Kathleen Turner Chat Transcript

On November 11, 2002, actress Kathleen Turner took time out of her busy schedule to do a live, online chat on The Arthritis Foundation's Web site. The chat followed an in-depth article in Arthritis Today magazine and gave readers a chance to ask questions about Turner's diagnosis, treatment and outlook on rheumatoid arthritis, the disease she and more than 2.1 million people in the United States battle on a daily basis.

Kathleen Turner Chat
November 11, 2002

Arthritis Foundation: Welcome to the Arthritis.org's live online chat with Kathleen Turner. Kathleen Turner has something not many people know about: rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Now, after a decade-long struggle to get the disease - and her life - under control, Turner is going public about her diagnosis. You have the opportunity to ask the award-winning actress questions about her struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and how she is able to manage her demanding career and her disease at the same time. To submit a question for Kathleen Turner, use the question bar at the bottom of your screen.

Question: Ms. Turner, how have other actors/Hollywood reacted to your having RA? Do you find that most people are relatively ignorant about it?

Kathleen Turner: Yes, most people are ignorant of it. Because they don't understand the disease they are very afraid of what it will do to their appearance and their ability to work.

Question: It is amazing to me that you are able to handle the stress of performing in a Broadway play eight times a week with RA. That is very inspirational to me. But was there a time when you feared you'd have to give up the thing you love most and, if so how did you overcome that fear?

Kathleen Turner: Yes, for a time, I was very afraid that I would have to stop acting. Movement was so difficult and so painful. I found a doctor who was working with some of the newer drugs. And we tried new medications and he put me on a physical regimen, starting with swimming as much as I could. I found since that working out and being physically active is an essential part of managing this disease.

Question: What type of exercise do you feel works best in managing your RA?

Kathleen Turner: I have to do nonimpact aerobic work. I find the elliptical runner and I also find Pilates very good.


Question: How does your life as an actress affect your ability to manage your RA -- for the better or worse?

Kathleen Turner: I am not sure that being an actress makes an important difference in managing RA. I think that almost any profession would have the same difficulties though perhaps the acting is more physical than most.

Question: How do you cope with the pain besides taking medication?

Kathleen Turner: I don't take pain medication because I don't like to fuddle my mind. It is something to be constantly aware of because it is certainly a factor in depression and possibly anger. I try to get the rest that I need. And I use a warm paraffin paraffin bath on my hands and feet.

Question: How many doctors/diagnoses did you go through before finally receiving help that did just that - helped?

Kathleen Turner: This is a good question. It takes an average of 3 - 5 years to be diagnosed. It took me a little over a year, seeing specialists in the different joints that were affected. In other words, I saw a podiatrist, an orthopedic surgeon for knees and elbows, a spine specialist when my neck was affected, and finally ended up at my family doctor in tears and he finally took blood and said your RA factor is through the roof. So then I started the tour of rheumatologists. And that went through 3 or 4 of those and every medication known. All the information that took me years to get is now available on www.RAaccess.com. So go there first.

Question: How did your family adjust to you having RA?

Kathleen Turner: My family has been wonderful. My daughter was 5 when we discovered the disease. And she would try to help me open bottles, walk, and bring me things so that I didn't have to walk more than I needed to. My husband helped me in public with what seemed to be an extreme show of courtesy, pulling back my chair. He was really helping me up.

Question: Kathleen, how important do you think it is for celebrities to be active in causes that they support?

Kathleen Turner: I don't support any cause in which I am not active. My name is not used unless I am involved in the organization. I think it is very important. I think one should be involved firsthand.

Question: Do you believe in alternative methods in helping to fight R.A? What have you tried and has any of it helped?

Kathleen Turner: I have tried acupuncture and I have found it brought some help and relief. I certainly believe that a balanced diet and supplements can be helpful. Massage therapy and yoga is also helpful. I do yoga every day.

Question: Did you talk to other people with RA in a support group or exercise class and did it help you if you did?

Kathleen Turner: No, I didn't really know many people with RA. Also for a time it was important to me to keep it private. So I didn't really contact a support group, though I think it would have been helpful. I have been public for the past year. It took me so long to find the right doctors to help me that I can only imagine what it takes others. That is why I am now involved and suggesting that people get help and support.

Question: Has anyone reacted badly to your having RA?

Kathleen Turner: Oh I don't know. I suppose that on the whole the reaction has been sympathetic and supportive but there are always people who prefer misfortune.

Question: Has RA forced you to make different decisions with regards to your career than you would have made had you not had RA?

Kathleen Turner: Yes. Certainly there was a period of time when I had to take less demanding roles because I was afraid that I couldn't do the big ones. And it will always, until they find a cure, be a consideration in what I choose.

Question: Is there a particular style/type of yoga you do?

Kathleen Turner: Actually the yoga that I do is a mixture of a lot of things. It includes a lot of breathing and back opening exercises. Primarily I take from many schools of yoga with the focus on mobility.

Question: So I take it playing Wonder Woman would be out of the question?!?!

Kathleen Turner: Yes, I am afraid that the days of doing my own stunts, which I loved, are over.

Question: Was it harder for you to deal with the physical or emotional aspects of RA?

Kathleen Turner: That is a tough one. The physical aspects of RA which include a constant level of low grade inflammation, and heavy exhaustion and constant pain have a profound emotional effect. You tend toward depression, fear is a constant. I hated the feeling of helplessness more than anything. Getting involved in an active physical regimen helped me to fight that. I think you must do something proactive and you can.

Question: What about another Romancing the Stone sequel??

Kathleen Turner: (Laughing) Oh honey, Michael, Danny and I are too old!

Question: Are all of your shoes special made now? Or just the ones you're wearing on Broadway.

Kathleen Turner: Certainly the ones on Broadway are specially made because they are high heels, which I have pretty much given up in my personal life. But I do have my boots hand made for my feet. Don't want to give up my cowboy boots.

Question: At what point did you feel good enough to resume exercising again? I was also very active and played many sports--but still unable to do much aside from water exercises. How did you get back into exercising?

Kathleen Turner: I started exercising before I felt good enough. The swimming enabled me to work back toward a more regular exercise routine.

Question: Where do you call home and how does weather affect you?

Kathleen Turner: I call New York home. And the winters are pretty tough. I can take any amount of heat but the cold makes it more difficult to move.

Question: Do you worry about your child having RA?

Kathleen Turner: Yes. I have a worry. But we have found through some testing that I have two of the genes that they think are responsible for RA, so I was almost certain to become acute. She, however, has only one, so there is a good chance that she will be fine.

Moderator: How long did it take you to find a schedule that worked well for you?

Kathleen Turner: Years. To find the right balance of exercise, rest. One thing RA has certainly done for me is to help me prioritize my life. Things I must do myself, things I can have others do and things that don't need doing by me at all. When you have limited energies you have to make those choices.

Question: What do you do when you feel like calling in sick?

Kathleen Turner: You don't. I've just completed 320 performances on Broadway. I have only missed 4 shows. Two for a torn hamstring and two because of bronchitis. Other than that, I am there.

Question: Looking back, do you recall any stressful event - physical or emotional - that proceeded your first onset of RA?

Kathleen Turner: I've thought about that. There was a period of extreme stress before the onslaught. I have wondered if that didn't somehow trigger it. Certainly we know that there is a relationship between stress and the severity of the disease, but I don't think we know if any one event could do that.

Question: Does faith or spirituality play a part in managing and accepting your RA?

Kathleen Turner: Well, I am not one to tell others religious instruction, but I do believe that having faith in a purpose for life helps everything.

Question: You seem very educated about RA. How do you keep up?

Kathleen Turner: Yes I have done a great deal of reading and research on it. 10 years ago there was little organized information available. Now we have the web sites like RAaccess.com and arthritis.org.

Question: What would you recommend for someone who was just recently diagnosed?

Kathleen Turner: For someone recently diagnosed, I recommend that they get the latest medications. Certainly there have been huge advances in the last two years. Also immediately create a physical discipline and workout plan. This is as important as the medication.

Question: I just entered and don't know if someone has asked this - Do you find that what you eat can affect the severity of the arthritis?

Kathleen Turner: Yes. I do. I try to eat only freshly prepared foods. No canned or even frozen foods. They contain so many hidden chemicals and salts. I think that a balance of freshly prepared foods is the best, that I find most beneficial. Lots of fresh stuff, guys!

Moderator to Kathleen: So what would you like to tell us?

Kathleen Turner: The worst thing you can do for yourself if you have RA is to sit around and feel sorry for yourself. That not only will all the symptoms increase but nobody will want to be with you. So get moving.!

Moderator: I would like to thank Kathleen Turner for taking time out of her busy schedule to be with us today.

Kathleen Turner: Thanks for having me here. I hope that I helped some people today.

Moderator: This concludes our moderated chat.… Please go to RA Connect and continue the to chat with each other. Thanks for participating.

Read the Arthritis Today interview with Kathleen Turner in the November/December 2002 issue.