Rheumatoid Arthritis and Skydiving

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Are there active skydivers who have rheumatoid arthritis? If so, what type of treatment are you on? Do you take the Remicade infusion every 8 weeks or other meds? What is working best for you?

Reason I ask is because a very dear friend of mine who is an avid jumper and young has recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and she is considering selling all of her gear because she isn't sure she can continue jumping due to her new diagnosis.

Any jumpers out there with RA who can offer suggestions on how to continue jumping with RA?

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[Muenkel 0]

The thought of jumping with RA sounds really painful. God, I hope she only has a minor case.

A very close family friend started with RA in her early twenties and she was completely crippled. I can't count how many surgeries she had or how many times her back broke. Granted, those were different times. I'm not sure of today's treatments.

I'm praying for your friend Katee.

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Chris

[Bolas 5]

She got the test results?

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[jeannier 0]

I was diagnosed with RA just over a year ago. I'm still jumping! Granted, I don't make many jumps in a day, but I'm still having fun! I also don't jump when it's too cold for me. The joint pain that follows getting too cold isn't worth it. A lot of people don't understand that, but without experiencing it first hand, you can't. Kind of sounds like skydiving, huh?

You didn't mention how severe your friend's RA is at this point. Mine isn't severe enough, yet, to take the infusion therapy. I'm on Plaquenil (a DMARD) and an NSAID to help control the symptoms and, with luck, slow the progression. So far, so good.
Feel free to contact me. Give my best to your friend. (Do I know her?)

-Jean

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

Quote

She got the test results?

She said the look on the doc's face when he delivered the news yesterday was the worst part. I've always thought of RA in the hands but hers is in both knees.

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[stilettofly 0]

I have been jumping for 12 years with RA. I have wrist braces to protect the joints and don't jump when the pain/lack of strength would affect my ability to be safe. I started the medication "Embrel" 6 years ago and it changed my life. I haven't had a flare-up in 5 years and the mobility and strength that returned to the affected joints is amazing. It took 6 years and 5 other drug therapies to find the one that works for me, so don't give up!

[cloud9 0]

Well I have RA and I had to quit jumping. However I did make it to age 50 before I had to quit. I've had 7 orthopedic surgeries the last a shoulder replacement. There's just to much pain and stiffness to jump now. I was on enbrel and am now on Hurmira both are TNF blockers. Seems everyone is a little different so I wouldn't give up yet. Big things tell her to get a packer, don't jump to much and enjoy the jumps she gets because you just never know when its going to be over.

[sartre 0]

Tell your friend to hang on to her gear. When I was first diagnosed with RA, I could barely grip the steering wheel of my car. I couldn't braid my daughter's hair. Not even shuffle a deck of cards.

Today, I help other people learn to walk again. Most people have no idea that I have any sort of disease process going on. It took about 18 months to become tolerable, and really has only been well controlled for the past few years. It's why I decided to skydive when I did. Once I felt better, I wanted to do what I could WHILE I could.

Tell your friend it WILL get better. It may take some time, and while you're in pain it's hard to imagine that, but it truly will.

[Para-cutie 0]

I was diagnosed over 13 years ago (on my 19th birthday) I’m still a newbie in to skydiving, but if I hurt I don’t jump. My flare-ups tend to go along with the weather, so at least usually it’s too cold and cloudy to jump anyway. Yoga and keeping active has done wonders for me, I’ve just learned to listen to my body; keeping fit, eating right, and getting enough sleep all seem to help. At the same time, I refuse to let it run my life. I may not do everything as quickly as I would like, but I sure am stuborn. I do get a real kick out of telling my rheumatologist about my skydiving adventures.

I'm a little teapot short and stout, here is my handle and here's a note from my shrink. He says I'm getting better. Last week I thought I was a toaster oven!
-Dot Warner