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Here's to Your Health:  Reactive Arthritis  |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 21 2006 : 5:34:01 PM
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Strange name, but it does exsist. I have it in my right ankle. It is not permanent like other arthritis, it is a reaction to an infection. On our last vacation in August I got a blister from hiking around, etc on my right heel. No big deal, had them before. It got slightly infected. I cleaned it with antiseptic, etc. but still got a bit of a swollan ankle around the ankle bone. It was like that for about a week - then the blister healed, the swelling went away and the pain was gone - end of story. Then about 4 weeks ago my right foot/ankle started to hurt when I stepped on it. Same place as where the swelling had been from the blister. It continued to get worse an by the end of each day my ankle around the bone would be swollen about the size of a large golf ball. So after "hobbling" around for a day or so, I went to the doctor. They x-rayed me, to make sure there was no infection in the bone, twisted my foot around to double check no spran, etc. What I found out is that Women have what they call a hot immune system. This is because we have babies and something to do with our thyroids - our immune system is a bit over effective. What happened is my immune system, cured the first infection so well, that it though it might have missed something and came back to the same spot and started basically attacking me. Pretty weird. The good thing is that this is treatable with 2 Aleve in the morning and at night. I am on the mend now and am dealing with slight swelling and tiny bit of pain. Should effentually go way in the next week or so. The weirdest stuff I have ever had.
Anne in Portland
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2006 : 5:59:34 PM
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Wow Anne!
Thanks for the information. I would never have guessed that a simple blister could cause so much! I hope you are feeling better soon.
Alee |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2006 : 08:24:40 AM
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gurlz .. the latest issue of AARP has a big article on Arthritis entitled: SORE NO MORE! Smart fixes for arthritis pain .. of course, it is all pretty 'main-stream' advice .. exercise, eating right, pain killers, etc. etc. .. but worth a read!
True Friends, Frannie
CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2006 : 09:43:31 AM
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This is really interesting to me Anne. I fell down the river embankment which gave way, back in June I think it t'was. You have no idea how I HATE hospitals! Anyway, all healed up (except for embarassment) and another adventure chalked up to experience. Now my elbow has flared up, four months later, in the same place I landed on it. It gets sore to the point I can barely lift a coffee cup when I've used it alot. Hmm...
Aleve is a great anti-inflamatory and pain reliever. Unfortunately, we can't get it here, but everytime someone crosses the border I get them to pick me up a bottle. We don't use alot of it, but it sure is nice to have when you do.
Take care, hope you're feeling better and thanks for posting this.
Diane |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2006 : 12:17:33 PM
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Diane -
Have you seen the doctor about your arm? This is a weird thing for me to have. My doctor said it can happen with any type of injury that might have a slight infection and that is near a joint. Mine just happen to be my ankle. You probably should see the doctor, I guess they do have a prescription drug that can also take care of this - my doctor and I just decided to go with the Aleve to start and see if I could battle it that way. If it doesn't clear up completely in the next week or so, I will have to go back and get the prescription - but she did tell me that the healing will be slow and every day it will get a bit better until one day I just get up and it's not there. I am close to that day.
Anne
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 12:09:02 PM
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Diane, I did not realize you can't get Aleve in Canada, I usually stock up on Allegra D tablets which are sold over the counter there, but through prescription only here in the states. I cross the border a couple of times a year, at minimum, if you ever need an extra runner.
Jo
"There are no strangers here, only friends you've yet to meet." |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 12:21:53 PM
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I actually quit being stubborn and made an appointment for Friday. It only bothers me if I use it alot, like raking leaves and shovelling out the barn and vaccuming, etc. They xrayed my hand when I fell, but despite the fact it was really swollen, I really don't think anything in my elbow was broken. Ligament maybe?? I need to quit guessing and just get it looked at..haha.
Thanks Jo for the offer and I'll keep it in mind. I'll also email you if/when I know of someone heading across the border to see if there's anything you need too.
Di |
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 12:42:44 PM
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Wow, Anne. So the doctor said only women get this? Because my dh got stung by an insect(not sure, probably a wasp) a few weeks ago and he seemed to be okay later that day, but then a few days later, he started to have pain in his wrist and he's still having problems. It seems like a bone thing when he describes it - I thought of arthritis.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2006 : 4:54:22 PM
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I looked up reactive arthritis online and there it said it was Reiters Syndrome and only occurs in men. then it got weird and talked about the genitals and then went on about other parts of the body and how this can re-occur 5 years later. I don't want to know anymore I'll just take the Aleve.
Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance! |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2006 : 06:51:45 AM
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Janice -
The doctor said it occurs in women mostly, but men can get it too. Women are more prone to get it because of the way our bodies are made up to have "hot" immune systems - meaning our bodies battle infection more then men because we give birth and something to do with our thyroid activity. Not sure what you looked up on the web Marybeth, but that doesn't sound like the same thing the doctor and I talked about - sounds weird and like you I wouldn't want to know any more.
What I have is more tied to my antibodies attacking my ankle joint where I had the original infection earlier - they have come back to that area because they thought they missed something and want to make sure they take care of it - thus the "hot" immune system.
Looks like I may have to go back for the prescription from my doctor - the Aleve has worked good but still get some swelling and some pain on the bottom of my foot - it just won't totally go away and now it is beginning to irritate me - I had going to the doctor, I had having pain, etc. You all know how that is.
Anne
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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Miss Bee Haven
True Blue Farmgirl
4331 Posts
Janice
Louisville/Irvington
Kentucky
USA
4331 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2006 : 07:18:25 AM
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Thanks, Anne. I looked around online about this and it really sounds like what my husband has. He did have an infection shortly after he was stung/bitten. Then shortly after that, his wrist became stiff and it's painful for him to move his hand. We bought Aleve last night and he's going to try that for awhile and see if it clears up. I hope your doctor can give you something to make yours finally go away. Please post under this topic and let us know how you're doing.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Oct 26 2006 : 07:19:35 AM
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Here is some general information I found on the web - of course there are various forms of it from what I read, but this is the basic thing that was told to me.
Reactive arthritis is a chronic form of arthritis featuring the following three conditions: (1) inflamed joints; (2) inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis); and (3) inflammation of the genital, urinary or gastrointestinal systems.
This form of joint inflammation is called "reactive arthritis" because it is felt to involve an immune system that is "reacting" to the presence of bacterial infections in the genital, urinary, or gastrointestinal systems. Accordingly, certain people's immune systems are genetically primed to react aberrantly when these areas are exposed to certain bacteria. The aberrant reaction of the immune system leads to spontaneous inflammation in the joints and eyes. This can be confounding to the patient and the doctor when the infection has long passed at the time of presentation with arthritis or eye inflammation.
My infection was the blister on my foot - this type of infection can also cause the above things to happen in the joints, etc.
Anne
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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Edited by - asnedecor on Oct 26 2006 07:20:36 AM |
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Here's to Your Health: Reactive Arthritis |
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Reactive Arthritis
