Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms Don't Rule My Aud Life

Tha last time I officially worked outside my house, was in 1997. For the fist time in over 10 years, I went to work at the office yesterday, by 9:30 last night I was thinking I was nuts! I’m the mother of 2 busy girls, coordinator & cook of a bustling household, living with rheumatoid arthritis and now going to work.

I’ve been working from home off and on for the past few years and have found it to be a little hard to get a lot accomplished while in my house. The phone was ringing, laundry was calling me from the hamper, the dog wanted a walk, all the finicky, time consuming things seemed to be getting in the way and I was frustrated. I made the decision in August that I would move into my husband’s downtown office once the girls were back in school.

The office is a pretty relaxed atmosphere, casual and maybe a little too much fun; some of our johncow.com commercials are a little out there! We’re having a good time.

I’m hoping that it will be a good decision, my husband’s office is separate and we’re not on each other’s nerves, and I’m able to have 5 hours where I can focus on work and not have the phone ringing, doors knocking, cat and dog clamoring for attention and housework making me feel guilty! Being the procrastinator that I am, I’ll deal with it later!

The blessing of it is that when arthritis comes creeping I’m able to take the time that I need to rest and recuperate. Not a lot of arthritis people in the workplace can do that, either they need to grin and deal with it, or they need to find another job.

At the moment my RA isn’t in the way of my job, but how is it with you? Is your arthritis getting in the way of your career? How have you adapted? I’m all ears!

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A frustrating aspect of arthritis is the fact that what might work and relieve pain for one sufferer may not do the same for another. There is no one remedy for this condition, especially the auto immune disease Rheumatoid Arthritis. But many with osteo-arthritis have found chondroitin to be helpful.

Chrondroitin, along with glucosamine, plays a  part in normal, healthy cartilage. Also known as chondroitin sulfate (chondroitin with mineral salt), chondroitin sulfuric acid or chonsurical; it can be made from natural sources such as shark cartilage, pig or cow cartilage or it can synthetically be made in a laboratory.

Taken together with glucosamine can help restore the cartilage in the damaged joint, therefore possibly relieving pain for the sufferer. With fewer side effects than ibuprofen, this may be a good avenue to take for many arthritis patients.

Like glucosamine, chondroitin comes in tablet, capsule, liquid or powder and sometimes may be already combined as one form instead of taking them separately.

In the research that I have done on chondroitin there have been 2 sides, some sing it’s praises and some say it’s no better than a placebo.

Since I need to be on high amounts of blood thinners, I’ve been strongly advised not to take chondroitin because of possible interactions, but I would love to hear from someone who has experience with this supplement.

I’m very interested if anyone who has rheumatoid or osteo arthritis and has taken chondroitin and/or glucosamine and what they thought of it. Drop me a line!

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When it comes to rheumatoid arthritis, the main item on the table is the joints the disease affects. This auto immune disease attacks the body’s own tissues primarily in the lining of the joints and causes a lot of painful damage. Repairing the joint and maintaining healthy movement can be done through taking supplements of glucosamine.

Glucosamine, also called chitosamine, is a natural substance that is found in the covering of shellfish. It is simply a molecule containing glucose and can be in two forms, glucosamine sulphate (mineral salt) and N-acetyl-glucosamine (NAG). The body uses these glucose molecules to form larger molecules that aide in connective tissue and cartilage maintenance and repair.

The primary use for glucosamine is for arthritis; both osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. To treat the affected joints, reducing pain and inflammation and improving mobility. The secondary use is for preventative measures against arthritis or age related joint conditions. It is also helpful in quickening the recovery of a sprained or strained joint such as a finger, ankle or wrist.

Taking glucosamine for arthritis can be simply done by taking 1500mg daily and splitting it into three doses. Take it with food or it may upset your stomach and be prepared to take it for a long period of time. It may take 3 to 8 weeks before it starts to show signs of working. Generally, this supplement is safe to take with other supplements but always consult a qualified heath-care practitioner.

There have been no reported side effects aside from nausea if taken on empty stomach; but if you react negatively to shellfish you may not be able to take glucosamine because it is harvested from shellfish. This supplement comes in tablet, capsule, liquid or powder form and can be found at most pharmacies. Once again, before starting any new treatment for arthritis, be sure to consult your health care provider.

Next post I’ll chat about chondroitin, but for now I want to know what opinion is on glucosamine. Do you take it? Has it worked for you?

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When I was first diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2005, I didn’t know anyone else with this condition. I was overwhelmed, a bit frightened and felt very alone. I thought RA was a disease that only affected the elderly and had no idea how I was going to cope with it.

Immediately I started researching and educating myself, not only wanting to find relief from the pain but to understand why this was happening to me. I found that age has nothing to do with it which made me think that there may be others, my age and station in life, going through the same thing.

No one in my little corner of the world, except a neighbor I see occasionally while I’m walking the dog, is dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis pain. It wasn’t until I started getting involved in some forums that I found people in the same situation.  A whole new world opened up, there were people who really understood what it is like to live day to day with arthritis and Marfan’s Syndrome.

Living with chronic pain can make a person feel isolated, especially if they are the only one in their family and network of friends going through this. It’s comforting being able to ask questions, give advice and share what you’re going through. Somehow it seems to relieve some of the discomfort and it definitely helps with the stress.

I personally have had a lot of positive experiences with being involved in a few forums, coming away with a satisfaction of being a part of a community I can fully participate in! When I’m feeling down, maybe tired, in pain, or even if I’m having an amazing day, it’s a place I can unload.

What support do you have in dealing with your arthritis pain? Good experiences or bad? Let me know!

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Last summer, as I sat on the deck over looking Lake Superior, I saw a dark thick cloud bank rolling in from the west. It had been a beautiful clear and sunny day, but as I saw the new weather charging in, I knew pain was coming along with it.

Cooler temperatures and humidity are often not an arthritis sufferers friends. At least that’s the way it is for me; but that’s not always the case for others. Some claim the opposite, low pressure weather systems have a positive affect on their Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms.

Many tests and experiments have been made to find exact reasons for this cause and effect; and while there are definite implications, doctors note that it’s not the same results for everyone across the board and have no explanation as to why that is. Sunny, warm and clear skies which make me feel wonderful can have the opposite reaction to some one else suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

So what’s to be done? The best thing is to be well informed. Know your triggers and keep an eye on your environment. I myself, check the weather reports at least twice a day to see what’s coming up, and if I see some low pressure, cool weather approaching, I get ready for it.

Sometimes it’s as simple as keeping myself warm with extra clothes. Other times I need to take it easy and spend some quality time with my heating pad in bed. It definitely pays off to be well aware of what’s going on around me.

How does the weather affect your Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms?

To go off on a tangent… I thought I’d put some more pictures up from my vacation to Niagara Falls. It’s a great place to have a ton of fun!

The gentle belugas getting a snack at Marine Land.

“Mel Gibson” and I at the wax works museum.

Mr. Buffalo with a cracker stuck on his nose. He was not happy when my husband put it there!

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