flare

Yes, definitely. Stress is a major factor for me as well but now I am wondering if there are other things at play that affect us more than we are aware of. Im going to find a sun flare app for my phone after reading this article :)

I was diagnosed at 26 but I am much older now and I never used to subscribe to the weather or hot/cold theories that I have heard other people talk about but in the last 3 years I have noticed a definite difference with the change in the seasons or the barometer and its affect on how I feel. Usually this is after the fact. I realize I am feeling poorly and then I look at the barometer.

The way I deal with stress is I pray alot.. well, alot for me :) and it helps me a bunch with the stress factor. Just knowing that its ok and that things are out of my control and there is a plan and not only that but that it is a good plan with love, mercy, grace and faithfulness and all I need to do is trust in Him is a huge relief when I am burdened with things. I think one of the best things that any of us with stress issues can do is to meditate or pray on a regular basis.

This is an interesting article on the effect of the sun and RA.

http://www.pppl.gov/news/2015/06/researchers-correlate-incidences-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-giant-cell-arteritis-solar

I hope you feel better! -Don

Oh thats a good idea. I have tinitus as well so I need some noise when I go to sleep.

I listen to David Fairweather on YouTube. He has a great one on progressive relaxation to fall asleep by. He has several others for stress and anxiety.

I find cold weather triggers more grunts and groans for me too.

I agree with you Beth. For years I tried to find the magic variable that leads to increases in flares and through all of the diet changes, exercise, stopping smoking, etc etc and I have come to the conclusion that none of them seem to have any long lasting affect. For me this opens a can of worms.

I think that cumulatively these changes are good certainly in my case for overall health but so far as having an effect on my RA? No, not really.

RA was for years the catch all diagnosis for people who had immune and inflammation diseases even when the markers would turn up negative. These days there are all kinds of people claiming to be able to put it into remission via diet changes and treating leaky gut syndrome. I have a few issues with this, I think that there very well may be many people who find relief via this route but I really wonder if they were ever correctly diagnosed.

The reason I wonder this is because many of the symptoms of RA are the same as the common flu or infection. Also, if this is somehow gut related then that would mean that something in our diets collectively has changed causing the gut to become "leaky" in certain people and affect the joints and immune system. If this is the case then how does that explain my father and grandfather, and great grandfather all having this disease? Surely their diet was "healthier" from the standpoint of foods that are not full of preservatives etc yet they too developed RA in their 20's just like me. If anything their diets were worse IMO. They certainly had access to far less healthy foods just do the the geographic availability of them and storage issues.

Ultimately, I think the immune system is incredibly complex and that medicine today has a very elementary grasp of how it all works. Most Doctors can't even explain to you how a T cell blocker works outside the tract literature that is provided to them. This is concerning for someone who is entrusted to treat and care for the sick. I don't blame them for this I just think it exemplifies the complexity of the body and how it works.

Sorry for the rant Im done now. :)

As far as the sides affected I don't seem to have a worse side. My right hand is the worst of all but my left knee is bad too. Other than that my right foot seems to be worse than the left but all my joints ache. The achyness doesn't seem to play favorites. It just likes them all.

Hope you are doing well. -Don

Don,
Most people who give me unsolicited advice about how to treat my RA or my husband's PCA give me diet change advice. I try to be nice about their concern, but it does get annoying. I told my husband that if I ate or didn't eat what everyone recommended I would be living off turmeric and water LOL!

Lavendar,
A trip to the rheumy certainly couldn't hurt.
Beth