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Rheumatoid arthritis and exercise – or ‘why I go to the gym so much’

by admin on May 13, 2012

If you’ve read much of this blog, you’ll know that rheumatoid arthritis is a very painful condition.  The pain can wax and wane, but for those with moderate to severe disease, the pain is pretty much always there.  Just walking causes pain.  So it seems counterproductive to exercise. But exercise is highly recommended for those [...]

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Methotrexate for Rheumatoid Arthritis and the side effects

by admin on May 11, 2012

Today is post methotrexate day.  The day after I take my methotrexate dose, to treat my rheumatoid arthritis.  I take it just before bed, as advised by many who know the effects only too well, so that I can sleep through the initial side effects. Unfortunately the side effects are severe, and they persist well [...]

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Sjogren’s Syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis

April 30, 2012

For the last few months my eyes have been feeling gritty and dry from time to time.  Every few weeks I wake up with puffy eyes, the whites all bloodshot and an inflamed.  They hurt, especially in bright light.  It looks like a bad allergic reaction.  Or maybe I’ve been sobbing uncontrollably for the last [...]

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Prednisone – when the side effects start to outweigh the benefits

April 24, 2012

Prednisone is like that sweet talking bad boy that you keep going back to even though you know he is going to break your heart. I’ve been on 25mg of prednisone for a week now.  So for the last five days I’ve been on a pain holiday.  Let me be clear though  – I haven’t [...]

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The Perils of Prednisone – Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

April 23, 2012

Prednisone is a magic bullet.  It is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can make people feel very, very much better in a short period of time.  As little as two or three days. But there are consequences.  Side effects.  For more about prednisone and its side effects read this. I have been in pain now for [...]

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Corticosteroids / Prednisone – Medications for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

April 23, 2012

Corticosteroids like prednisone have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.  In the 1950s, when they were first introduced as a treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) they were hailed as ‘a cure’.  Unfortunately this conclusion was seriously premature, as it became very apparent, very quickly, that prednisone causes serious adverse events and side effects, especially with prolonged use and/or [...]

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Treatment Choices in Rheumatoid Arthritis – not much choice at all

April 19, 2012

I saw my Rheumatologist last week.  As is so often the case, I was having a really good day.  I had actually had a couple of good days.  My blood tests told a different story, however.  Not just in their inflammation markers, these quite often don’t correspond to how I’m feeling.  No, this time it [...]

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Raynaud’s syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis

April 16, 2012

Raynaud’s is a disorder of the blood vessels that supply the skin.  It usually affects the fingers and toes, but rarely also the tip of the nose, ears and lips. During an attack, the smaller arteries that supply the skin narrow and constrict, limiting blood supply to affected area. As a result the skin will [...]

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Rheumatoid arthritis treatments – adverse drug reactions

April 13, 2012

Drugs can be amazing, life restoring, magical things.  With rheumatoid arthritis, and similar diseases, drug treatments can give people their lives back.  The right combination of DMARDS can put them in remission and allow them to do the things they used to do.  Return them to whole. And then sometimes drugs can kill you.  Or [...]

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Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disfunction and Rheumatoid Arthritis

April 3, 2012

The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the bone at the side of your head (temporal bone).  To feel the joint, place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth.  The TMJ is a strong, flexible joint that allows us to move our jaw up and down and side [...]

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