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Posted 4/8/2007 9:28 AM (GMT 0)

Hi all my name is anne and i am fron queensland australia i have just found this site i am 68yrs young i have just been diagnoised with RA i have been told i must give up my tap dancing which i have done for many many years but this last week the pain in my knees has been so bad i was just about screaming with it i am on tramadol pain relief and ostoepanadol i also use a tens machine which gave me some relief but lately thepain has got worse it has now started in my fingers which now have knobbly lumps in them uggg i have always been very active and i find it hard to not be able to walk and dance this last week just thoght i would tell you all about myself take care

Posted 4/8/2007 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  goodday Anne!

 

i'm erin, glad to "meet" you.  i have RA as well...since i was 16 (now 26) and you're right, IT STINKS!

my empathy & sympathy for you with the RA diagnosis.  i feel for ya!  when the joints in my feet, ankles & then heels hurt, oh boy is it torture.

don't know if you have had them yet...but i wrap my ankles & heels in LidoDerm patches.  ever hear of them?  it's sorta like lidocaine & makes your feet numb. smurf it helps.  it is an RX though.

 

so wow....i bet you're quite the dancer!  good for you, i bet your great.  (i have a love of dance, all kinds) i was a dance major in college (for a year..hah!) but as you know yourself....i couldn't physically do it any longer due to the joints.

 

was it your doctor that said you MUST stop tap? because exercise is good for RA...as long as you know your limits & don't overuse & fatigue yourself & joints.

is there something very damaged that you have in your legs or something that called for the Dr to tell you to stop dance?

 

hmmm????  i can't believe someone would tell another to "stop" doing something!?!?!? my grandma (she's 83!) is a country western line dance choreographer (she was on the Grand ol Opry too! tongue )she had a looong battle w/ colon CA....well anyways, all growing up i would attend her classes (mostly women age 50 to well there's no limit as long as you're breathin'!) hah.  and there were quite a few ladies i met when i was first diagnosed who also had RA.  they said it actually helped the disease a lot....not only keeping the joints loose...but it keeps ya happy.

 

i had to give up a lot of loves myself.  i loved running...but now?....if i can go for a walk i'm thrilled with that.  so i do what i can when i can.  it is very very hard however when you can't keep up with what you were once accustomed to.

 

i hear that you have had a really painful week with your knees.  i don't know how much of what i say will help...but perhaps this is just a bad flare of RA right now, and after a few weeks off from tap, perhaps it will be better once the acute pain period has passed.

 

you come across as being fit & takes good care of oneself....i have a feeling you won't have to completely give up tap. :-) i'm by no means a clairvoyent, LOL...BUT I AM A  PISCES!....and have good intuition! tongue

with RA though, like many here on Healing Well will be sure to share with you....sometimes you have to cut-back on a lot of physical stuff.

we have a super nice (and inspirational as well) guy Craig here...he has RA too...and not only does he mountain bike....he is a skilled Unicylcelist as well!!!! tongue

and Ducky...our arthritis mod too...she hits the gym & can kick butt on the ellyptical.  YOU GO GIRL!

 

i am sure many others will relate to you.  everyone here is wonderful, kind and caring.  you'll get a lot of support, and great info on meds, treatment, etc...

do you know if you wil be starting any of the new meds for RA like Enbrel, Orencia, Humira?

 

yout take god care Anne

peace/love

erin

Posted 4/8/2007 8:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ann,
Welcome to the forum. I am with you on the fact thatRA is a real pain everywhere it hits. Exerise is good. I would do what I can do. I walk better than I stand but that does not stop me from trying to do it. Doctors don't know everything. Keep the faith and again welcome.
KodakPuppy
Posted 4/8/2007 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Ann! Welcome welcome welcome to the family! So glad to have you! Maybe your rheumy just wants you to take it easy on the tap, for now? Like Erin said, surprises me that he would tell you to give it up.. keeping those joints moving and limber is key with arthritis.. is hard sometimes, but is the best thing for ya! Well, I hope to see more of you on the boards! Hang in there.. Duck
Posted 4/9/2007 2:30 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome Ann,

We are so glade to have you.I sure hate to hear that you are having such a hard time with your RA.I can so relate to what you are going through.my dad has Ra as well and he is 68 and bless his heart,his finger and both thumbs are all curling up on him and it is a challange (sp)just to try and hold a cup of coffie.me my self my Ra is bad in my left hip and my hands I know longer can make a fist my hadns just want bend like they should any more and I can not open my finger out any more either and boy it's hard as you know to do simple things that people take for granted like holding a hair brush.I see that you are on tramadol for pain.Is this the only med you are on?If tou are on other meds for your RA can you please let us know what meds youare taking for the Ra.Is the tramadol helping with the pain?If not would your Doctor be willing to give you something else?I have several different typs of arthritis and I'm on humira and I am on Plaqunile and sulflazine(sp)and I am on Duragesic 50's pain patches and ocycodone for break through pain.I do hope that you get some relife from your pain.please know that you are welcome any time.
Posted 4/9/2007 3:01 AM (GMT 0)

hi all thank you all so much for your replies yes the doc says tap dancing because we use our heels a lot of the jarring is making the pain worse but i am keeping my line dancing up which is not so demanding when i get rid of this pain this week has been so awful i was nearly screaming last night with the pain in my knees but today it iis just a dull ache but i shall give the tap dancing up for a while just to se if it helps i have a tens machine which i had on all night in bed to try and ease the pain it sure is a terrible disease i never thought i would ever have this as i have always been active but there you are just goes to show it can hit anyone but once again thank you all for your kind replys

anne

Posted 4/9/2007 10:10 AM (GMT 0)

hi all jut a little bit about myself i live on the sunshine coast queensland australia with my husband of 51yrs married ( married young lol) we have 8 grandsons no granddaughters 14yrs ago i had cancer and had months of treatment re radiation and chemo so i think but not sure that this has left my bones very weak i have lost 2in in height over the years used to be 5f4in now 5ft 2in loli might be dissapearing lol tonight the pain has lessened somewhat where i can walk last night i was crying in agony with the pain i cannot believe how it can change from one day to the next then sometimes people look **** at you when you say you are in pain as they cannot see the pain luckly i have a great husband and daughter who look after me i shall keep up my line dancing as it is not as severe as tap dancing for the moment we go round all the hospics and old persons homes and do shows with the tap dancing it brings them some cheer into their lives and some of them are so sick at least i still have all my memory and can still get about some of the people we see are so sick it is a crying shame for them well friends all for now from aussie land

anne 

Posted 4/9/2007 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  anne, you're sweet!  we actually have a bunch of Aussies that write on HealingWell; i do hope you get to meet them here one day!  that was very nice of you to share w/ us about your hubby & family.

 

i wish i was in Australia right now!  IT'S FREEZIN' HERE!  cool

 

Posted 4/10/2007 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome Anne.......Don't give up on your dancing. Once you get stabalized on meds the exercise will help. It is hard to think about dancing when you feel poorly. I gave up dancing about two years ago because of RA and yesterday I did dance at an Easter brunch I went to. Well it was an Easter biker brunch at a Mexican restraunt/bar with a band. The bunny was a large white german sheppard with bunny ears. I was fine until a large woman who had toooooo many margaritas fell stepping on my foot. I got rid of one of my doctors because he told me to stop riding my bike. I told him that is one thing that is not negotiable. I have a new doctor who is great. He says I can do whatever I can tollerate. He is supportive. Wish you all the best. Keep us updated on how you are doing.......PS I quilt and I love Australian fabric. I have quite a bit in my stash..........
Posted 4/10/2007 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
tongue  Diva...you are 2 cool. lol...that was a great easter story.
Posted 4/11/2007 8:50 AM (GMT 0)

hi friends well i have had a terrible 2 days of pain my left leg has swollen to twice it's size and the pain is unbearable i took that many painkillers the other night i was violenty sick spewed them all back up ugg i phone the RA group here in australia they told me to phone the ruemy and tell them how bad it is so i did that and then the receptionist told me to go back to the GP and get him to fax the refferal through marked urgent medical treatment needed and i should be able to get in next week i am paying private and still having problems seeing the specialist i go to the gp tomorrow so we shall see i went to our chemist and he gave me a teblet dont know what but it has eased the pain but still swollen up this is a terrible terrible thing and i pity those people who have it worse than me janet the RA group moderator phone me tonight to see how i was she is really nice and she has sent me all the info on excercise and diet she says no dancing until the swelling goes down and she has advised me just to keep up my line dancing which i love anyway and just to take short walks i usually walk 1hr every day with the dog so my chemist gave me a walking stick today lol he is lovely until i get sorted out lol well friends take care of yourself and laugh if we can lol tongue tongue tongue

anne

Posted 4/11/2007 2:01 PM (GMT 0)
sad  anne!  ((((((((((((((((( hugs )))))))))))))))))))))) sad

jeez-louise this is terrible isn't it?  i read your post & i really said "oh my God" right out loud because i really REALLY relate to you & empathize with the painful swelling in the legs.  it is probably the WORST pain next to throbbing joint pain.

what i do that "helps" the really bad swelling of the legs is i just keep both legs elevated with 2 soft bed pillows under my whole leg.  it takes about 2 to 4 hours for some swelling to go down, but the elevation does help.  i also have a few ice bags on them at that time as well...which helps a lot.

 

have you any Prednisone? or a SoluMedrol steroid pack?  you should really have them on hand, it would make a big difference right now for you if you had them.  it would relieve you of some misery & help you through this bad RA phase.

 

Anne?....are you seeing a rheummy right now?  or do you have to wait to get in for your appointment?  i couldn't quite make out if you were already seeing one or if thisis the doc you're waiting to see, the one you called & they're trying to put you in as urgent care.

 

oh wow, i do hope soon.  i am so, so sorry. this too shall pass, you hang in there anne. 

 

can you take any ADVIL? IBUPROFEN?  those help RA better than tylenol does most times, that is ofcourse only if you can stomach NSAIDS.  there is a painkiller that is OTC & ya might find it at the pharmy....it's called PERCOGESIC.  it is a wee bit stronger than acetominophen (tylenol)...i use that very often.

 

keep off of those legs!!!!! nono ...that's an order!!!! tongue LOL

rest well anne, & yeah...keep laughing when possible.  oh....if you're in need of some Cinema Therapy (GREAT DISTRACTION from pain....i depend on it!) i suggest:  BORAT....THE FULL MONTY....TALLEDEGA NIGHTS RICKY BOBBY....if you get HBO on demand THE WOMEN OF THE NIGHT {1987} is palying (Paula Poundstone, Rita Rudner, Judy Tanuda, Ellen Degeneres) it was hysterical; THE PRODUCERS (the new one...it was really really top-notch for a do-over, i enjoyed it better than the original) HAROLD & KUMAR GO TO WHITECASTLE (Ducky our Mod...we LOVE this one, tongue it's a common bond, LOL)

 

peace/love

erin

Posted 4/11/2007 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
tee hee hee "battle**its" tee hee hee
Posted 4/12/2007 8:13 AM (GMT 0)
tongue  OY!  YOU SUNK MY BATTLE crap..!!!!! :-) :-) LOL
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