probiotics supplement

Interesting comment and timely today - I didn't know that, howver, I was nauseous this morning, was thinking maybe because I delayed my Enbrel due to cuts on my hands that aren't healing very fast.  I have found that Enbrel slows down healing.  (Even if I use antibiotic cream.)  Then - I forgot to take my supplements this morning because I was cleaning up for my daughter coming to visit tonight... oh well!  Some I have with me - but not the probiotics!

     Once when I was desperate with all this dry, splitting skin in winter, I was also using Animax cream for our cat (combination antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory cream for veterinary use), I noticed my hands healed up faster.  It worked way good! and all I was doing was using my hands to apply it on the cat.  It says 'not for human use' but it sure worked well...

there are a couple really good greens for dry splitting skin so you don't have to resort to veterinary products. I once knew somebody who worked with their hands a lot and he got an excellent cream through a specialist hardware store (of course, I can't remember the name of the cream now, but it stands to reason that mechanics, etc., would have access to such a cream, so try asking at a hardware store). You may also try udder cream - yes, it is what it sounds like, cream for chapped udders - and it works wonders. People have been using it for decades and if you do a search in Google, I'm sure you find a place online. Again, my apologies, I know I've seen it online, but can't quite remember where. If it comes to me later, I'll leave you another message.

Hi Lene,

My husband has the same problem (even worse, because he doesn't  use gloves for washing dishes and I do, even shampooing my hair).  There are some really good products around, but nothing seems to help for very long.  I think mine must be again part of the RA and post-menopausal stuff.  My nails are also very thin and have always broken easily, although once I started guaifenesin tablets (for FM), it helped with that until this year.  (I seem to have more FM problems when the arthritis IS under control - as though, if one disease pathway is blocked, the problem pops out in another way.  I also think it might be related to some version of Sjogren's - I have had dry eyes in the past, and a tendency to dry mouth now, though not extreme unless aggravated by meds.  I've got low bone density - have for years, my GP couldn't figure out why at my age (I don't smoke, and don't drink a lot of caffeine), but I read how there is an inflammatory process at the cell level that contributes to osteoporosis, plus an allergist told me I have 'atopic dermatitis.'  So - that's why I was so interested that a product that was both antibiotic/antifungal/antiinflammatory helped!  They probably do make something similar for people....  I just haven't gotten around to asking about it.

     I know that there's a lot being said about Vitamin D deficiencies for all of this - but I even had Vitamin D testing done (for a different reason), and even though I'd cut out most dietary & supplementary Vitamin D for a month, my levels were NORMAL. Puzzling, huh?   My bone density went down FASTER when I added vitamin D to the calcium supplement I was already taking.  (There's a group headed by Trevor Marshall that believes that autoimmunity is fostered by TOO MUCH D rather than too little, or the wrong kind, or wrong ratio.  That's what I was testing for, but cutting out the dietary D.  But my D ratio was good, as well, so I didn't pursue that further.)

    Well, I have gotten far off track as usual ... thanks for writing!  I would love to know what greens might be best, certainly can't hurt!

Ellen

I shouldn't show up at work until after my second cup of tea for the morning. Because I forgot about something obvious about the dryness. In my experience, the Biologics dry you out so much that you're dusty. I've always drunk a lot of water during the day, but after I started the Biologics, my water intake increased by about a liter and a half or more a day (I'm now up to about 4L daily), I use saline eyedrops 3-4 times a day because my eyes are really dry (again, from the Biologics) and although I've finally found a pretty good moisturizer (Aveeno), my skin remains dry - although less dry than it was in the past. It's not RA, it's Enbrel. Another thing I found with Enbrel was that it seemed to aggravate my fibro - my muscle spasms became even more pronounced and I eventually had to switch to Humira because of it. Your fibro may have something to do with that - have you noticed that it's worse in the days following your shot?

What do you mean about greens - was that in relation to vitamin D?

hi Lene,

I didn't know that the biologics would aggravate the dryness.  But that would explain the increased problem I've had.  I am trying to be more careful about fluids anyway,  because it helps in metabolizing Celebrex and other stuff without causing nausea etc (I forgot last night when i took the cyclobenzaprine, to eat/drink something with it, and had to get up 10 minutes later and drink some milk - with my fiber, with I'd ALSO forgotten (drain/brain!)

And, YES, definitely, about 2 years ago, I began to notice that I was actually MORE tired and achy the day after doing the Enbrel shot.  I even reported it to Enliven Services.  I began to play around with the time between shots to see if it was actually doing that.  Since I was off Enbrel for longer periods of time in 2008, the problem went away.  I then noticed a different problem : if I waited too long to do the shot, then I'd emotionally kind of collapse when it actually took effect, and have a melt-down (poor husband!).  Then I tried to watch and guard against that. 

I was off Enbrel 8 weeks total for the first surgery; 2.5 weeks for the second (didn't have the reserve, couldnt' stand to wait more than a week after carpal tunnel surgery, because I hadn't been back on the full dose for too long) and then 2 weeks (I think) for the screw "hardware" removal in November.  So I'm only just beginning to get back to the problem of side effects.

      Did you ever have a rash on your legs from Enbrel?  I have thisrecurring itchy bumps/hair follicles - folliculitis? on one of my legs, and it's been there most of the last couple fo years.  Periodically I try antiobiotic cream.  It would go away then come back.  But even when I was off Enbrel for 8 weeks, it remained.  So I'm not really sure - first occured during summer and I thought it might be bug bite - then i thought it might be impetigo.  The dermatology nurse I saw once for a skin check didn't even notice (I think she basically looks for cancer).  So - I don't know, I just try to keep from scratching too much!  If it is bacterial, I sure don't want it to go deeper!

Ellen

I had rashes all over with Enbrel - the itchiest things I've ever experienced.  Started on my ankle and elbow, got much worse with sun exposure (so sunblock is better than sun screen) and often happened where my clothes were rubbing against the skin.  I didn't care because for a long time, the benefits of Enbrel more than outweighed a bit of itch (OK, so not a bit - wouldn't stop the itch until I'd drawn blood). They simmered down after a while when I switched to Humira - still have a few, but nothing like I had with Enbrel and nowhere near as itchy.  I'm pretty sure they're not bacterial - I've found that Enbrel and Humira really increased my histamine response (my allergies amd asthma increased, as well), but you might want to get your dermatologist to take a culture, just to be sure.  Steroid cream didn't work for me, but Bach's Rescue Remedy cream did - also comes in drop form to be used for stress and upset, avaialble at health food stores and on the net.

I'm glad to be finding this all out.  My allergies are actually (normally) very mild, the allergist could hardly find anything wrong (I wondered if I should have skipped the shot before I went for testing), but told me about the Ocean nasal spray which I'd already heard of, and forgotten about. That helps alot, as I've mentioned elsewhere. 

   Bach's rescue cream sounds familiar, I will check it out. We have a very good food co-op in the town I live in, and a "Nature's Storehouse" health store near where I work, so i will look there, or order on the internet.

   I am really curious - what problems did you have in switching to Humira, and was it because the Enbrel stopped working?  I am wondering if i will reach that stage at some point....

Oh now I get it - I think your creative speaker program gotcha on this one!

By the way, my husband uses Aveeno.  I grabbed one of his discarded bottles (he never goes all the way down to the last drop, and I'm a recycling nut!  So I've got it upsidedown in a drawer to get the last of it out - and then I forgot about it!

Gee, I was hoping there was some kind of veggie for dry skin - oh well!

Peace,

Ellen

yep!  It consistently interpreted "cream" as "dream" and I corrected them all... I thought.  Completely missed the green thing.  Sigh.

Computers save us work - and then make us work harder in a different way, nothing new under the sun!

Well, it keeps me on my toes...

and - it's Friday the 13th, which is always a good day for me.  Really!  Don't know why, but I noticed that a long time ago.  And then mydaughter was born on a Friday the 13th, no kidding! 

Maybe it's the everyone's expectation of something "bad" that makes me see all the good...  and it's when I take for granted something good (like health) that I notice the bad (RA) that I didn't really expect!

So - it's all in your perspective!

Blessings -
Ellen

PS - my daughter is coming to visit today with her fiance and I am so excited!  (I think she has the beginning of FM but hopefully she won't end up with RA!)

Now I eat yogurt virtually every day, sometimes Stonygate (it has extra soluble fiber) or Activia (helps prevent constipation) because my digestion seems to bog down, especially if I have a lot of protein/meat.  If you don't like yogurt, or have a problem with dairy, you can get the acidophilus tablets or capsules.  Try it and see if it's helpful.

Best wishes,

Ellen

hi ellen

thank you  i will give it a try!

joy

I think there may be a connection.  I was eating Activia a couple months ago for my digestive problems due to the medications, etc.  I have had RA for 23 years.  Suddenly my swelling stopped and I felt great. I could move my toes and fingers. I was able to discontinue my prednisone. Wow! Amazing. I thought I was in remission. It was the best I felt in 23 years.  But then I stopped eating the Activia (not associating the two) and I am back where I was before.  The Activia is the only thing I have changed. So I am going to start eating it again and see what happens.  I will let you know, but I am thinking there is a connection.

i just got align last week and i am going to start it i will let you know how i make out.

thanks

I will keep you informed on my progress too.   Good luck!