My aunti may have Rheumatoid arthritis.

Hi,

This is my first post on this board and i am in need of some real help. I am writing this question on behalf of someone else as they are not very PC literate. Basically this is involving my auntie. She has been ill now for over 3 years. At first the doctor said that she may have Rheumatoid arthritis. Although she has never been officially been diagnosed at the hospital her GP has been telling her that she can take paracetamol and ibuprofen to ease the stiffness and pain in her body. She has been taking both these tablets for about a year and half now and it has only been minor improvement and i am starting to get very worried that her body's defense system is weaking as it is getting too use to these tablets. She is still taking both tablets at the moment, now something else has developed a nasty cough that has been going on for about a year now. When my auntie coughs the symptoms that come out are similar to a normal cold. It is flem like spit. After witnessing this i booked my auntie a doctors appointment to see the local GP. Now his answer was that the paracetamol that she is taking along with ibuprofen contains acid in them that maybe affecting her body and causing her to cough up the acid. I don't know which part exactly as i can't remember. She was given anti acid tablets and it did have some affect but they never re prescribed the medicine. I don't know why. Now she is going for a scan at the hospital which could result in Gallstone removal. My question is here that could it be the Gallstones that are causing this nasty cough or is it because all of this medicine that she has been taking that has caused this to happen? What general things can my auntie do to help herself? The date for the scan is quiet far away still but i would appreciate some help from anyone here that has experienced anything like this or any professional advice? My auntie does not even drink milk as it gives her some sort of reaction in her body that results in pins and needles in hear hands. The doctor also gave her calcium tablets which she is currently taking which is giving her slow improvements in the sense that she is getting stronger bones as she is awfully thin as she has a very poor diet also.

Thanks and hope to hear form you all soon