mzsooz, flax seed oil and Bragg oil have a lot of the same benefits.

I have never listed my autoimmune diseases. It might be scary. Lupus since 17, Rheumatoid Arthritis since 23, osteoarthritis, celiac disease, newest dermatitis herpeflora (sp), gout. Four different heart problems and Heaven knows what else. Two blown disks in my back, residual pain from a broken neck. Lupus has attacked various body parts. My ankles are fused as are the joints in the forefoot. Recurring shingles. Partially frozen shoulder. Bursitis in the iliosacral hip joint. I take very little medicine - I am of a mind that the side effects are worse than the disease. An anti inflammatory, heart meds and a lot of supplements. There are ways to get done most of what you want to do. Accommodations and ask for help when you need it. I do like my fingerless craft gloves for lots of things, plus I love my very warm baths. I have the paraffin warmer but haven't tried it. I have two four-legged exercise partners that depend on me to get them out. Furry medication.

Come here and vent, then get back to work.

Vent: I am having a long slow recovery from the last foot surgery and my house is looking rough. Okay, now I feel better and will slowly get started on it.

Thanks for this thread. I just recently (4 days ago) had extreme pain in my right shoulder. I will certainly look into all the recommendations you all list. Don't know what I'd do if I couldn't sew.

Hi buckeye78girl, it was good to hear from you, you are welcome for what little help I was, but if we all stick together and help each other get through our pains we will be ok and we can keep on quilting. You take care and GREAT BIG HUGS BACK TO YOU, hope you will have a great weekend and get some quilting done to. Keep in touch ok and let me know how you are doing. Love hearing from you. bye for now Nita

Hand sewing can be very painful and difficult...I try to use the machine for as much as possible. Pin baste is so much better than needle basting. I use a needle threader to thread my machine needle, just put it thru the back of the needle and draw the thread thru. Any "helps' are useful. I exercise my hand by gripping a soft ball several times a day for about 10 - 20 minutes. Arthritis is very uncomfortable, but it is not impossible. Stay active, keep on truckin'.

I did the same and it helps!

AK. . .you're my kind of girl! Thank you!

This is such a BEAUTIFUL pic of BEAUTIFUL children! How CUTE!!!! The quilt is really, really nice too! Thanks for sharing!!!!

moonhoney2,

You are among friends and fellow arthritis sufferers. I, too, got a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in my hand and shoulder about a year ago. It was a shock, and I believe that is where you are now.

Eventually, I realized that I am in this body for the long run --my parents are 85 and 90 and still going strong! -- so I just have to adapt. I have also taken up quilting recently and am learning how to adapt to what I can/cannot do as I go. For example, hand work is very difficult for me -- so fagedabutit, that's what sewing machines are for. I don't do any hand sewing, but nod wisely when people say that all bindings must be done by hand. Hand bindings are beautiful, but I no longer participate.

Also consider this, with osteoarthritis, some days are better than others. I can go for a week with no arthritis pain, so I quilt when I can and take a sabbatical when my hand is stiff.

I urge you to take your time to think about the situation. It may take some time for you to move on mentally to the "acceptance stage," but it will happen and you will realize you have much to be thankful for. Some of the quilters on this board can't quilt like they wish because of other responsibilities in their lives: raising kids, a full-time job, caregiving for family members, lack of work space. Arthritis.

Daily, I am reminded of my physical abilities and grateful for what I CAN do. The limitations of arthritis (and all other chronic diseases) are annoying; that's a fact. While you may see arthritis as a big fat steel door that has shut you in, just climb out the window and keep on going!

I tried the double sink hot/cold dip the other day. IT WORKED FOR ME! I've had no where near the stiffness after trying this! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!

any equptiment that is ergornomics sp? including my key board i tend to get don't have arthritis but have fibro and shogrens it sure helps

I'm 48 and have arthritis in my hands. I bowl twice a week and that puts a big strain on them, but I've also been a needlepointer/cross stitcher for 25 years so that doesn't help either.

I put down the sewing needle and took up quilting because you tend to not use those pinching fingers as much quilting as you do cross stitching or needlepointing.

Jamiestitcher62, try the sink dip as suggested by another quilter on the advice of her physical therapist. Others on this site have been kind enough to offer their suggestions as well. Take care. Here's wishing you well.

oi have it under my kneecaps so i just get injections today went to dr. and got one in hip it was waking me up . nomater how much i hurt or can't breath i still do something even if is just antiquen sp? just so i get out

I have arthritis in my wrist and fingers too, but my wrist is almost non-bendable. I have trouble hand sewing, and have problems threading the sewing machine, changing needles etc. because my wrist doesn't bend. That's why I got the top-of-the-line vikings, built-in needle threader, auto presser foot drop and lift, and push button thread cutter. One day I complained to my doctor that knitting and sewing were becoming difficult to do. His reply was, "Then maybe you ought not to be doing that any more." My reply was, "Well, that's not going to happen." I think of sewing and knitting as my therapy; both physical and mental. I have my favorite tools that work for me.

Gran of 6,
YOU GO GIRL!!!!! Kudos to you. NEVER go down without fighting!!

Thanks. I also have arthritis of the spine and take medication. I find if I lay down and rest my back for a 1/2 hour midday it helps a lot. It's not going to hold me back.

I have OA too and have to take Motrin most every day. 600mg so I can function. I have heard mixed reports on the Glucosomine/condrotin - didn't work for me. I take a lot of fish oil for my heart/cholesterol...haven't seen any improvement in the OA. I think it just depends on your own body. Try everything before pain meds.
God bless!

I have arthritis, too, and had to give up crocheting. I started quilting, because my sewing machine does most of the work. I take glucosamine, chondroitin, and just started taking hyaluronic acid, too. I started taking that because of the arthritis in my knees, but it will work wherever you have joints. So far, my quilting has not been a problem, unless I try to quilt all day, every day! :lol:

I'm right handed but have more problems with my left hand, using it to hold the ruler when cutting with my hand spread out and holding the binding to sew it onto a quilt and also spreading my hands while wearing gloves with rubber nubs when machine quilting. I also have it in my left foot. I plan on making quilt as long as I can breathe. My knuckles got bigger several years ago and I had to buy a wedding ring 2 sizes larger than I use to wear.

I have OA in my lower back, right knee and carpal tunnel in both wrists. All of you are so positive, it really helps me. I get injections, take meds and try whatever to feel better. My biggest worry is I have to keep working for 5 more years and I'm a pet groomer and it's hard on the body, but I take it one day at a time now. It was last Jan. I was off work after having toe surgery (OA in my big toe too) and I found this board and you all have saved my sanity. I had stopped quilting about 8 years ago, you all inspired me to get my quilting stuff out of storage, during my time off, I turned my spare room into a sewing room and finished a UFO and have been quilting ever since. My point is, checking this board, getting back into quilting, buying and trading here has taken my mind off my aches and pains. I can come here, when everything around me is stressful and crazy and my body is hurting and relax and read positive things. Thank you all.

I guess I have it in my toes too. Sometimes I am walking and I get the most awful pains in the big toe. Doesn't matter what shoes I am wearing. I love it here too, everyone is so supportive of whatever we are going through at the time, be it working on a quilt, or having a health problem, or pet issues, as I am having now. You are all such wonderful friends, even though I have never met you.

This is what I am experiencing. The pain is horrible. I have been going to physical therapy for 4 weeks and I am taking Tramadol with 600 mg of ibuprofen, still in pain. I know that agravating factor is quilting/sewing. I have an MRI scheduled for tomorrow.

Dr. thinks I have a rotator cuff tear. However, PT told me that just about everyone over the age of 50 has a rotator cuff tear, to some extent.
JulieM

I had joint replacement in my big toe. My toe was frozen with OA and it was hard to walk and there was only one pair of shoes I could wear. The surgery took about 45 minutes and I had an easy recovery. If I had a sit down job, I could have gone back to work after a week, but having to be on my feet all day, I was off a month, then worked 3/4 days for another month. The only problem I had was swelling if I was on my feet to much.

Hi Englishrose, Have you been prescribed Methotrexate and if so, does it help??? BTW, if anyone else is familiar with this drug I would appreciate your feedback as well. Thank you.

Can anyone share what med's they are taking to control their RA and what, if any side effects experienced? Thanks.

also if no one's mentioned, get those stretchy gloves without finger tips. they do help.
and ice your hands to lower inflamation and then some heat to make them feel better. pace yourself too.

I take Meloxicam which is the generic for Mobic. I haven't had any side effects. I have been taking it about 2 years now and have much less pain in my back now. I do usually lay down for a 1/2 hour or so each day to relieve the spasms I tend to get. I have no pain in my hands, but my right wrist is almost non-flexible. And I have a terrible time with hand-stitching.

Thanks so much for the advice and info. Take good care!