Looking for feedback from the arthritis sufferers (Portland: quality of life, live in)

[olderbudwiser]

I'm planning a move to Portland, hopefully in the spring. I have fibro and reactive arthritis, and am in the process of being diagnosed with either lupus or psoriatic arthritis. This is something I have suffered with for six years, and it gets worse with each diagnosis. So my specific question is posed for the arthritis sufferers out there in the PNW. Obviously, these are issues that are going to affect me no matter where I live or what I do and they won't go away. I am originally from Massachusetts, and currently live in Texas in a climate that is supposedly "good" for rheumatoid conditions. I suffer on a daily basis in spite of it, possibly even worse than I did in Mass. The climate in PDX doesn't really scare me off because of this, and trust me when I say that New England is much worse, but I would like to hear some feedback from people that already live there with these problems. I will be coming for a weeklong visit next month, and I specifically chose this time of year to sort of get a feel for the "worst of the weather". I am not on disability and plan to work so I need to be functional. I do plan on applying for MMJ as soon as I'm settled. Anyone here have autoimmune diseases or arthritis and have any advice or feedback for me? On either the weather or MMJ. Thanks in advance.

[skiffrace]

currently live in Texas in a climate that is supposedly "good" for rheumatoid conditions

Humid San Antonio? Probably not. Try Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Southern California.
I know someone with similar problems like yours. She suffers a lot here in Portland, and feels much better when visiting the places I mentioned above.
The exact mechanism how the weather affects arthritis is probably not completely known - constantly low pressure, cold and humid air may have to do with it.
If you come, make sure you arrive during a typical weather - cloudy and rainy. The last year has been extraordinarily dry. It's raining right now, but 2 weeks or 2 months from now, who knows.

[Yankeemama]

The damp cold is affecting my joints. Lots of R.A. in my family and they suffer in this area during non-Summer months.

[olderbudwiser]

Trust me, SA is NOT that humid, it hardly ever rains here. At least not compared to where I'm from. Boston actually gets much more precipitation than PNW, and that's not counting all the horrible snow. I guess I figure I'm going to suffer no matter where I am, just figured someone from up there may have spent time somewhere else and could give me a comparison. I really can't be in the south anymore and I suspect that when my quality of life improves, so will my symptoms. You gotta live your life right?

[ccjarider]

Moved here from midwest. I have psoriatic arthritis.

I was bothered by the really cold weather there. My hands really ached and swelled up when outside for long times in either wet or cold.

It is better here in PDX as it does not get so cold.

My story is different than yours though. You are coming from wamer climate.

[searching for prudence]

On the positive side PDX does not experience many of the wild weather swings that can cause flare ups for me. On the negative side PDX is usually continuously cold and damp for 10 months of the year Labor Day to the 4th of July, which has its own set of issues and pain. If I had a choice I would move back to an area that gets some drier weather year round.

Boston and the NE may get more precipitation, but most of it comes in short bursts. In the PNW you get 9-10 solid months of drizzle and light rain.

[olderbudwiser]

No, Boston gets pretty much 9-10 months of bs weather. But with less shoveling of three foot blizzards, I still think it's an improvement for me. Thanks for all the input, I'm not really going to worry about it anymore, this pretty much solves it for me.

[Frihed89]

I have general symptoms of a number of auto-immune disorders that seem to vary randomly across all kinds of external conditions, environment, climate/weather, and what not. The only constant as i grow older is rheumatoid arthritis, which seems to have peaked or is at least the painful symptoms aren't progressing.

After a lot of testing from the ages of 12 to 55, doctors who look at my medical history are want to say anything more than "you're immune system doesn't like you". They can't describe what is wrong with me. They can't treat whatever I have, except for acute episodes.

I have avoided doctors like the plague for the last 15 years. As a substitute, i eat a balanced diet (when i eat at all), i sleep very little, exercise regularly and hard, and try to avoid (rather then welcome) stress. When the pain gets really bad i take a couple of generic Aleve (sp?).

It seems to work, no matter where I live.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Honestly, because of the dry spell we are having, my arthritis pain has been minimal this year.

Usually this time of the year is the worst for me with the the damp cold weather.

[Steve Pickering]

All I can tell you is "It's a pain.". If Texas isn't working than you don't want to come to Oregon.