Just a thought, have your Vitamin D level checked too.
Evidently a lot of people are low and don't realize it and also because it
may be low
calcium doesn't absorb into bones well without it.
I don't have arthritis but have a friend who does, that's why I'm on here
once in awhile.
Anyhow I had whole body aches and pains, couldn't quite tell [myself] if it
was muscles,
bones, or what. Felt like in the bones to me though. I didn't want to move
much and
when did, not fast. Very achy.
First thing Doctor suspected was my Vitamin D level was too low. And it
was! Been
taking 3000IU and after about 3 weeks feel much better! Will be going back
to check
my new levels. He also checked arthritis in case but negative on that.
My friend who has Ankylosing Spondylitis he wants to check too. Waiting for
results
on him.
Evidently it's a new medical report that a lot of people are low because
they stay out of the sun,
use sun screen, don't drink milk, etc.
Take care.

Yes,,, Please look up Nightshade plants to find out which ones and leave
them alone.
Harv

Other than with gout, no food or group of foods has been proven to make
arthritis better or worse.

Some people swear by this while others swear by that.  It's the same way
that not all people respond to a drug in the same way.
A well-balanced diet is more important than trying to weed out anything in
particular.  Vegetables, meats/fish/poultry, fruits, milk/cheese, nuts,
grains (including bread), etc. etc. etc. all in moderate amounts will do
more than 100 diet books.

That said, a deficiency of Vitamin D can result in the body not absorbing
all the calcium ingested in food and drink.  Much has been said and printed
recently about folks not getting enough sunlight daily or not taking a
suppliment.

take

When were you diagnosed with RA, and by whom? What doctor(s) have you seen?

What "painkillers" and "anti-inflammatory creams" have you used?  Are they
Rx or OTC?

What exercises have been prescribed for you?  Have you been to physical
therapy?

As you can see, there is a tremandous amount of information needed before
anyone can properly answer your questions?
Trying to do so with the very little you've provided would be like throwing
darts at a board and selecting an answer for you.

... A woman's place in in the home -- in front of her computer.

The vitamin D thing occurred to me as well. Even though I have RA, 80% of my
pain was from rickets, the common term for Vitamin D deficiency. When you
aren't feeling well and wind up sitting on the couch a lot, you don't tend
to get enough sun.

And if you happen to have another malady which causes frequent diarrhea, its
a double whammy, as that interferes with absorption of vitamin D from food
sources.

If not treated, it can eventually lead to osteomalacia (softening of the
bones), so its something to go get checked out.

Adelle

thanks <<

Vegetarian diet and you have to go after the iron which is causing the
problems ..
The link is the diet and the following articles show the recovery
which is afforded by going AFTER the iron ..

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/70/3/594S {vegetarian diet for
rheumatoid arthritis]

  Ann Rheum Dis 1989 May;48(5):382-8

Investigation of the anti-inflammatory properties of
hydroxypyridinones.

   Hewitt SD, Hider RC, Sarpong P, Morris CJ, Blake DR

  Cancer Research Unit, University of York, Heslington.

  Synovial iron deposition associated with rheumatoid disease may
result
  in the production of highly reactive oxygen free radicals, leading
to
  tissue damage. This chain of events can be interrupted by iron
  chelation. Families of strong iron (III) chelators have been
tested
  for their iron scavenging properties in vitro and their effects
  assessed in vivo using a rat model of inflammation. All the
chelators
  competed successfully for iron with apotransferrin, and some
removed
  up to 34% of iron from ferritin. The best anti-inflammatory
effects
  were achieved with the most hydrophilic chelators and those which
  chelated iron most avidly. Activity was dependent on dose. The
route
  of administration was also an important factor with lower affinity
  chelators. This work introduces a range of simple bidentate iron
  chelators, which under certain conditions exceed desferrioxamine
in
  their iron scavenging abilities, and some of which, in this simple
  animal model, approach indomethacin in their anti-inflammatory
  capabilities.

  Comments:
    * Comment in: Ann Rheum Dis 1990 Nov;49(11):956-7

  PMID: 2730166, UI: 89272259

_________________________________________________________________

  Original Article
Treatment of hemophilic arthritis with D-penicillamine: A preliminary
report
Dr. James J. Corrigan Jr. 1 3 5 *, Karen S. Kolba 4, Eric P. Gall 2
4,
Joyce Trombley 4, Mary Lou Damiano 5, Keith Meredith 6, Monette Jeter
7
1Departments of Pediatrics, University of Arizona Health Sciences
Center, Tucson
2Departments of Internal Medicine, University of Arizona Health
Sciences Center, Tucson
3Departments of Sections of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University
of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson
4Departments of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, University of
Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson
5Mountain States Regional Hemophilia Center, University of Arizona
Health Sciences Center, Tucson
6Southwest Arthritis Center, University of Arizona Health Sciences
Center, Tucson
7Coagulation Research Laboratory, University of Arizona Health
Sciences Center, Tucson

*Correspondence to James J. Corrigan Jr., Professor of Pediatrics,
Director, Mountain States Regional Hemophilia Center, University of
Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson AZ 85724

Funded by:
Thrasher Research Funds
National Hemophilia Foundation

Keywords
hemophilia ? synovitis ? rabbits ? D-penicillamine

Abstract
Current medical management programs for established joint diseases in
hemophiliacs are unsatisfactory and do not modify the eventual
outcome. D-penicillamine, a drug effective in the proliferative
synovitis of rheumatoid arthritis, was evaluated in a rabbit model of
hemarthroses-induced arthritis and in four hemophiliacs with chronic
synovitis. The animals had intra-articular injections of citrate
(left
knees) and autologous citrated whole blood (right knees). Eight weeks
later, the rabbits were divided into two groups: no treatment and D-
penicillamine (50 mg/kg/day, IM) until sacrificed at 6 months. The
saline-injected joints showed no inflammation and no iron deposition.
The blood-injected knees showed iron deposition in both groups, the
D-
penicillamine animals had marked suppression of chronic inflammation.
Of the four patients treated, three had clinical responses (reduction
in synovial thickness, reduction in number of bleeds in the affected
joint). One patient, who did not respond, developed mild-moderate
proteinuria. Those patients who responded received between 5.3 and
7.1
mg/kg/day of the drug. Mild abnormalities in platelet aggregation
were
seen in the responders. This preliminary study suggests that D-
penicillamine is beneficial in the chronic synovitis/arthritis
induced
by hemarthroses. Further trials are recommended.

Received: 13 August 1984; Accepted: 25 October 1984
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------?-----
http://tinyurl.com/28r997

PENICILLAMINE CAPSULES
Indication
Antidote to heavy metals (chelating agent).
Penicillamine is a heavy metal antagonist that chelates copper,
iron,mercury, lead, and probably other heavy metals as well as
cystine*.

Who loves ya.
Tom

Jesus Was A Vegetarian!
http://jesuswasavegetarian.7h.com

Man Is A Herbivore!
http://tinyurl.com/a3cc3

DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
http://tinyurl.com/zk9fk

hi nikki!  welcome to our group.  i'm sorry that relief is elusive for you.
please tell your doctor about what you are experiencing and let your doctor
help you.  i don't have RA, so wouldn't be much help there.

however, "ironjustice" is not a welcomed member to our group, because he is
a notorious internet crackpot, who floods multiple newsgroups with his
obsession about iron.   and therefore, whatever he says or offers is
suspect.  if you should choose to think about anything he tells you, please
present his information to your rheumatologist for his/her professional
opinion, before you believe any of it and act on any of it.  i'm just trying
to keep you safe, sweetie.

kate

hey im 18 and i have rheumatoid arthritis. i was wondering if there is
any food i should be avoiding or eating more of or if there is
anything out there to help the pain. i am on medication, i take
painkillers and i use anti inflammitory creams but nothing is working.
thanks

Both my mother and I were given a bone density test recently.  We are both
deficient on Vitamin D and now taking it in pill form from the doctor.
Also, it was found my Mom definitely has Osteoporosis.  It sounds like
you're a lot younger than we are, but did your doctor talk to you about a
bone density test?  Another thought would be that what you are feeling as
bone pain might be the connecting muscles around them instead.  I'm NOT
giving medical advice, just a couple ideas.  I also have RA.  In addition,
OA and Fibro.  Take care!   Nanny

We also want to warn you about the usenet troll using the name ironjustice.

rusty bucket or numbnuts --- as he's been nicknamed --- cross-posts to
dozens of "support" newsgroups using cut-and-past material usually 7 to 12
years old and which does not have any follow-up to the studies quoted.

... numbnuts tommy is diagonally parked in a parallel universe.