Hello ~

May I join you all from time to time? I'm hoping that maybe I can learn some things from you all. I have osteo arthritis. I take celebrex and glucosamine. I seem to go through peroids when I am so stiff ~ if I sit down even for 5 minutes, I stiffen up and when I get up it is like starting all over again getting unstiffened. I feel like as long as I keep moving, it is a little better, but I can't keep moving 24/7. Then I had a couple months when that all seemed to be a little better. Now, I have hurt my knee, and I am having the stiffness again. I don't know if it is another cycle of stiffness, or if it is because I have been favoring the hurt knee. I read that losing the weight sometimes has helped the knees and all to feel better. Right now, I am kicking myself that when I was having a time of less stiffness, that I didn't bust my buns and exercise more and be better with my food, and make some progress with the weight loss. When will I stop being so stupid and get it right? With my knee now, it hurts too bad to do my walking ~ and for me the dieting without the exercise ~ well, I don't make very much progerss.

I was wondering ~ with these periods of more stiffness, is there something I do different that brings that on? If it is something I did, I wish I knew what it was so I could avoid it.

Are there any kinds of exercises I could do even when I am having pain and stiffness that would still help me with weight loss?

Thank you for listening.

Hi Gayle. Welcome to our little group. Most of these ladies have RA. I have Osteo-Arthritis along with FM. I do have arthritis in my lower back, hip and knee. That stiffness is terrible. I can't take anything for it, as even Celebrex irritates my darn stomach.

Please DON'T beat yourself up over what might have beens! You can do what you can today, and that is all. I have so many days when the pain takes over or the fatigue, that I couldn't exercise if I tried. It is a catch 22 really. You eat, not even necessarily overeating, just moderate, you gain because you can't move. It's kind of a vicious cycle for sure.

I hope everybody else is having a good day, and Charlotte I hope you are starting to feel a whole lot better than you were.

Welcome Glynne...I too have osteo and deal with the stiffness and pain. Movement is the answer...I walk up to 3 miles whenever I can.. I have recently had surgery so I am trying to get back to what is normal for me.
My goodness girls you have been chatty this week. I was up to my daughters for a week. We had a Great Thanksgiving. Now we are looking for a great Christmas..They will all come to my house.. It should be interesting.My dining room is small..We may have 14 for Christmas dinner.
Angel .I hope you are feeling better..
Happy..I am glad your friend is doing better..
Chrily.. I hope your pain has subsided.. I can relate to constant pain.. It is not fun.. I don't think there is a day I don't have it...I try to just keep doing my thing regardless.
Rar- Working in a nursing home is not easy. With all the hard work I can understand what you are putting up with. I was charge nurse in N/H for most of my working days as a nurse.
Ageoldie..I like that"Simplify Your Life" You can bet that is my motto.. One tree, some lights and a wreath outside and that is it...
Tomorrow I have to clean my rug..let it dry and then the next day put up my tree. It is not going to be easy for a few days after I clean the carpet.. It always wipes me out for a couple days. Hard work.. I am 71 years old and sometimes I wonder how long I can do these things. One thing is for sure,I will do it as long as I can..
Hello eveybody I missed.. Keep Well..Joanne

GLYNNE

I too have OA (with the complication of primary Sjorgren's) but I live with the stiffness. Where do you live? Is there any way you can get involved with a water aerobic program? It ihas litterally saved my life. I joined a health club and do water aerobics every morning 5 days a week. Even if you can't get into a organized water class, get into the water and move. Even if it's just walking in the water, do it. The water cushions the joints and the movement relieve the stiffness, and the bounacy of the water asks as a massage that make the effects last all day. If you have a choice, chose a pool that has warmer water, but if not, any water will do. If there is not a health club or Y close to you, you might try a hospital. Here in Dallas all the major hospitals have water therapy available, and sometimes if you doctor "prescribes" it, insurance will help with the costs. I know that no matter what it cost, I would skimp on something else, but not give up my water, because if I didn't have it, I'd probally not want to get out of bed every day.

Okay off my soapbox!!!

Barb, if you want to learn PSP, you could join this group http://groups.msn.com/AngelbluesSign.../welcome1.msnw

They have PSP for Dummies and Animation for Dummies. There are lots of really easy tutorials to do, and if you get stuck, which everybody does, you can post and ask for help - and you always get it. I do know I had a couple of really good informative sites on learning PSP. I will check and see if by chance, I still have them.

Here is a beginners site http://moonsdesigns.com/tutorials/basic2.html

Thanks Anne, I'll check them out!

Good Afternoon Ladies and welcome Gayle I too have OA so I know how you feel the stiffness seems to be always there if you are not moving I am on celebrex but at times oesnt seem to help usually take aleeve before I go to work and that seems to hold me overas for exercise I try to ride my bike when my knee is not bothering on my job I get a lot of walking in I heard so many good reports about the water exercise so hopefully you will be able to try it I see a lot of you ladies are geeting in the xmas spirit so hope it rubs off on me soon well better get some house work done so you ladies have a good one Rita

Thank you all for the welcome ~ hope you all are having a good day.

Good Morning up early this morning after sleeping for 12 hrs straight I almost feel like a new womanLOLthis is what usually happens to me after working too many nites in a row and only sleeping a few hours a day I see Gayle posted again just keep comming back and hopefully we will be a help to you as you can be to us well going to a xmas party with hubby tonight so I am excited as this is the first time in 35 years that the other half has been invited so got to improve myself a lot today new hair color just a start so got to get started so ladies everyone have a great Friday Rita

Hi everyone! Gosh, I hadn't realized it's been over a month since I popped in. Things have just been so busy.

I started Enbrel therapy again today. Has anyone here ever taken an entire year of Enbrel? I'm wondering if after a year, you need to be done with it, or is it ongoing??

Hi all,
Belated welcome Gayle. I think I might be the youngest one on here. I'm 33 years old and have had RA for 4 years almost. I was born and raised and still living in Montana. I'm a stay at home mom of 3 girls. Talk about a handful. I do work for my dad part time too. He has a candy warehouse, so I bag candy and print labels for the candy in the printing press room. Its a small operation. It used to be bigger, but now its just me, my dad, and Geri. She's worked there as long as me.

Charlotte-How's that thumb doing? Shingles? How odd. I've had a couple flares but nothing too bad in the last couple days. I didn't get a chance to get over my cold before I was slammed with another one. So here I am sick again. I'm still going to take my methotrexate though. I cannot deal with the bad pains right now. I'll take an infection instead... I was reading through the other posts...Geez, I wish God didn't think I could handle it all the time.... He knows what he's doing, so I'll trust Him.

Anne-Hey gal! How are you feeling? I think I would love to get that much sleep. I have a 2 year old that says otherwise though.

Barb-How goes the battle with you? I just love your little reindeer. Too cute. I need to find me a Christmas siggie.

Joanne-Haven't heard from you forever. How is things in your world?

Well, I better go see what Nicole is getting in to. She's been a busy little person. My husband says we should be thankful. He says they are all anxious and excited for this time of year, so they're only getting into trouble 23 1/2 hours out of the day in anticipation for Santa. Is there a half naughty/half nice list?

Happy holiday season to all of you. My stomach is growling and I need to eat because today is "drug" day. I can handle the morning okay but after I take the rest of my meds in the evening, I'm usually nauseous and not feeling so hot. Charlotte knows the nasty side-effects of methotrexate. YUCK! Also I need to catch up on all the laundry. It's amazing how much laundry a family of 5 can produce. Enough for us to keep the laundry soap manufacturers in business forever.

~chris

Angel..I sure hope they finish your roof before Christmas!!!It seems like when we have the most tension that is when our bodies says STOP.. My shoulders have been giving me a fit. This time of the year should be the best.. I think the men have the better deal. They sit back and let us do all the planning and doing..
Chris..I am feeling better,except for the usual pains of oa.I just have had a lot of things to do for the Holidays. Most of the family will be coming to my house.. One sister is going to her sons and the other one has to find out what her companion has planned. If they don't come I will still have 10-12 for dinner. I usually do all the cooking and baking. And I am the oldest. Does that tell you something..My daughter might get down to help some,I hope.It is a good thing I am retired and have the time..
Khewes.. I still have my cards to write..Shopping to do.. I don't know much about the medication you are on. I stopped taking oa meds a number of years ago. I had gone through the list of all of them and can't take them. I developed an ulcererated stomach from them.. No fun.. For years when I complained to Dr. about the pain ,all they wanted to do was give me mood elevating drugs. I told them what they could do with them.I needed advice that they didn't want to give.. So I started treating myself.. No more stomach pain. I am healthy as most 71 year old/young women.
Now I will get off the band box...Hello everybody...Joanne