The minor aches and pains…

[Jennhere]

So, I still have the occassional flare.  Mainly in my fingers.  Not even my hands- just the fingers.  I also have an ongoing battle in my toes.  Not everyday, but when I do something like I did tonight..which was to clean my tub.  If I spend anytime standing on my tippy-toes or squishing up and down doing cleaning or whatever… my toes just scream “UNCLE!”  so loudly…

Should I just count my blessings?  Or is there a fork in this “road back”?  I would like to address the constant aches.  I want to win this battle.  What's next?

Jenn

[mkjuz]

[user=10]Jennhere[/user] wrote:

So, I still have the occassional flare.  Mainly in my fingers.  Not even my hands- just the fingers.  I also have an ongoing battle in my toes.  Not everyday, but when I do something like I did tonight..which was to clean my tub.  If I spend anytime standing on my tippy-toes or squishing up and down doing cleaning or whatever… my toes just scream “UNCLE!”  so loudly…

Should I just count my blessings?  Or is there a fork in this “road back”?  I would like to address the constant aches.  I want to win this battle.  What's next?

Jenn

You sound like me – you probably over did it with the cleaning! :doh:

Can you use a small plastic step stool to reach the high spots??  Its hard to adjust but try to use your open hand to clean, or why not break it up in to two weeks; tub one week, shower walls the next?  I would rather all of it get cleaned each week but I can only do so much or suffer for a day or two ~ and its just not worth it! 

I hope your feeling better tomorrow …

 

[bonnielou]

I don't know Jenn — I think I am a little like you. I am so close to normal — that I am working on the little problems. My right hand (thumb really) has been weak and painful. I have started lots of additional alternative therapies for that — both prolotherapy and acupuncture — why do I even care about this thumb when I feel so good in all other aspects?

Yes, it means I can't wash the dishes the way I used to, I have to be more careful using a can opener or opening a bottle or lifting a heavy pan out of the oven — but it's very manageable. I remember when my shoulders went out (my first real serious notice of RA). When I was in physical therapy I told my therapist I was going to get my shoulder back 100%. She said she didn't think that was realistic — 80 or 90% maybe — but not 100%. I didn't accept that answer — but she was close to right. I am not 100% better – -but I am 95% better — have better range of motion that any average person (but I used to do handstands in yoga — and I am not back there yet). When I see how other folks are struggling I get ashamed of myself that I am not satisfied and just dancing for joy with the health I have.

But I guess if I am going to be greedy for something — I'd rather it be greedy for good health than for anything else. I truly am grateful for where I am and I celebrate each day when I can get up out of bed, and bend down and pet the dog. I know I am fortunate to have found this therapy, to have found my disease early, to be able to afford the medicines and treatments, have great family support, etc. But I think it's okay to keep searching and working on wellness. It's that attitude that has carried us this far …

Bonnie Lou

Bonnie Lou
RA 02/07,AP 10/07
Minocycline 200mg MWF; Plaquenil 100mg 3 days/week
Fish Oil, Ubiquinol, Turmeric, Vit C (2 grams) , MultiVit, Magnesium, Astaxanthin, D3 (5000), probiotics and a daily dose of yoga!

[lynnie_sydney]

Jenn – I agree with bonnielou. This is a journey rather than a destination. You know I've had great results with AP. Yet I am still seeking greater wellness, somehow knowing that the condition is still lurking. That's why I decided to 'ramp it up' in 2008 and see if I could take another big step on this road. For me that has turned out to be primarily dietary. I am going to post in another thread some really interesting things I've discovered on the dietary changes so far. So, yes, count your blessings, relax and, from your much much improved state, dont stop seeking. Lynnie

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Pip]

Hey Jenn!

I've missed you!  As Palindromic – it will eventually just go away.  I agree with Lynnie tho – I think there is a greater wellness that we can get.  My last finger thing was months ago when I typed too much.  Nothing at all since.

Hugs,

Pip

[Jennhere]

Pip, that's very encouraging…!!:)

I've had kind of consistent aches and pains.  I don't know why.  I'll have a few weeks off, but this past months has been filled with achey days.

I'm in a stressful way with an impending move, a recent tooth infection requiring a week of Zith and the resulting yeast deal…

Maybe I'm having a little flare up and the past few months when I felt great make this seem worse than it is. 

But thanks, everyone, for reminding me that these days (even when they cluster into a week!) are just part of the journey… and I'm not at the end.  I keep forgetting that the road back doesn't have a final destination just yet.  Hopefully the docs will begin to take a better look into AP and offer up a definitive cure someday soon!

Jenn

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