Wellness

[Moonchilde]

I know that I have osteoarthritis.

Many years ago, when I was just 21, I had preop labs for podiatric office surgery. My RA latex result came back so elevated that the podiatrist asked me if I had arthritis or if anyone in my family did; I said no, just osteoarthritis.  There is a history of severe osteoarthritis.

Through the years I have never felt as if I had something autoimmune going on regularly; there might have been 2-3 times where I wondered if I might have some type of minor flare, but this always disappeared within 48 hrs.

I’ve never felt like I had RA (whatever that feels like).  I do have some slightly bent fingertips but that’s it. 

If I asked my doctor to test, and if it came back positive, I’m not sure I’d gain anything. I take NSAIDs now. No one’s going to up me to opioids these days, that’s for darn sure. I seriousy doubt anyone would think I need a biologic, and I wouldn’t want to take one unless I really had to.

So if I pursue finding out whether I have RA, and I find I do have it, is anything likely to change in my everyday life? I would think no. Thinking I won’t bother, but wondered if those with RA are prescribed a third class of drug - more than NSAID, not yet biologic.

I don’t know whether to bother to pursue this or not. 

[151949]

There are many , many different NSAID available out there. From Aspirin & others availabe OTC to more potent ones only available  by Rx. However, though patients tend to feel that because these are sold OTC they are harmless, but that just is not so. They can cause kidney and liver failure, and often do. I have dialysed many patients who were in kidney failure due to taking NSAID drugs.They are not a good solution for over the long run. of course we all know opiods aren't either. The best way to treat arthritis is to stay at your best body weight and to exercise every day, even though your having pain, and have those knee , hip and other joints replaced as needed, so you can stay active.

[Desertdi]

If you don't have debilitating pain, I wouldn't pursue the subject.   At 21, you "may" have had childhood arthritis (possibly caused by rheumatic fever), which generally goes away with adulthood.    Mine continued, but my flares have diminished.    Exercise and maintaining weight have helped.

[Moonchilde]

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wrote:

If you don't have debilitating pain, I wouldn't pursue the subject.   At 21, you "may" have had childhood arthritis (possibly caused by rheumatic fever), which generally goes away with adulthood.    Mine continued, but my flares have diminished.    Exercise and maintaining weight have helped.

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Definitely have never had rheumatic fever. Not generally the kind of thing you wouldn’t know you had. No rheumatic heart issues. I was actually healthy as a horse at that age.

I’ve often wondered what else could have given me that high a reading, if I don’t have RA.  ETA: Just googled it and I’m still in the dark. Many autoimmune diseases listed as showing high RA latex results, and I have none of them. They say high test results usually indicate RA, lupus or Sjogren’s. Not me. The one autoimmune condition I do have is diabetes, and that is not mentioned in connection with RA latex, plus I wasn’t diagnosed with diabetes for another 40 years.

Oddly enough, weight loss (over the years and currently) has not helped any of my musculoskeletal pain, my blood pressure or my diabetes, or my osteoarthritis. Lucky me!

[piperbay]

@Moonchilde  I think if you pursued finding out if you had RA, the doctors would probably put you on Methotrexate.  That seems like the protocol since they wanted to prescribe that to my two friends who have RA.

I have osteoarthritis and I am also a person who hates to take any prescription unless absolutely necessary. I have gotten relief by taking Tart Cherry extract + Grape Seed extract.  Every drug we take comes with a price, meaning it will also have some kind of side effect, so I try to weigh that.

I have also read that Night Shade vegetables like tomates, potatoes and peppers should be avoided because they can cause iirritation with arthritis sufferers.   

[SilleeMee]

A diagnosis of RA usually means a life-long progressive condition that, without proper treatment and/or medication, can lead to a state of disability if that hasn't happened already. I have been diagnosed with the AI disease, scleroderma, which is another progressive disease that made me disabled. I had to change many things in my life, including diet, so that I could function partly normal...but still far from normal.

[Another new name Sue]

 If it were me, I would want to know what’s going on with my body. 

[Moonchilde]

I have never believed I have RA because I don’t have chronic symptoms that point to it, or active autoimmune issues. But I find it weird that I clearly had a high, OTT reaction in that test to the point the doctor was sure I had or would have it or that my family must have it, or another autoimmune disease, but no. From what I have read it’s possible to have a positive test with no autoimmune disease, but it’s rare.

I can ask my doctor for a test, but I’m thinking nothing much would be done about the findings anyway. These days, if you’re not immobile and/or screaming with pain, you’re just a problem your doctor doesn’t want. I’ll discuss it with him next month & see what he thinks.

Thanks for your input, @SilleeMee and @piperbay.

[GingerPeach]

@Moonchilde

You may want to look into low-dose naltrexone.  It's "low dose" specifically because in higher doses it is used for something completely different.

There are no side effects (except in the very beginning when you may have more vivid dreams).

Be aware that it does not cure anything, but when I first found out I had RA/PA I took this and it helped a lot for 7-8 years.

It is by doctor's prescription, and it is made in a compounding pharmacy.  It's not over the counter (at least, not yet).

The way it works is that, taken at bedtime, the low dosage blocks receptors in your brain in the early morning hours, thus causing your brain to increase your endorphin and enkephalin production, which helps regulate your immune response.

I'm considering taking it again.  I stopped after I'd been on methotrexate for a while, and the LDN seemed to not work as well, butI  am sick of the periodic blood draws you need for methotrexate.  I stopped taking methotrexate at Christmas and other than a bit of extra stiffness, I don't feel anything unbearable.  No follow-up testing is needed for LDN.

It's also rather inexpensive.

There's a whole website at lowdosenaltrexone.org 

Edited to add that my rheumatologist told me more and more of her patients are asking for LDN.  I was her first patient to ask for it.  

[Moonchilde]

@GingerPeach, thank you. After doing a google, I don’t think it’s something I would want to take, but you never know. I’ll keep it in mind.