THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

When I mention to someone that I have rheumatoid arthritis, they usually just hear the word "arthritis". Most people think that's just something that comes with age. Some people are unknowingly cruel and remark "can't you just take Tylenol?" Trying to further explain to someone the difference between arthritis-type diseases is often frustrating. So, I will do my best to explain some of the differences. However, the American Arthritis Foundation is the best source for information regarding arthritis and I urge anyone reading this blog to contact their local chapter.

Here is a partial list of the different types of arthritis. Some can be very debilitating while others are a nuisance. I'll start with osteoarthritis often referred to as "Uncle Arthur". This is wear-related arthritis that occurs as we age. It is also called degenerative arthritis because of its erosive effects on joints. One develops arthropathy (joint disease and pain) as the condition advances. There is loss of cartilage and some bone loss. Joints become enlarged, and bone spurs often develop. This is one of the main reasons for hip and knee replacements, although not everyone with arthritis will need surgery. Most osteoarthritis develops after age 70.

Other types of arthritis-type diseases are: psoriatic arthritis, spondylitis, gout, infectious arthritis, lyme disease, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, junior rheumatoid arthritis (which develops in children) and lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus and discoid lupus). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can damage joints and internal organs. It can be very disfiguring and causes swelling, inflammation, fatigue and pain. Symptoms come and go. Weather changes often aggravate symptoms. Lupus is a connective tissue-related disease, but it also affects joints causing pain and swelling. RA, lupus, Junior RA and psoriatic arthritis are all classified as autoimmune diseases. This means the body's immune system attacks itself. I like to refer to it as my body is allergic to itself. Hence, it tries to reject itself.

There are many treatments for these diseases, and more are on the horizon. In the meantime, one must trust their doctor in treating the most serious of these disease. I also take nutritional supplements and try to eat well. I do not drink alcohol and smoke. I see a chiropractor on a regular basis. In fact, check him out at www.yachterhealth.com. He has helped me tremendously with my general overall health. If you don't live in Florida, go to his website and ask for a recommendation in the area where you live. Dr. Yachter is a leading chiropractic physician who trains chiropractors around the country. You can also find him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Doc_Dan and he is also on Facebook at Yachter Family Chiropractic Center. He is there to answer questions about health and nutrition and how it relates to illness. You can play an active role in healing your body.

Currently, there is no cure for autoimmune diseases, but with proper nutrition, exercise, chiropractic adjustments and eliminating health-destroying habits, you can turn your health around. I am living proof of the results chiropractic care can offer. Currently, I do not take any anti-rheumatoid medications. With the help of Dr. Dan, I have learned how to eat better to improve my overall health, and of course, I have regular adjustments.

I hope this information has helped you. I will continue my blog about my own personal RA experiences, and I urge comments, suggestions and personal experiences that you may have had with RA or any of the many so-called "invisible diseases".

Invisible Illnesses.....

Nothing more need be said! Invisible illness. That IS rheumatoid arthritis. No one can see it, no one can feel it. Only the victim of this horrible illness knows that it exists. Until a person develops deformities in their joints, it is a subjective illness, unseen, unnoticeable to people who may see an RA victim park in a handicap parking spot, or get in someone's way while they're jogging, or take too long in line at a store. I personally have been bumped, pushed, knocked out of the way, and I have been given nasty looks for parking in a handicap spot. I look normal - maybe old to some, but pretty much normal. My insides, though, tell a different story. I hurt, I ache, I'm stiff, I'm sore........but still, I look normal to strangers. I was let go from my job with a message on my answering machine. I had had surgery to repair an elbow. I had a torn tendon most likely caused by excessive computer use on my job as a medical transcriptionist. As a result, I missed several weeks of work after my surgery. When I returned to my job, I wasn't fast enough. I was also given all new work types which slowed me down even further. Finally, I was let go. I was a burden to the department. My biggest mistake was telling them that I had rheumatoid arthritis. This is a permanent condition and they knew it. I tried to resign, but I was terminated before this could happen. Cruel? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely not. I am now on Social Security disability. I am pretty much unemployable because I would have to tell an employer what I have. That in itself would put me at the bottom of the list. So, I struggle. In this economy, it's not easy. I have difficulty paying my co-pays for the many physicians I have to visit. I am now having eye difficulties because of inflammation. I see perfectly fine. I just have red, dry eyes. They burn at night. I use a very expensive medication to treat them. All of this without a job. So, invisible illness is not so invisible after all. I hope to hear from others who suffer from conditions that make them unemployable or cause them problems on the job. I truly believe that people with invisible conditions can work just as well as anyone else. We can be very productive, and I hope the word gets out that we exist and that we matter. I'm almost to retirement age, but there are many many young people who have just begun their careers and they've developed an invisible condition.



My next blog will contain some web sites regarding invisible illnesses and groups who are helping to get the word out. Everyone is worth something!

Oh My Aching Bones, Part II

In August, 2001, I was being treated for carpal tunnel syndrome by a hand specialist. He had already given me two cortisone injections in each wrist to reduce unexplained swelling and pain that I was having. As he was examining my wrists, he announced that he wanted to do some blood work on me. He was concerned that I might have rheumatoid arthritis. I was shocked. No one in my family had ever had this disease. I knew unrelated people who had it, and of course, I had read about it in nursing school. But, in no way did I even remotely think that my aches and pains were RA.

So, I had the blood work done and a week later, the doctor told me it was positive for RA. He referred me to a rheumatologist. Thus began a long journey into the land of uncertainty. I had heard about the drugs used for treating autoimmune diseases and the side effects are frightening. However, my doctor started me on very low doses. He prescribed methotrexate and Plaquenil. Being the medical sleuth that I am, I researched the drugs. Methotrexate is a liver toxin and Plaquenil, although rarely, could cause eye damage. So, here I was with the decision, "should I risk destroying my liver and eyes?" I went ahead and tried the drugs hoping that my pain would go away. I figured it wouldn't hurt to give the drugs a chance.

It would be another 6 years before I realized that these medications weren't doing anything for me. In fact, my liver enzymes increased dramatically and I had to have a liver biopsy. At that point, I quit taking methotrexate. I also stopped the Plaquenil because my platelet count was dropping.

For most of my adult life, I have been a so-called "health nut". I use high-quality nutritional supplements and try to eat healthy. I avoid sugary foods and have stopped eating red meat. I use pharmaceutical-grade fish oil in large doses. Fish oil is an anti-inflammatory. I increased my intake of fruits that were high in antioxidants. I eat a lot of salad and always have a vegetable with dinner. I love sweet potatoes and carrots (high in antioxidants). I lost 25 pounds, which not only made my clothes fit better, but took a lot of pressure off of my hips and knees. I joined a water aerobics class sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation. Water is our friend, especially if you have any form of arthritis. The water cushions your joints while you exercise. It is difficult to hurt your joints in water, and it feels wonderful. Exercising in water helps build muscle which in turn helps support arthritic joints.

It has been 8 years since I was officially diagnosed with RA. In my next article, I will explain the differences between RA and OA. Both are painful, both can be debilitating, but both are as different as night and day when it comes to treatment options.

Oh My Aching Bones, Part I

In July, 1985, I had just started a new job working in the laboratory at a local hospital. It was an exciting job, something I truly enjoyed. I was a medical transcriptionist for two pathologists. I loved my job. I eventually went to nursing school as a direct result of working in the laboratory. I wanted to be part of the medical team. One day, however, I woke up feeling a little "stiff". When I placed one foot on the floor, then the other, I felt excruciating pain that I had never before experienced. My feet felt like they were on fire. I could barely walk to the bathroom to get ready for work. Every inch of my body hurt. I had severe neck pain. Since my job was new, I decided not to call in sick and hoped that this pain would go away.When I arrived at work, my boss was concerned about the way I was walking. She decided to run a few blood tests on me. Everything came back negative and the mystery continued. I didn't have a cold or flu. I didn't have a fever, sore throat, or runny nose. I just hurt all over. It would be years before I found out what I had, and for years, I went from doctor to doctor trying to find out what was causing my pain. I was prescribed antidepressants, high-dose anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, etc.), and I watched everything I ate. One doctor treated me like a drug addict looking for pain medicines. Unfortunately, the medical community labels people who go from doctor to doctor as drug addicts and hence, the term "drug-seeking" behavior was born. This just adds insult to injury. Doctors can certainly be cruel when they can't figure out what is wrong with a patient. Sometimes it's easier to label a patient than to research and find out what is really going on, especially if the patient appears to be otherwise healthy. And so, it would be another 16 years before I found out what was causing my pain, and an unlikely doctor would solve the puzzle.