Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms Don't Rule My Aud Life

Diving back into the topic of the autoimmune disease, Lupus, I’m going to talk about the diagnosis and treatment processes that are involved. Right now, there isn’t a single test that is used to diagnosed Lupus, it’s based on a combination of results of symptoms, blood work, and the patients medical history used to discover the abnormalities in the organ systems. Urinalysis and x-rays may also be ordered to make further confirmation. Specific tests that are relevant to the diagnosis of Lupus are sedimentation rate and CRP that are used to identify inflammation, an Antinuclear antibody test, and a Complement test to detect the presence of a specific antibody or antigen.

The severity of the symptoms of Lupus will determine the type of treatment. For inflammation control, NSAID’s (NonSteroidal AntiInflammatory Drugs) are commonly prescribed for a patient. Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARD’s), such as Plaquenil, is also a frequently prescribed medication to treat Lupus, along with immunosuppressants such as CellCept, cyclosprine and Imuran. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone are another option of treatment for Lupus.

As with other autoimmune diseases, there is no known cure as yet, but further tests of new treatments and discoveries are being performed and proven successful more and more each year.

So, as my title “Differences and Similarities between Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis” says, let’s take a quick over view of the differences and similarities. Similarities: both are autoimmune diseases with no known cure, both cause joint pain and inflammation, fatigue, inflammation affecting other organs. Treatments are similar as well with NSAID’s, DMARD’s and prednisone. Differences are mostly in the symptoms with Lupus revealing a possible tell-tale of a ‘butterfly-rash’ or malar rash on the cheeks and bridge of nose, a discoid rash- sores on the face, neck and chest, mouth sores or ulcers and a sensitivity reaction to sunlight (photosensitivity).

Before I end, something’s that I also didn’t realize before was that there 5 possible types of Lupus:

-the most common is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus involving multiple organs and the most serious

-Discoid Lupus Erythematosus involves only the skin, not other organs

-A drug induced Lupus is a reaction to specific prescription medications. The symptoms mimic SLE but it doesn’t influence the central nervous system or kidneys.

-Neonatal Lupus is an unusual disease which affects newborn babies.

-Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus seems more of a photosensitivity form of Lupus causing skin lesions to appear on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun.

One more thing, when I’ve had the privilege of meeting Mrs. Duncan, I’ve always made a point of reminding her of how much I appreciated her as a teacher and now I’ll have to tell her how much I understand the road she’s traveled, as we both live and SUCCEED with our autoimmune diseases.

Thank you Mrs. Duncan!

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When I was in second and third grade I had a wonderful teacher named Mrs. Duncan, she was a favorite and for a student who thought school was the bane of her existence, that is saying a whole lot! Just before Christmas of third grade, Mrs. Duncan became very ill and spent months away from school. We suddenly grew to appreciate her so much more when we met our naive, bland substitute teacher, who didn’t let us listen to music, read to us, or take us skating. School was once again torture and I spent most of the time day dreaming out the window.  A few weeks after Christmas break, the principal came in and told us that Mrs. Duncan had Lupus and would return as soon as she was well enough. Not understanding as an 8 year old, that word, Lupus, has always stuck in my mind and even to this day when I come across it I think of my fabulous teacher, Mrs. Duncan.

It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and began informing myself, that I became more familiar with what Lupus actually is. Short for systemic lupus erythematosus, Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which like RA, that can involve joints and organs. Like all autoimmune diseases, the body’s immune system begins to attack its own cells and connective tissue.  The actual reason a person contracts Lupus is still not completely understood but it is believed to involve genetic and environmental factors.

Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the symptoms between RA and Lupus, they are that similar. So let’s have a closer look at what Lupus symptoms commonly are.

The symptoms of Lupus vary but usually include a ‘butterfly-shaped’ rash that appears on the cheeks and across the bridge of the nose, pain and inflammation in joints, fatigue, hair loss, inflammation of the kidney (nephritis), discoid rash which is are scaly sores appearing on the chest, face and neck, sensitivity to light, mouth sores, fever, swollen glands and possible weight loss.

1.5 million Americans are estimated to have Lupus; women are 10 times more likely to be affected than men, and for some reason African or Asian  ethnic backgrounds have a higher risk of developing this disease than any other ethnic background. Though Lupus can occur at any age, even in newborns, disease most commonly occurs between the ages of 18 and 45 years old. 

In my next post I’ll be talking about the diagnosis and treatment process of Lupus is. Please feel free to share!

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I thought I would do a little research into the history of Rheumatoid Arthritis. I really enjoy history and since I have RA, why not combine the two! It goes back pretty far; farther than I thought it would. Some skeletal remains in what is now Tennessee that are dated back to 4500 BC have shown some signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis. So far, that’s been the earliest appearance of this condition.

The first documented appearance of Rheumatoid Arthritis comes much later in 123 AD in India. A text called the Caraka Samhita contains a description of what sounds like RA, painful joints in both hands and feet, eventually spreading to other areas of the body, there was also record of occasional fever and appetite loss.

Then we jump ahead to 1591 in France. A French physician, Guillaume de Baillou, wrote one of the first books on the arthritis disease. He uses the term “rheumatism” to give description to an ailment with inflammation, stiffness in muscles, and pain in the joints. “The whole body hurts, in some the face is flushed; pain is most severe around the joints, so that the slightest movement of the foot, hand or fingers causes a cry of pain…At night…the pain becomes more serious and the patient cannot sleep.”

A Peruvian bark containing quinine, an anti- malarial agent was being used in 1680 to treat the symptoms of rheumatism. Then in 1763, another bark was discovered to produce positive results in fighting the effects of rheumatism; willow bark contains salicylate, the main ingredient for aspirin. Are you still with me? Sorry, if you haven’t found this exciting- I love it!

The term Rheumatoid Arthritis wasn’t coined until a London physician, Sir Alfred Garrod, came up with it in 1859 and that was the start of RA being recorded in medical books and records. Before the 19^th century came to an end, joint replacement surgery had begun with a carbon steel screw and plates system developed by W.A. Lane, in 1893. The x-ray is developed in 1895 which allowed physicians to see actual damage and inflammation of an arthritis sufferer. Two years later, in 1897, aspirin is manufactured by the company Bayer, using the willow bark substance, discovered over a century before. It fast became known world wide as a standard treatment for pain and rheumatoid arthritis.

Turning the corner into the new twentieth century, gold shots became a form of therapy for this chronic condition. In 1927, gold salts began to be injected into patients periodically to relieve muscle pain, associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Two years later, in 1929, the first artificial hip joint was patented and in 1939, down in Melbourne Australia, Sir McFarlane Burnet introduced the first autoimmunity theory. This is the theory that antibodies cause the body’s immune system to malfunction and attack its own tissues. Almost 70 years later, this theory still holds true!

In the 1940’s Rheumatoid Arthritis gained more recognition with the 1941 American Rheumatism Association, and in 1946, the American Committee to Control Rheumatism is founded and two short years later the Arthritis Foundation begins. More important discoveries are uncovered in 1948; Drs. E.C. Kendall and Philip Hench show the world that steroid hormones can be used as therapeutic anti-inflammatory- they win the Nobel Prize! Still keeping with 1948, a discovery just as important is made known; a test is developed called the Rose-Waaler diagnostic test, which reveals the antibody known as the rheumatoid factor is found only in the blood of people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The next fifty years of the century saw many new treatments, procedures and surgeries discovered. Prednisone, a synthetic off shoot of cortisone is ushered in and begins the most popular oral cortisteroid medication, in 1955. Plaquenil is also introduced as the new anti-malarial drug used to put Rheumatoid Arthritis into remission (remember the Peruvian bark extract used in 1680? That’s the basis!)

There you have it; my little history research on Rheumatoid Arthritis. I would love it, if you could tell me more! Please do!

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I really do not have a tremendous amount of content today either in my blog or my stomach. Yesterday morning I awoke with a sore throat and painful joints, the painful joints are usual, but the throat thing was new. At the office I was chilled and not my usual happy self, but I forced myself to perk up for lunch because I was meeting two of my closest girlfriends for lunch at my favorite restaurant. I was hungry and figured that maybe that was my problem. But after lunch I knew there was more to this story.

On the way home I had to stop at my mother’s to use her bathroom, all that nice sesame crusted chicken and raspberry creme brule- gone in a flush! But I felt a little better and made it home in time for the girls coming in from school. I was able to finish preparing supper (good thing I started it the day before) but I couldn’t stand to look at it! And smells…gag! I was steam cleaning the living room when my husband came home because I could “smell” something in that room and I had to get rid of it! No body else could smell it- but I knew it was there!

My husband took the steam cleaner from my hands and guided me off to bed. I took my usual meds, plus some anti-nauseate pills and nodded off to sleep fairly early.

This morning was worse than the morning before with a pounding   head and joints a flaming. I was “Monster Mommy”, stumbling around and moaning like Frankenstein’s monster- I also noticed a similar green tinge to my skin as well! Putting lunches together, while trying not to barf, was my skilled talent for the day and I quickly bolted for the bathroom as soon as I could.

Three hours later, after crying “Why me?” to ‘Ralph’ on the gigantic porcelain phone I emerged and dragged myself to bed with a cold cloth and bowl to hug. After a few hours of sleep with nightmares of having my stomach given as an offering to the giant toilet god, I feel pretty good! Fever has broken and so far some water and cereal has been kept in place. My joints are very, very sore still and usually they stay painful for a few days until the virus is completely gone. But, hey!! I’m no longer staring down a toilet and that’s always a good thing.

I hope everyone else is germ free and enjoying their food!

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Wow, say that 5 times fast! Paying the pain price for peppers. On Saturday evening, our family went for dinner to our friends’ home and had a great time! Played board games, ‘rock band’, laughed and ate. I was having so much fun that I didn’t notice that the nachos had huge amounts of red peppers, an hour later my knuckles and elbows felt like each joint had been stung by bees, some of them even looked like it. Red bell peppers are one of the worst things I can eat regarding my Rheumatoid Arthritis, they trigger a flare up within minutes.

I know that I have talked about food triggers on past posts, but since it’s been a bother the past 48 hours I thought I’d chat about it again. I’m always amazed and sometimes bewildered by the human body and how one part will cause another part to react. What I’m talking about is the digestive system and inflammation of joints.

When I was first diagnosed with RA, a Nurse Practitioner advised me to stay away from night shade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, egg plant, paprika and red peppers. When I asked why, I was just told that they’re known to cause inflammation, but I wasn’t given any further explanation. I did notice that red peppers, shell fish and red meat made me feel a lot worse but it wasn’t until this past February that I found out the reason why. I was really sick this past winter, and decided to go to a Naturopath to give it a shot. She got out this chart and went through this whole lesson on how our body reacts to certain foods, and it made sense!

The point was our digestive system is crucial to our body’s good health, if we’re ingesting something we may have an allergic reaction to, our body’s going to react. I had always thought that an allergic reaction was a rash, a drippy nose or swelling of the eyelids, throat or lips, but there’s also fatigue, nausea, inflammation of joints, muscle pain and headaches as well, maybe even more symptoms.

Having an immune disease that attacks the body’s connective tissue, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, is going to cause it’s symptoms to escalate when the body encounters something it’s allergic to. To find out my food triggers, I went on a cleansing diet. Ugh! I NEVER want to have to do that again. I had to cut out sugar, caffeine, deliciousness, salt, anything worth while eating, wheat, eggs, corn, fun, dairy, taste, starch and happiness. It was the longest 4 weeks of my life, but I did it and then I was able to slowly re-introduce things back in, one by one to test which ones gave me trouble. I was so nervous with the sugar and caffeine and cried tears of joy when I didn’t react to them! Hallelujah! But, there was a black day when it came to red meat, no more tasty, marbled, prefectly grilled rib-eyes for this gal! But I can drown my sorrows in chocolate. The additions to my ‘bye bye’ list are red wine, shell fish and pork. Oh, and liver! (well, I didn’t really test it out, but I hate it so I’m putting it on there!)

Now I’ve been feeling a lot better since I’ve been avoiding my ‘bye bye’ foods as much as possible, unless they’re cleverly disguised in delicious nachos!

Have there been foods causing you grief? I’m interested to hear what they are, how you’ve discovered them and how you deal with it.

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