Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives Alternatives Montana, here I come!!

Yes, I have had AS since January and now officially have had it in most locations it seems. Started in the ribs, went to hips, low back, then let up there, went to shoulders, wrists, elbows, then feet, now it is going up my spine to my neck (horrible feeling really). I started Enbrel and it is helping (especially in the arms). I can't believe how bad having AS is. I just haven't come to terms with it yet. I have 4 kids under the age of 7 . . . cry me a river, I know. . ..

Best to you!! You do need to find another rheumy though. You may even have to go out to state to do it, it is very important to get all the help you can. I will be interested to hear how the randon bath is. Keep us posted.

--Julia

Yowza, 4 kids under 7!!!! I was busy cryin' me a river (3 kids, 11,10,8) now I'll be crying you a river!! Oh man. How are you doing it?? How long have you been on Enbrel?



I think mentally the biggest thing for me is just the question, "Why am I still on this Earth, if I can't do anything for anyone?" Sometimes I just feel like a waste of

space and oxygen. My house is getting messier and messier. The kids help me clean, but they ARE kids. And 20 minutes later its messy again anyway. They are out of

school right now for spud harvest and holy cow, its all about playin and makin messes!! (sigh)



I'm thinking about hiring a teenager to help me clean but at the same time I want my kids to pick their own crap up! I don't know what to do. My husband really likes a

clean house too. That's his "button." So besides me being sick, there's the added strain of THAT.

I am feeling much better today though, thanks to some medicine. I tried going cold turkey off the nsaids and ouch, couldn't make it.

This place I'm going is just a radon breathing treatment. No bathing,darn it. You have to go to Austria for radon baths!! Wouldn't that be cool. I laughed hard at the KA'er who said he had a hard time getting naked in front of all the Austrian Nurses etc. He said, "I'm from America and we don't do that." That would totally be me. I don't know though, I lost all my pride is so many months ago, maybe it wouldn't bother me. I could hear myself...."Just make me feel better. I'll do anything."


Thanks for the note. I think we're in the same place.

-Donette

I just wanted to catalog my total Montana Journey here so today we bought the groceries for my family for our 10 day stay. That was a LOT of stuff!! My grocery cart at Walmart was so full people were staring!!! At Walmart???? You know it must have been bad. I was trying to find easy prep stuff because sitting in the mine will be like a full time job, 8 hrs per day. And I know my family, if I'm not there to make it, or it isn't easy, they will find fast food.

Oh and I caved and took some meds today. I couldn't stand it!! I'm weak. And I have soooo much to do. So I took celebrex, ranitidine and wellbutrin twice today. And I felt sooooooooooooooo much better.

I have been on Enbrel for five weeks and it is helping me a lot. It has helped almost 80% my arms (shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands), but my spine is still painful and in fact maybe a little more painful right now and I notice the AS is spreading up to my neck (really a horrible feeling). I am hopeful though as my Dr. says you need to give Enbrel a full 12 weeks to know its full effects. The other thing that it has help a TON with is the feeling of the "flu" I used to get almost every evening, that has virtually been eliminated. Thank goodness. Do you ever get the flu feeling? I am wondering how in the world you were lucky enough to get your diagnosis out there with a rheumy that doesn't really seem to know what he is doing . . . .

Ha! I laughed at your grocery stocking story. We stay at the mine motel (will you be in an RV on the property?) so we have a small kitchenette in the room - stove, small fridge, micro. We were so glad when Costco came in to Helena which is about 20 minutes north of here. We go up there the first day and get our 10 days worth of supplies. My daughter is a vegan, so she goes through a lot of food in 10 days.

There is no fast food in this town, so I think you're safe in that department. There is a gas station, but the food under those food heaters are growing things. The little grocery store in town is good for emergency items, but costs are silly outrageous.

Bring warm clothes! It was snowing this morning!

As a side note: I think you are smart to be off of any meds while you are up here. I don't know of any studies that have been done, but from my own survey and experience, the positive results that come from "radon only" are much more significant and long lasting.

We will be right there on the property in my Father-in-law's 5th Wheel trailer. Yeah baby, it's cold here too. We had some SNOW yesterday. Brrrrrrrr. And my son has a football game tonight. Brrrrrrrr.

We're waking up bright and early tomorrow. We should be there by 1 or 2pm.

See you soon. How often do we get to say that on our forum??? Not often enough!!!!

-Donette

Nice snow coming into Montana tonight. Stay warm up there in Boulder LOL.

I am from Montana as well btw. Have an Uncle in Idaho Falls

Good on you for getting down to the mine & finding out for yourself what the benefits can be...really that's the only way one can ever know, as the radon seems to affect each & every person a little bit differently.
I've been down to the Free Enterprise twice before in Oct 07 & 08(you'll find Aragorn on the wall near the card table & my real name is on the wood frame that borders the elevator). No trip to Montana this fall for me, but I know it'll happen again down the road.

Anyway, I hope you expereince some great results, but just as others have said before, be patient...the benefits probably won't happen overnight.

Cheers

I am anxiouslly awaiting the feedbackk.

Checked the web site
Looked cool
I thought we had naturally occurring radon in our basements in new england.

Any how. Can't wait for the report back!!

Yeah man, the high is in the 20's for the next 3 days and we are in a CAMPER!! It's been OK so far though. We just have to unhook the water at night so it doesn't freeze solid. We don't have any snow accumulation yet just snow and cold wind! It's very nice in the radon room and the mine though. They have heat lamps down in the mine above the seats. It's quite cozy for a mine! lol

Very cool that you have an uncle in IF. We live 15 minutes south of there.

Take Care,
Donette