Frustration - Bronchitis

[Guest guest]

Some of you have read the few posts I have made and know the long running

existence of my MCTD; including ReA, iritis, scleritis, pleurisy, nephritis,

blood clot problems, vasculitis, etc., etc., etc. now it's chronic reactive

bronchitis...........whatever that means. I am scheduled to see a pulmonary

specialist but I am really down. I have been through four antibiotics in

less than 2 months. Doc gave me a breathing treatment today but it made

things worse and my oxygen level dropped. I told him I didn't have asthma.

He had to convince himself.

Please pray for me. I am so down. This is a busy season and I know others

of you are experiencing the same problems as I. So many things I would like

to do but my body just won't keep up. I told the doc today that I would

rather die than continue feeling this bad; without improvement while seeing

multiple specialists.

If any of you share this bronchitis thing you can email me direct at

jbrpol2@...

Thanks for letting me vent. I appreciate all of you and read the posts much

more often than I write. Have a very happy Holiday season regardless of your

religious persuasions.

Jane

[Guest guest]

<PRE>Jane, I'm very sorry that you have been introduced to yet another health

problem. Did your Doctor explain what has caused this chronic bronchitis

condition? Do you smoke? Was it the medicines you were on? Or something in

your environment? Some of the drugs we use as autoimmune suppressants, like

Methotrexate and the newer TNF drugs, like Remicade and Enbrel, can cause

infections and even Tuberculosis in some rare cases. From what I have heard,

people need to seek their doctor to check them out when they do get any kind

of infections, coughs, sore throats, fevers, etc. They usually quit the

injections/infussions until you get better. Liz, has mentioned she has had a

cough for sometime now, too. Liz, sometimes you have to get up close and

cough right in their face when they ignore you like theve been doing. (I

guess I'm kidding, but they should listen to what the patient has been saying

to them all along...not ignore these things. Jane, I know you have posted

before, but I've forgotten what drugs you are/were on, etc. Mixed connective

tissue disease,,,,,tell us more about that. At one time, my doctor thought I

might have that...but it was drug induced lupus. Not fun at all. I hid from

the sun for one and a half years and my skin still would get red and

burn/sting. Now, I can enjoy the sun and we are going on a cruise this

Sunday...(Western Caribbean (Kozumel, Mexico, etc) My largest fear is not a

ship that is full of Norwalk virus...but having my IBD show it's ugly head as

we are in the jungle taking pics of the pyramids and no bathroom around for

76 miles! I'm just going to load myself up on lomotil and bendyl before we

start out. Thank goodness, some medicines work like they are supposed to. We

do have our special problems, don't we! :-( I hope you'll find the answer

soon. I know just how you feel. With these type diseases, you can't plan too

far in advance to do something...as you never know how that week/day or month

is going to be for you. But, it may get me down for a couple of days....and

then the sun comes up and dries up all the rain, (I truly love that baby

song..The composer must have had an understanding of chronic illness, don't

you think? ) and I'm ready to jump in the car and do the things I couldn't

do just the day before. Keeps us on our toes (knees)....as you just never

know when you will have a great day! :0-) Even on some bad days...if you just

can get through the clothes on process...you begin to purk up and your day

isn't like you thought it would be...and you think...now look at that, I

might have missed the best thing that has happened to me all year. Sorry for

my rambling....I get punch drunk on lack of sleep. Remember Jane, with

chronic bronchitis comes a little depression....Get some good " I love Lucy "

tapes or some other type comedy....quarantee you will feel better. Best

regards, Connie (granny) AS/IBD/Uveitis