Ugh.. never simple

[Guest guest]

I have been flaring for a year now. I have downplayed my symptoms and convinced

myself that I really am fine. In September (I think it was September) when Dr. C

started me back on the prednisone it was supposed to be a temporary thing. I

have maintained the low dose with some success. Today after examining my joints

and concluding that all of them are swollen and look horrible she said it was

time to face the music, the low dose prednisone is not cutting it. I honestly

think she was as disappointed as me when she realized this. She knows that my

body does not tolerate these medicines well at all and that by putting me on

them we are entering a catch 22 the treatment will cause other problems some of

which may be worse than what we are treating and yet she told me it had to be

done. Unfortunately I have already tried Arava, Sulfasalasine, Plaquenil,

Enbrel, and Remicade; some of them worked others caused horrible side effects.

She put me on Imuran 50mg

and upped my prednisoe and said lets hope it works. She said that if it does

not work Cytoxin is my next option, which she said is not a real great one to be

on because of its harsh side effects but allowing the disease to run rampant

also isn't a great idea. So basically this sucks. I know it could be worse but

lets be honest I would like to be a normal 24 year old. This disease has made me

miss out on a lot of my childhood. Here I am, I just graduated my credential

program, I just started planning my wedding.. I just want to do it without the

worry of JIA. I hate this disease.

With Love,

(MCTD, 24)