

> October when I go back to the doc. I also have severe asthma, and

take 3

> different meds for that a day.

> Having asthma makes it difficult to exercise and chlorine pool

water sets

> off an asthma attack, but I have lost almost all of the 20 pounds

that I gained

> while on the higher dose of Prednisone.

> Since being diagnosed with RA, I have redecorated the whole

upstairs of my

> house (I hired a

> neighbor to paint it for me though), I have moved furniture, gone

miniature

> golfing, went on a 4 day trip to L.A. a year ago, started walking

10 blocks a

> day, and take life one day at a time

> Since starting Enbrel, I no longer have flares, I don't take my

job

> seriously and don't sweat the small stuff, will start working out

more when the

> health club in my workplace opens up,

> am planning more trips and I want to start taking some on-line

courses.

> I didn't think I would be able to give myself injections, and it is

a little

> difficult to do, since I have such small hands, the only thing

that stinks

> is having to keep it refrigerated.

> BUT, I don't feel so bad. Diabetics have to keep their insulin

cold, and

> have to poke themselves many more times than I do.

> Take care,

> Becky

February 22, 2006

Stefani,

I just keep seeing this same theme over and over again, and I've

only been coming to this site for 4 or 5 months. I got sick quickly

after getting implants and after six months, I had them removed. I

would have had them removed even earlier than that if my husband

wasn't having a hard time accepting that it could be the implants.

I'm 3 months post explant and I'm still suffering from symptoms, but

getting well doesn't happen overnight. I've got joint swelling,

lymph node pain, numbness in the fingers, anxiety, fatigue. I

suddenly developed high blood pressure after I got implants, and

that went back to normal after explant.

My heart goes out to you. I don't know why the medical community

keeps sweeping this under the carpet, because we've all got the same

or similar symptoms, and they all started after getting implants.

Just go with your gut, and like you said, you've got nothing to lose

by getting them out. That's what I felt, too. I felt that if I

kept them in, I'd have a nervous breakdown.

Sis

>

> I have just joined, my name is Stephani. I had saline implants

in 1995. I became sick within months of implant with excessive

fatigue as the primary symptom. Soon after, my hair started falling

out at double its normal rate and never declined. Luckily, I have a

lot of hair or this hair loss would have been extremely visible.

>

> I saw umpteen doctors for years on end. I developed an odd

depression, and then flu symptoms set in. I started having an

intolerance to cold that is hard to explain, but upon getting cold I

couldn't warm up and would literally get ill and my fingers would

turn blue. There are a slew of other symptoms that it would take

too long to list.

>

> I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2001. Still, the hair loss

persists and my fatigue is the worst and most profound symptom. I

only yesterday started searching and wondering if it was my implants

causing all of this.

>

> I feel terrible, I've felt terrible for years, and I've been

told over and over and over that it can't be the implants. My

mother has asked me to get them out. She has a 'feeling' it's the

implants. She said I was healthy, hyper, vibrant and laughing

before I had them and now I'm: this. On an arsenal of drugs for

Lupus and still feeling like death.

>

> I'm getting them out. I have nothing to lose and everything to

gain. My husband doesn't want me to do it, he doesn't think it's

the implants. Any advice on what links or studies I should read and

forward to further this theory that it's implants? I need to prove

my case to him.

>

> I'd try anything at this point - a voodoo witch doctor if I

thought it would help! I had all of my mercury fillings removed

from my teeth trying that venue. I quit drinking any aspartame

trying that venue. I stopped drinking any sodas, and then tried a

high vitamin diet. Nothing works. I hired a psychic healer, I

chide you not, trying THAT unorthodoxed venue. Clearly, I'll have

no problem yanking out implants. I just want to feel better. I'm

operating at about 40 to 50% of normal energy and barely eeking by.

I can't work. I can hardly get out of bed. I used to be a cross

country runner, now crossing the room is difficult.

>

> My goals for a single day are getting my kids off to school, and

then saving what small amount of energy I have to handle the evening

routine and 'fake' normal. The depression from this lack of life is

epic, but I fight that too. I count my blessings, keeping a list by

my bed to remind me what I do have going well. Hopefully explant

will give me a longer list of blessings.

>

February 22, 2006

Welcome Stephani,

We've seen hundreds of women come through this group

with symptoms like yours . . . Coincidence? I think

not. The only thing they have in common is their

breast implants!

As you read through the messages and links, you'll see

for yourself. If you can get your husband to read

them, he will too. Some of our husbands have offered

to speak to other husbands.

I don't know what it will take to convince your

husband. You may have to do as Sis did . . . make the

arrangements then do it - with or without his

cooperation. It's not easy. But your health comes

first. The good news is that these husbands come

around when they see their wives get better.

Hugs and prayers,

Rogene

February 22, 2006

HI Stephani

And welcome to our group! You symptoms are so like what most of us

have experienced. And we have all heard the its not your implants

line too. As well as being told we aren't sick and it is stress,

panic attacks, or depression. I too developed that horrible cold

and raynauds and many many other symptoms--including the others you

mentioned. I had my implants out four years ago and am

significantly recovered. If you read this through this site, you

will find information discussing the ways that implants can set off

autoimmune disease. Basically the body can react to silicone in the

shell, or it can become toxic from the metals and chemicals used in

producing the shell such as platinum and toulene to name a few. Or

you can become sick because the valve was defective and pathogens

are setting up in the implants. We have had many ladies whose

implants were contaminated with mold/fungi. However, most doctors

will continue to insist that implants don't cause disease no matter

what. Your husband will come around. Many of the women here had

husbands who thought the same thing, but eventually came to believe

the implants were causing problems. Also, if you can go to one of

the recommended doctors on this site, they will reassure you as they

have explanted many many women for the same reason. The majority of

women who are explanted will experience improvement, if not a

complete return to health and that is a very strong support of the

implants being the cause of the symptoms. This support group is

excellent and we are all very supportive of each other and we would

be happy to help you anyway we can.

Kathy