Health Expert Brad shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/968433/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/968433/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/968433/index http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/152801/pr Wed, 09 May 2012 01:02:00 -0400 Brad Well, the simple answer is YES! With some shopping around and doing some investigating, you can stretch your rx dollars. Several years ago I went on Long Term Disability and SSDI which led me to Medicare. The first thing I found out was that I either had to stymie the flood of money going to my pharmacy, or acquire a taste for pet food in my new home under the bridge! We chose to cut back on rx spending!    One thing I would like to... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/152801/pr http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/151316/rh Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:53:00 -0400 Brad If you are anything like me, sleep comes hard with RA. I never had an issue with sleep until I was in my first full-blown RA flare and coincidentally or not, started treatment for RA at the same time.    I know many of the meds used for RA, some nearly universally, can cause sleep issues, Prednisone being the first to come to mind. Not that Pred needs any help with a bad rap, but as I started out for my first two years of... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/151316/rh http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/150408/ra Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:34:00 -0500 Brad February is the month for Love, Valantines Day brings out the best in couples, we share cards, flowers, candy, dinner out and maybe even more romance after dinner. I want to talk about the other months and days of the year though, the more mundane day to day, and to me, the more important kind of love.    Sure, Valentines Day is nice, we exchanged cards, I gave my wife some candy (so we could share it!) and a new cookbook she wanted (I... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/150408/ra http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/149134/br Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:49:00 -0500 Brad Hi guys! I've been AWOL for a couple of months, and have had quite an adventure!   It all started right around the end of October. I was off to a good start that day and had great intentions, I went to the YMCA and started my membership so I could use the pool and take their new chair yoga classes. When I got home I was feeling really good about myself so I decided to push it a bit.... A friend of mine had given me a small electric moped,... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/149134/br http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/145662/man Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:47:00 -0400 Brad You know, when Lene asked me to write a share post about Domestic Abuse.... I was a bit taken back. I wondered what would this have to do with RA and support? And, frankly, I knew nearly nothing about it. I was raised in a Christian household, I respect my Grandma, Mother, Sister and Wife and would never DREAM of injuring or attacking them. I would prefer to toss myself off a bridge than ever raise a hand to any woman. Just the thought..... I... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/145662/man http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/144747/ad Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:16:00 -0400 Brad I know some of you know I was recently in Washington DC advocating to Congress and the Senate for Research for RA and other Auto Immune diseases. The American College of Rheumatology asked me to go. I actually had never been to DC before, so to go and see some of the sites and meet Congressmen and Senators, not to mentiong speaking before them, was kind of a treat for me as well.   I arrived on a Sunday and we got right to work, lots of... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/144747/ad http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/144219/ho Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:40:00 -0400 Brad If you are anything like me, advancing RA stole away the hobbies I have loved for many, many years. I have been a woodworker and crafter for nearly 30 years, building everything from toys to an addition on our home. The DX of RA and the aggressiveness of my case, not to mention the depression that came with it all, caused me to shutter my work shop and leave it in moth balls for nearly a year. I poked around in it a bit now and then, but really... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/144219/ho http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/143131/man Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:47:00 -0400 Brad Hi guys! Breast feeding, lipstick and estrogen are all well and fine, but I am talking to the silent minority here, the MEN with RA!   I have been an avid woodworker for nearly 30 years. When I developed RA several years ago woodworking soon became very hard, and frankly, kind of dangerous as well. Painful, numb fingers, shaking from Pred and high powered stationary saws and whirling blades just do not mix well! I admit I was dealing with... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/143131/man http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/142463/pet Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:07:00 -0400 Brad I have always been a animal person, as long as I can remember I have loved all sorts of critters, I have had dogs, cats ,hamsters, mice, rats, raccoons, and birds as pets. My hands down #1 favorite always has been dogs. That's my current dog in the profile pic, the white and golden one, Myah. The black one is her best friend, Maggie. Myah was a rescue as many of my dogs have been, but little did I know they were all rescuing me a bit as... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/142463/pet http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/140486/co Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:24:00 -0400 Brad My PCP rx'd a manual wheelchair for me several years ago. My feet and ankles are a real mess from all this autoimmune fun! It's a light weight model that is pretty easy to fold up and put in my truck or my wife's van. This worked very well for me for year or so, but then my hands became so stiff and swollen that pushing myself in the chair became problematic to say the least. I hated to count on my wife to push me everywhere, so I started... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/968433/140486/co