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Thursday, November, 12, 2009
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An RA Beginner’s Guide: How to Manage Medication Side Effects

Lene  Andersen
Lene  Andersen
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Lene Andersen is wondering how to clone herself

Lene Andersen is a writer and photographer living in Toronto,...

Lene Andersen

Tuesday, September 02, 2008
View All of Lene Andersen's Posts
This post is the first in a series of Beginner's Guide to Rheumatoid Arthritis by Lene Andersen. Have a topic you'd like to see covered? Leave it in a comment!     The average person farts about 14 times a day. If you are on a medication for RA, you can probably double that.   Dr...
  1. Beginners guide by Lene A
    Goodeggslightlycracked
    Thursday, September 04, 2008 at 06:39 PM

    Hi Lene,

       thanks for the information....just want to add a personal note...I am learning to watch upcoming weather.  I have found that a sudden change in air temps, or upcoming rain (in a day or two) usually results in my hands and knees hurting. I try to get as much accomplished in between those times (within reason of course) so I can allow for some down time when the pain hits.  Mel

    Reply
    re: Beginners guide by Lene A
    Lene Andersen
    Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:39 AM

    That's definitely a factor, too.  Good tip!

    Reply
  2. side effects
    Anonymous
    Tuesday, September 09, 2008 at 01:28 PM

    The article is realy very good. As a long time patient, I still found the remimders about certain "pitfalls" helpful. Carry on !!

    Reply
  3. Hahahahahaha!
    AmyAria
    Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 08:49 PM

    Ha!  ...fart!  ...HAHAHAHAHAHA!!  Oh dear lord I think I never matured past 10!  Seriously though, I appreciate getting the nitty gritty on some of this stuff.  Again, not normal fodder, but I need to know so I don't think I have some rare butt exploding disease on top of everything else... when it's only just the fish oil or something.  Thanks as always for keeping it real. 

    Reply
    re: Hahahahahaha!
    Lene Andersen
    Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:40 AM

    But if you don't laugh about it, you'd be sdo mortified, you'd never leave the house.

     

    Besides.  Farts are funny!

    Reply
  4. Thanks Lene
    Lindsey
    Monday, September 22, 2008 at 12:45 AM

    It is refreshing to hear it all spelt out so boldly and broadly.  Loved it.  I'm off to get more grapefruit juice and garlic.  I'll try anything that might help.  Yell Lindsey :)

    Reply
    re: Thanks Lene
    Lene Andersen
    Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:42 AM

    Thanks much! 

     

    Just one thing - Pineapple juice, not grapefruit juice.  Probably have the same amount of vitamin C, but if you're looking for the anti-inflammatory effect for your sinuses, go for pineapple.

    Reply
    re: re: Thanks Lene
    lindsey
    Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 08:56 AM

    oooops!! thanx

    Reply
  5. one other suggestion re: sinus trouble
    Ellen
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 09:23 AM

    Hi - just want to add one suggestion to avoid sinus trouble (my main difficulty with Enbrel!)  You can purchase a  small nasal spray bottle of sterile saline. The best one in my opinion is "OCEAN", recommended both by a GP and an allergist I know.  The generic one "Premier" sold by our local drug store chain does not spray as well.  The allergist's instructions were to spray 4 times in each nostril 4 times a day.  It REALLY HELPS!  Costs about $3.99 and lasts quite a while, depending on how often you use it.  I will forget for a while, until my body reminds me!

          I'll second Lene on the need for fiber, probiotics, cranberry juice and acid-reducer/suppressor. other stuff like bifidus).  I have had to take double the fiber every day that I used to do only occasionally.  My GI doctor recommended Benefiber, which can be stirred easily into cranberry juice.  I have a small glass every morning of either Northland or The Apple & Eve Cranberry juice, no sugar added - it's sweetened with other juices like apple & grape. It also goes well into milk, but not cider.   

         One brand of yogurt, Stoneygate, also has some soluble fiber added (inulin).  Don't know if it helps or not, but I love the yogurt, it has only half the sugar of Dannon (yuck!)

    Ellen

    Reply
    re: one other suggestion re: sinus trouble
    Lene Andersen
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 09:57 AM

    Thanks for the tip about the saline spray - much easier than snorting saltwater on a qtip! Smile

    Reply
    snort, snort!
    Ellen
    Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 10:16 AM

    I 'snorted' tap water on a paper towel in a public restroom once when I was stuffy but didn't have anything with me - it worked great!  (Probably because those brown paper towels are so unabsorbent... Wink

    Ellen

    Reply
  6. Taking garlic
    Anonymous
    Sunday, November 08, 2009 at 12:32 PM

    If you eat raw garlic with honey, or parsley, your breath wont smell. I am glad you mentioned the brain thing - I have recently gone onto methotrexate and have noticed I cant remember things - which is not me. And the sex thing - I have been on prednisone and chloroquin for 8 years, and my libido went to 0 - which caused lots of problems with my hubbie. I am menopausal and thought that was the problem. But it is the meds, and I suppose the fact that one sometimes wakes up in the morning in so much pain!

    Reply
    re: Taking garlic
    Lene Andersen
    Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 12:41 PM

    Thanks for the tip re: garlic breath! I knew about parsley, but not that honey helped, too.

     

    As for sex...  You're right. When you're not feeling well, the last thing you want is to be touched.  And if you don't feel terribly supported by your partner, you don't particularly want to get intimate with them, either. It sounds like your husband doesn't quite understand what's going on with you and how it affects your ability to be present in your relationship, so if you're having trouble communicating with each other, consider seeing a counselor, even short-term. Sometimes it helps to have a third neutral party there to work things out. You may also want to check out a post I wrote some time ago about love and sex with RA - one thing they never tell you is that sex is a fantastic painkiller. Smile

    Reply
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