so my dad who is 44 was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis…he has a physical labor job… installing floors… and he wants to continue to lift… he started about 3 months before he was diagnosed.
does anyone have any experience with this with regards to what kind of exercise selection he should use, should he be working out at all… doing mostly isometrics
any info would be appreciated
Here’s a tip that you might check out.I am 59 and have suffered with arthritis in my back for a few years. Now I know you asked about exercise however I can make a suggestion concerning the pain. After all the pain pills and injections and so on my DR. said I should try Wellbutrin. I know it’s for depression but they discovered it worked for some people for this type of pain. She said they don’t market it that way because the patent is running out soon. Whatever.
Anyway I took it and it worked great. I have been 90% pain free for over a year after starting. Arthritis pain can be horrible. I wish you Dad the best. I know they say one sign of depression is pain but I was not depressed. Also I have heard of people rubbing WD40 on their joints for pain. No, I am not high… Of course this is just my experience and I can’t say how it might work for anyone else.Good luck.
I think you must teat all advice with caution.
Many people confuse (not deliberatly) rheumatoid arthritis with osteo arthritis, the two are different, though related. Rheumatoid is an auto immune disease (i.e. the body attacking itself) Osteo is also termed wear ‘n’ tear arthritis, the cartilage is literally wearing out.
People with Rheumatoid tend to be more prone to Osteo.
My wife has Rheumatoid (and Osteo) and is currently on immune suppressant drugs. Reading all the info available is somewhat frightening. Joint deformity is a real possibility, especially in the hands and feet. Your dad has my sympathy, he (and you?) need to research carefully and talk to your speciallist often.
Hello,
I just read your post about RA…there is an old drug out there called Naltrexone that may help if taken in low doses…Please check out this website…lowdosenaltrexone.org
It seems to do wonderful things for people who have autoimmune diseases…in fact,I started taking it myself for other issues.
Good advice Old Dax. Always check things out for yourself and work with your Dr.
thanks alot for the advice so far guys
I have RA and a few years ago my doctor suggested that I try Enbrel, since other medications were not working. It has literally been a miracle drug for me. I truly fell like I have been cured. I am able to do anything that I want now physically, and the RA isn’t something that is always in the back of my mind like it was before. I have only had two flares in the past three years, and both were because I just plain forgot to take the medication. I would strongly look into these biologic medications, whether its Enbrel, or something else in the same family.
Wow I can’t believe there’s so many people here that think it’s ok to take pharmaceuticals for the rest of their lives. That’s a big load of BS. RA like many auto-immune disorders can be treated with a variety of natural supplements that don’t have the sides encountered with pharmaceuticals. Diet is of paramount importance - there are many foods that cause imflammation which should be avoided (ie nightshade plants such as tomatoes and onions) and there are foods that have beneficial effects.
Supps such as high doses of liquid fish oil, MSM, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, curcumin, capsaicin and vitamin C are all very helpful. Drugs are not the answer - all the do is mask the symptoms. The underlying cause is what needs to be addressed.
I suffer with disfuse arthritis which is arthritis in all my major join including my hands and feet. (but not my spine and hips…yet). As a result of this diagnosis I spent a lot of time talking to lifters with Rhem.
They all did pretty much the same thing. They lifted sanely, that is no world record strength goals, no going to failure, no high risk exercises, no marathon weight sessions etc. Flare ups are a time to take some time away from the gym.
forgot to mention that a study has shown cat’s claw and maca to be very beneficial in treating RA
RA is an autoimmune disease and the inflammation causes damage and pain. There can be flareups.
Curcumin has been helpful for some. It is a natural product. That and other things can moderate the immune response. Drugs do that too, but some other things will still be beneficial. Drugs that lower the immune system can make one prone to infections and sickness. Some on RA cannot eat salads or any un-cooked food as they can have things go very wrong in their guts… your immune system is active there.
There is a pattern of low vitamin-D status and higher incidences of RA. If he does not get much sun exposure that is a problem. If he has a dark complexion, then that reduces vitamin D production. You can get 1000iu tablets, cheap at some places like Sam’s Club. Start on 3000iu per day and work up to 5000iu and see if that brings relief. After 2 months, reduce to 3000 per day the body has build up its stores.
Has he been exposed to chemicals/solvents from the flooring work? That might be a factor.
Does he take vitamins, anti-oxidants, essential fatty acids etc?
If his testosterone levels are low, that can also create issues that may worsen his condition.
Search for RA on the LEF.org site and see what they recommend. The search there will also hit research results that will be of interest.
There may be other inflammatory processes in the body that are life-span threatening. PSA, homocysteine and CRP should be checked. A LEF.org male panel include that, with T, FT, E2, DHEA-s etc. Might be a good idea to eval things other than RA symptoms.
I woke up on Martin Luther King day this year with my right ankle swollen and within weeks both knees, ankles, and one finger were severely swollen which resulted in not being able to walk for almost two months - insane. I was put on low dose chemo - methotrexate and prednisone immediately and I would recommend getting on something immediately as well or you run the risk of severe damage to the joints. I immediately changed my diet and ran an elimination diet for two weeks and remained on grass fed beef or fresh fish, about 8 vegetables, and olive oil and water only for three months. I helped me keep my body clean and gave me a source of empowerment where otherwise I had no control. I have now been off all drugs for three weeks and am actually better then. I have done tons and tons of research on this and have some resources that might be helpful… I’m glad to help. This is not something I would wish on anyone. Good luck.
[quote]HotCarl28 wrote:
so my dad who is 44 was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis…he has a physical labor job… installing floors… and he wants to continue to lift… he started about 3 months before he was diagnosed.
does anyone have any experience with this with regards to what kind of exercise selection he should use, should he be working out at all… doing mostly isometrics
any info would be appreciated[/quote]
BTW - Was he sick with a cold or infection prior to the onset of symptoms?
[quote]HotCarl28 wrote:
so my dad who is 44 was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis…he has a physical labor job… installing floors… and he wants to continue to lift… he started about 3 months before he was diagnosed.
does anyone have any experience with this with regards to what kind of exercise selection he should use, should he be working out at all… doing mostly isometrics
any info would be appreciated[/quote]