Rheumatoid Arthritis

[mdmc]

http://www.arthritis.org/
http://community.arthritis.org/community/raconnect.htm

Please join me in collecting information regarding the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

[mdmc]

1. Biologics for Rheumatoid Arthritis: No Cure-all

Biologic Therapies Ease but Don't Eliminate RA Symptoms, Study Says

http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/news/20090501/biologics-for-rheumatoid-arthritis-no-cure-all_?src=RSS_PUBLIC
May 1, 2009 -- Biologic therapies often prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis do help improve symptoms but don't eliminate them, according to a new study.
snip
The findings suggest that RA patients' medical needs are not being totally met, Tang says. Centocor supported the study.
snip
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Beyond Medications
In addition to medication, Tang says, RA patients can pay attention to lifestyle habits. Exercising regularly and not smoking are both good measures, he says.

Zashin agrees. Among the specific suggestions he gives his RA patients to reduce pain, stiffness, fatigue, and other symptoms:

Get enough sleep. The hours needed will vary from patient to patient, but he tells patients to get enough sleep so they wake up feeling refreshed.
Do aerobic exercise for 30 minutes five days a week. Walking and swimming are two good choices.
Control stress in your life. Meditation is one way.
Be open to alternative treatments. For example, in patients with RA who also have osteoarthritis, the "wear-and-tear" form, Zashin says he has had success using acupuncture treatments.

[Warpy]

5. I would be very careful about those alternative treatments

that are "proven" by anecdote and not evidence. People with autoimmune diseases prone to exacerbation and remission are prime suckers for snake oil and the snake oil salesmen know this.

That doesn't mean that some have merit, like meditation and acupuncture. Eating a decent diet certainly doesn't hurt. Yoga can preserve flexibility.

Just beware of men pushing herbs and extracts of various things.

[Maru Kitteh]

21. And then there is the fact that "fake" accupuncture is just as tasty as the real thing.

http://www.livescience.com/health/090120-acupuncture-placebo.html

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/acupuncture-real-or-fake-eases-pain/


Interesting stuff.

[revolution breeze]

22. Acupuncture is great

I go twice a week for help with general pain management, as well as to help relieve tension.

[LibertyorDeath]

2. Hi mdmc

Thanks for this. I was recently diagnosed with RA
I've had 3 bad flares in the last 6 weeks.
The only thing that has helped so far is Prednisone
and my families care & support.

The debilitating pain of RA is hard to come to terms with
and even harder for those around you to understand.

I know prednisone has many negative side effects but until
I get my hands on some Enbrel it gets me functional
so I can live my life.

Thanks for the links I stumbled across this site has some great info and a a good RA discussion group.
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Rheumatoid-Arthritis/support-group


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prednisone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enbrel

[mdmc]

3. Good to hear from you

I am looking into enbrel injections as well.

I am looking to loose 30 pounds because the fat stresses out the old knees..
I've also been taking fish oil supplements. No harm, right?

Thanks for those links..

[mopinko]

4. i have a friend on embrel

that he says has saved his life. :shrug:

[mdmc]

11. I should be starting it tomorrow!

:toast:
(and finally)!

[mdmc]

6. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sex

http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/features/rheumatoid-arthritis-and-sex?ecd=wnl_rhu_052209&em=bWljaGFlbG1jY2FydmlsbGVAeWFob28uY29t

"The good news," says Ava Cadell, PhD, "is that being intimate will take your mind off of everything else -- including your arthritis." Cadell is a clinical sexologist based in Los Angeles. "There is scientific evidence," she says, "that when you have an orgasm, you release morphine-like, feel-good chemicals that override the pain. Sex is the best prescription for good health."

[mdmc]

7. Rheumatoid arthritis, cannabis based medicine eases pain and suppresses disease

The first study to use a cannabis-based medicine (CBM) for treating rheumatoid arthritis has found that it has a significant effect on easing pain and on suppressing the disease.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/33376.php

Writing in the medical journal Rheumatology <1>, the researchers say that although the differences were small and variable in the group of 56 patients they studied, the results are statistically significant and a larger trial is needed to investigate in more detail the effects of CBM on the disease which affects approximately 600,000 people in the UK (1 in 100 of the population).<2>

[mdmc]

8. Smoking Boosts Genetic Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Geriatrics/Arthritis/14577

SAN FRANCISCO, June 5 -- Smoking seems to strongly increase rheumatoid arthritis risk among individuals with genetic susceptibility to the disease, researchers found.
snip
Lundstrom's group noted several hypotheses for how smoking might impact the immune system to increase rheumatoid arthritis risk but noted that they could not rule out a purely genetic association with genes that influence smoking behavior.

[mdmc]

9. Hydrangea Root Shows Promise In Treating Autoimmune Disorders

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152822.php

US researchers found that a drug made from the root of the hydrangea plant, which has for centuries been used in Chinese medicine, showed promising results in treating autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, eczema and psoriasis.

The study was the work of researchers from the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Immune Disease Institute at Children's Hospital Boston (PCMM/IDI), together with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and is published in the 5 June issue of the journal Science.

An exciting new area in the field of autoimmune disease research is learning about the role of a particular immune system cell called the T helper 17 (Th17) which is genetically different from other types of CD4+ T cell like the Th1, Th2 and T-regulatory cells and appears to play a unique role in the part of the immune system that causes harm when it over-reacts.

The immune system is a complex of delicately balanced "seek and destroy" systems that recognize when something is wrong in the body and then trigger a response to repair the damage or eliminate foreign agents. However, when this delicate balance is disturbed, the responses switch on when there is nothing wrong, causing the immune system essentially to "attack" healthy tissue.

[mdmc]

10. Chinese Herb May Treat Autoimmune Diseases

http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/news/20090604/chinese-herb-may-treat-autoimmune-diseases?src=RSS_PUBLIC

June 4, 2009 -- A drug derived from an herb used in Chinese medicine for 2,000 years is the first to target specific cells that are overactive in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other autoimmune diseases.

The ancient herb is chang shan, from the root of the blue evergreen hydrangea. It's been used in Chinese medicine to reduce fever and fight malaria.

The herb's active compound, febrifugine, is too toxic for use as a modern drug. In the 1960s, U.S. Army scientists created a febrifugine derivative called halofuginone as a possible malaria drug, but further study was soon discontinued.

More recently, halofuginone was found to reduce skin collagen and was tested as a possible treatment for scleroderma. But until now, nobody knew how the drug worked.

[mdmc]

12. embrel co-pay support

http://www.enbrel.com/support-services/get-started.jsp
Program provides up to $750 of assistance per patient per month for months 1-12. For patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, who are first starting ENBREL, program provides up to $1,500 per patient per month for months 1-3.

Patient is responsible for costs above these amounts.

Financial support is available to you each time you fill your ENBREL prescription and you may renew your participation in the ENBREL Support™ co-pay program every 12 months.

[mdmc]

13. I've had a cold for 3 weeks now

these RA meds have beat my immune system down fierce! I stopped taking my meds last week but I am still sick.

[Warpy]

14. Go to your doc

A typical cold lasts about a week. A prolonged cold has probably turned into a bacterial infection.

The only way for us to shake those is to take antibiotics. Just don't forget the yogurt with live cultures while you're taking them.

[mdmc]

15. I did go on Thurs my friend

he just said "bad cold" + RA meds = never get better.
I had to stop my RA meds..

[masshole]

16. Same here

My "cold" turned into bronchitis and an unspecified ear & sinus infection. A week of Doxycycline had no effect. Stayed on the Prednisone but Doc said to quit the Methotrexate until antibiotics were done. Five days of Zithromax seems to have worked, I feel 100% better (chest congestion almost gone). Re-starting the Methotrexate tommorow night.

[mdmc]

17. good to hear that you feel better now..

i was able to fight off the cold after one week off of my meds..

[mdmc]

18. My 2010 goal

avoiding becoming disabled. My RA has locked up my right elbow, and I can no longer straighten my right arm out. My right shoulder is having "locked shoulder" type pains and it makes it very painful to lift my arm or to use my arm in the least bit..

[Pithlet]

19. Kicking this because I'm facing a likely dx soon.

I can't get into the Rheumy until October but my ortho took one look at the red swollen joints of my fingers and asked if anyone in my famiily had RA (my father does) and referred me. I've since developed a nasty resistant case of nodular episcleritis in my eye, which my opthomologist also says can be related to RA , so I have a feeling it's only a matter of time. AT this time, being a newbie i don't have a whole lot or resouces yet, but wanted to drop in and say hi. I'm pretty nervous about what's ahead.

[Warpy]

20. First, don't panic

because if they find out that's what you've got, they're much better at controlling it now than they were even ten years ago. It no longer means a fast trip to a wheel chair the way it once did. In addition, it's one of those diseases that has a fairly extensive research grant budget, so new things are always coming down the pipeline.

The down side is just knowing there's something else you're going to have to take care of and that the consequences of not doing so can be severe. It's a pain in the ass. All chronic illness is a pain in the ass.

[mdmc]

23. All chronic illness is a pain in the ass.

sho'nough warpy..