Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Hi all,

I am interested in hearing from others who are still able to work outside the home (no offense to those who can't -- I understand the struggle).

I am 39 -- RA for 3 years. I am a podiatrist, so I work with my hands all day. I also am married with a 6 year old daughter.

I am trying to find ways to work and still have something left at the end of the day. Most days I get through work and hit the couch with exhaustion. My hands hurt so bad I can barely make dinner.

I saw OT this week and they are going to try to help me. But I would love suggestions from others in the same boat.

I don't want to stop working, and right now I can still do it. I just want to find ways to do it smarter.

Thanks,

Amy

Don't forget to drink fluids. I work full time too and one of my biggest problems is not getting enough fluids during the day. The more hydrated I am the less achy I get. As for your hands try to do hand stretches at work and massage your fingers every so often. I work with my hands all day to and I have noticed that running my hands under warm water and massaging them gently helps keep them limber and soothed. Some days its just a short warm water bath cause they ache too much to rub.

Try to pace yourself too, start writing down what you do through the day and how your body responds. Keeping a diary helps to show you what your body can handle and what it can't. Then its just a matter of accepting when you can't do something as well anymore. Its hard to think of that when your able to work, but it's important that we are able to recognize what our bodies are not up to doing anymore to help us not hurt by the end of the day. I got no suggestions for the bieng beat by the end of the day cause I am still battleing it myself, but I find the diary helps me figure out what I am doing the days that I am at my worst.

Good luck

Alicia

That is a hard struggle. Keeping balance is really hard, and you having a family, even more so...

I had RA since childhood, so choosing a career was a decision where also my rheumy at the time was involved Something i could physically do. Having flexible hours is important for me, and so far i've been lucky, but i know it might not always be the case, which is scary for me.

Good luck with adapting your work life to RA, you can do it!

Welcome,

I work full time in a cardiology office, office nursing is great for me...fast pace, but alot of computer work also...so I do get breaks off my feet between patients. Hands and feet are the worst...at work...the hot water helps alot...and I wash hands about every 15 min it seems...also I use a non scented warming ointment when things get really bad...just wear rubber gloves...and I actually wash them a couple times...before I have to remove them.

Maybe try and cut down hours? At least a couple a day?? I've been taking Vit.D3 3000IU daily for the past 7 months, and I find this has helped alot...Aleve usage is down alot.

Not much I can say for the fatique...I've learned over the past 5 years to just deal with what NEEDS done in the eveing and catch up on the week-ends at a much slower pace...

In time you'll learn to adjust work load and find a somewhat happy medium...best of luck...Hugs, Debi

Welcome to the group Amy. I'm sure you're very busy with a practice and a family. The overwhelming fatigue is one of the most difficult aspects for me to deal with, because I see that I have so much left to do and simply can't. I've had to learn to let things go. If my house isn't spotless, the mail piles up for a few days, or the carpets wait another day to be vacuumed then so be it. I won't kill myself anymore trying to be superwoman. I too work full time as a criminal/mental health investigator, which is exhausting in itself and then you add the kids and house and forget it!

As far as the pain, my hands always hurt and I do a ton of writing, so that's difficult. I've found that if my hands get cold then I'm finished. The pain intensifies incredibly, so I keep them as warm as I can. I even bought these fingerless arthritis gloves to help keep in heat and have compression as well. They aren't pretty, but fashion isn't important when you're hurting!

Some people have found the hot paraffin wax immersion for the hands very therapeutic. I have a machine and it's wonderful. Plus it makes your hands soft.. added bonus.

I'm sure that others will be adding their tips and tricks to the list, but in the mean time I hope that you can find something to bring you a little relief.

Keep us posted.

Thanks so much for the good ideas. I haven't been staying hydrated and I have been giving into the temptation of caffeine to battle the fatigue. I am going to do better.

I tried the gloves but they just don't work when I have to wear vinyl gloves over top of them. I am definetely getting a parrafin wax kit though. Sounds almost to decadent to be therapeutic.

I am hanging in. I just get down because I love my work, love my family and used to be the go to person. I am slowly realizing that I have to say NO -- learning to say it is a whole other story.

Oh, im glad you bring that up. Saying NO seems to be a really difficult thing to do for me, and yet it is so important for my well being. I see other people, healthy people, with no trouble saying no, i wonder if our personality type has anything to do with it.....

All the tips here are pricelss. I will add one thing. I use the hot paraffin wax for my feet and ankles as well as hands. I have used it for knees, as well, but that is very messy and you will need help with this one.

Praying for you dear.

Amy,

I don't work now but I remember how hard it was.

Here are some ideas:

Use a crockpot for dinner, Fix It and Forget it Lightly is a good cookbook.

Also, do you have a friend,or a relative who would help you cook some soups and casseroles ahead for the freezer? Stouffer's once a week isn't the end of the world either.:>

Maybe you and your husband could prepare food ahead on Sunday afternoons? Wash the lettuce, cut the veggies, wash and bag the fruit. I buy precut veggies to cook with to spare my hands.

I have a great cookbook titled The Essential Arthritis Cookbook. It has great tips for us and really healthy,good simple recipes.

Is there somewhere at work you can sneak a nap at lunchtime, or your break? At least close your eyes for a few minutes?

I also have made an emergency basic grocery list for my husband when I don't feel good enough to go to the store. If I worked I might give him the job altogether.

And I made a basic "flare" to do list. Things that they can do to keep our household going when I'm flared up. (The big 3-food preparation, laundry and dishes). I taught them how to these basic things.

If you can afford it, I would definatly hire a cleaning lady! My family divided the jobs and we all clean the house Sat.

I hated asking for help but that actually drove my family crazy. They are happier knowing how they can help. They said it was hard to watch me in a flare and not know what to do.

I hope this helps, Hang in there!

ANdrea

HI Amy

I have had RA for about 5 yrs. and the pain and fatigue are exhausting. When I come home from work I immediately change to my comfy clothes and lay down to rest.

My hubby usually cooks dinner for me as he knows my days at work leave me with no energy for cooking.

I too, work full-time for a Social Service Agency that is extremely busy. My job involves alot of multi-tasking and can also be physically demanding.

I have used the compression gloves often, and have splints and wraps for other areas that are giving me grief.

I do believe hydration is a great point...I am so busy at work that I don't take the time to drink enough water...

I have found that one of my biggest problems with RA is knowing my limitations. It seems that even if you feel a little better on any given day, you should not try to be superwoman because you pay for it later with flaring....

RA is sneaky, it sometimes gives you a false sense of feeling a hint of better, and then you start increasing your activity and WHAM....the flaring is back.

I have not learned to say no when I need to, I am still working on that.

I have also used the paraffin wax treatment, aromatherapy heated pads that you put in the microwave for my neck and feet.

It seems that we all find our way of dealing with RA...Good Luck...