I have been using cannabis for about six months. The cannabis reduces the inflammation in my body. I microdose. I am taking too little to relieve my RA pain. It is much better than it was. My tolerance is gradually increasing. So I am gradually increasing my dose.
Baking, cannabis and RA complications.
Rheumatoid arthritis is unlike many diseases. RA is a disease that is chronic. It is a disease that is progressive meaning that it will get worse over time. It is debilitating meaning that it will interfere with your ability to have a normal life. There is no cure. It is a tough disease. It may start slowly. It might not even be symmetrical right out of the gate. Or it might be like mine. Acute. Severe. All the classic symptoms. And it never really stops. Mine is seronegative which means the test for certain factors is negative. Those with seropositive disease have more joint damage but those with seronegative have more systemic inflammation. I recently had a full body scan after I had surgery for melanoma. There doesn’t seem to be more melanoma lurking in my body, but my whole cardiovascular system has atherosclerosis. No wonder those with RA die of heart disease! A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is not a ticket to feel sorry for yourself. It doesn’t help. I was lucky to learn that as …
We are busy watching the Phillies playing the Arizona Razorbacks. We loved the first game and then the next was 10 zip in favor of the Phillies. Fun. Now they have moved to Arizona to play three games. They lost the first two. Tonight is the third game. Instead of our movie we are watching the game. We will get takeout and hope for the best. Anyway, the games have been excellent in spite of the winner. Yesterday I had a PET body scan to see if the melanoma had metastasized. The tech injected a radioactive tracer intravenously. The tracer is attracted to the activity of cancer cells and will cluster in them. It was a two hour process. I had to wait an hour while the radioactive substance saturated my cells before the scan was done. Now the hard part. I could say the not knowing was no problem. It wouldn’t be correct. If I am cancer free, I will be thrilled. If I am not, I will have an uncertain future. Melanoma can …
My new book, Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis is available in Kindle Unlimited as well as available for purchase on Amazon. My old nursing school friend, Florence, read my book. She had so many kind words for me, I’m almost blushing as I write them. This is what she had to say: “Just finished your amazing book. Not only are you one of the most courageous individuals I have ever known, but you are a gifted writer as well. Your book is a valuable work of hope, courage, and very extensive information about a devastating disease; a gift to others suffering from RA.” I appreciate her kind words. I’m sure in her practice she saw what rheumatoid arthritis can do to a person. Medicine has changed and still has not changed. RA is still devastating for many. .
Summers are tough for me. This year instead of the wound clinic I spent my time in dermatology and the surgical clinic managing basil cell and melanoma cancers.
RA increases the incidence of lung, skin and lymphoma cancers. Do you get your skin checked for cancer?
I continue to micro dose using my little pill box..
Ten years and what now?
My RA answer is somewhere in the cannabis world as well as in the endocannabinoid system.
marysarthritis.com 