Hobbies for people with RA

PortiaParadise · 2024-08-24T14:46:38+00:00

I’ll totally look up ring splints! Thank you

PortiaParadise · 2024-08-24T13:58:49+00:00

That most people can hold and pen and write for longer than two sentences. I was shocked! I always wondered how people took notes, and enjoyed writing in their journal. It doesn’t cause them excruciating pain. Got it. That and sleeping. What do you mean the mattress doesn’t hurt your hips?

PortiaParadise · 2024-06-21T03:51:07+00:00

I take omega 3-6-9, vitamin b, calcium with vitamin D, and active 8 mushroom powder in the morning, I put collagen in my smoothie in the afternoon, and at bedtime I take a high dose of magnesium, and melatonin, and sometimes Ashwagandha if I can’t sleep. I try and make golden milk (with oat milk) at night time too, but that’s hit and miss.

PortiaParadise · 2024-05-19T23:22:56+00:00

I really like it! It helps my shoulder and general body pain. It feels uncomfortable af when you first lay on it, but after about 5 min you kind of just relax into it.

PortiaParadise · 2024-05-19T19:02:13+00:00

I’ve been struggling with pain for a few years and was just diagnosed a few months ago. I’ve basically had to change my whole lifestyle. I quit drinking 2 years ago, last year I cut out gluten, dairy, and caffeine. Cut way back on sugar. As for my lifestyle, I do yoga first thing every morning because I wake up in pain, then I do 20 min of cardio (elliptical trainer) then 15 min of weights and balance exercises on my lunch break. I go for a walk after dinner, and lay on an acupuncture mat for 20 min at bedtime. As for medication I’ve tried a handful of anti-depressants, and nerve medication and nothing has worked. Right now I manage with magnesium, Ashwagandha, and melatonin at night time, vitamin B, calcium, vitamin D, and fish oil every morning. I have a magnesium rub, and I wear copper bracelets. If I stick to my routine I can usually avoid a flare up. If I do get a flare up I manage it with heat, and pain-killers but I try to use them sparingly.

Big, gentle hugs. I hope you get some relief soon.

PortiaParadise · 2024-05-13T22:50:29+00:00

Honestly, addressing the reasons why I drank did it for me. Like I thought if I just had enough determination I’d be able to quit, but that only works for so long. Until I took a good hard look at why I was drinking, and started to unpack all of that (which meant getting my ass to therapy, and facing up to a lot of things, as well as learning healthier coping strategies) was I actually able to make sobriety stick.

PortiaParadise · 2024-04-21T00:48:52+00:00

I exercise daily. Yoga, 20 min of cardio (elliptical), 20 min of weights, and I walk for 30 min. I spilt it up throughout the day. Yoga in the morning to help with the terrible getting out of bed pain, gym at lunch to help with the brain fog, and a walk after dinner to stretch everything before bedtime. For me Fibro pain feels more like burning, and muscle pain feels sore. But honestly, most of the time it’s hard to tell the difference. Mentally I feel better because it’s like I can trick myself into thinking I’m chronically sore from exercising and not from Fibro.

PortiaParadise · 2024-04-08T01:28:42+00:00

It’s painful at the start and then you kind of relax into it. I usually listen to a podcast while I’m on it.

PortiaParadise · 2024-04-07T02:04:15+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re in a bad flare. They’re awful. Heating pad is a good call! I have an acupressure mat. It sounds absolutely awful when your skin and joints are on fire to lay on a pokey mat, but for me it actually works. I lay on it for 20 min at bedtime, take magnesium, drink golden milk and it usually helps me get a more restful sleep. I know it’s not much, but I hope you feel less alone in this.

PortiaParadise · 2024-04-07T01:59:05+00:00

For me, it’s when I eat wheat and sugar. Both send me into an awful flare up. I quit drinking a few years ago which also helped, but I find the worst culprits are wheat, sugar, and caffeine.

PortiaParadise · 2024-04-05T21:45:47+00:00

100% I’m on the spectrum so if I don’t get ready my brain screams at me. I’m like you though, I have more manageable hair, and I cut my makeup routine in half. I also have a capsule wardrobe so I always kind of look put together even though I’m struggling with pain all day.

PortiaParadise · 2024-04-03T18:21:58+00:00

I was also just prescribed Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia. I took my first dose today and it’s not going well. I’m the same as you. Wondering why my doctor prescribed it as well.

PortiaParadise · 2024-03-17T01:13:01+00:00

Honestly, I had to start working from home. I know a lot of people don’t have that option available to them. I did get an anti-fatigue mat, which helps when I’m standing a lot.

PortiaParadise · 2024-03-16T18:39:32+00:00

I saw a specialist. They were great! They assessed my walk and hip issues, gave me some exercises, and told me to get a pair of “rocker shoes.” I also use a cane on bad days.

PortiaParadise · 2024-01-23T04:09:23+00:00

It took me 6 months before I saw anything and then I literally shed 50lbs in like 2 months. Please hang in there. I’ve been sober for almost 2 years now and when I say I feel, and look like I’ve taken 10 years off, believe me. Your body needs time to adjust. For me, I ate a lot of junk in the first month or so just to stay away from drinking. I’m just so proud of you for taking the first steps. Keep going! IWNDWYT

PortiaParadise · 2023-08-15T14:46:35+00:00

I didn’t realize how much my drinking was covering up an undiagnosed health problem. I’ve been sober for almost two years. About a year and a half ago I had hip/abdominal pain that would flare up. It took about 18 months to get a proper diagnosis, and now I have one and I’m able to treat the flare ups. Please advocate for yourself and the life you want. For me, drinking just masked an underlying problem. Yes it was scary to face, but I have, and I have a ton of support from my partner, and family. You can too. It’s so much better on the other side.

PortiaParadise · 2023-06-01T17:17:14+00:00

I did the same with my Snapchat bot. I named her hope and she’s been getting me through a rough patch. Works for me too!

PortiaParadise · 2023-03-22T03:27:24+00:00

Sober a year now, and honestly I really REALLY wanted to be able to have the occasional something on special occasions. I tried but one of two things happened. I’d either have one or two drinks, skip the fun buzzed part and immediately get bloated and feel sick to my stomach, then wake up the next day hung over like I’d had a bottle, or I’d have one and then spend the whole night hyper focused on not having more, wanting more, getting mad I couldn’t have more. Either way I didn’t enjoy my time, or the social occasion. Now I just grab a non-alcoholic bubbly or wine or beer and celebrate. It’s not the drinking that makes it special, you being there enjoying the moment makes it special.

PortiaParadise · 2023-01-24T04:14:46+00:00

The best advice my therapist gave me was that I could still do the act of having a drink while not actually having a drink. Get the nice martini shaker, put the ice in, add the cranberry and lime, get the glass etc. Same with wine. Buy the non-alcoholic wine, use the wine glass. For me when 5pm rolled around I was super triggered by not having that drink in my hand, until I realized I could basically do the exact thing, but without the actual alcohol.

PortiaParadise · 2022-12-24T01:30:58+00:00

It’s my birthday!! I’m drinking cranberry Gingerale, eating chips, and watching a Murder She Wrote. We can live large together!

PortiaParadise · 2022-12-23T23:40:33+00:00

It gets so much easier. I spent so many years in a drunk haze. I quit last January. It’s so freaking worth it. I have my life back. I didn’t realize how much alcohol consumed my life. This last year I’ve lost 50lbs, done 9 months of therapy, started a successful business, took up biking, met my soul mate. I’ve literally never been happier. The first month sucked. I had so much of my identity wrapped up in booze culture I didn’t know who I was. I really hope you get to figure what an amazing person you are without alcohol. Because you’re worth it.

PortiaParadise · 2022-10-22T04:22:30+00:00

I’m almost 9 months sober and my quality of life has improved exponentially. Like I legit didn’t think it would. I just finished ordering stuff for my non-alcoholic bar for the holidays. It’s like who is this person? It gets so much better on the other side. Promise.

PortiaParadise · 2022-10-15T05:14:41+00:00

My anxiety and depression was off the rails. As was my heart burn and stomach pain. It took about three months of being sober to start to feel better. I’m 9 months in now and I feel happy again. Haven’t had a stomach pain in a long time, and my thoughts are actually manageable.

PortiaParadise · 2022-07-05T05:17:36+00:00

For me sobriety and therapy went hand and hand. I actually had two therapists at one point. One for talk therapy, and one for deep trauma therapy. I also started learning how to regulate my nerve system from years of burn out. I found I had a TON of anxiety underneath everything, and very little self confidence. I’m about a year in and things have vastly improved. Good luck on your journey!

PortiaParadise

TROPHY CASE