Re: UPDATE - Feeling Awful - Off All My RA Meds -

[Guest guest]

:

I am so sorry that you are going through such a

frightening and painful time. I cannot even imagine

what you have to go through to take care of two

children on your own and deal with the pain you are

experiencing. You are a very strong woman, although

it may not seem like it at this time, and your

strength and love for your children are what is going

to get you through this hard time.

Prayers are winging their way to you, my friend, that

you receive a diagnosis, get the proper treatment, and

go back on your RA meds as soon as possible.

Kathe in CA

--- ltlmisscrankypants

<ltlmisscrankypants@...> wrote:

> Hi all.

>

> Since having that fun episode of vision/depth

> perception distortion and

> my right leg going numb last week, and ending up in

> the hospital, I have

> been taken off ALL my RA meds. I had the option of

> staying on my

> MTX, but have opted to stay off it until I have been

> properly diagnosed.

>

> Was sent to the Neurology Clinic at the hospital on

> Monday, had a 1

> hour exam, and still no answers. I have bloodwork

> to complete and

> have to wait up to 1 month to get an MRI....the

> waitlist here is long, and

> I am getting in on an URGENT basis. Until that test

> is done, there is no

> way to determine what is going on with my body. The

> docs feel it's a

> Neurological issue, but need to do the MRI to make

> a more precise

> diagnosis.

>

> Had my eyes checked at the Opthamologist on Tuesday,

> and all is well

> with that. Left there with my pupils dialated and a

> bill for close to

> $200.00 including my eye drops for my Sjogren's.

>

> I did not realize how dependant my body was on my RA

> meds until I

> stopped taking them. I am horribly swollen and my

> fingers and toes are

> all inflammed and hot. Every single joint in my

> body from my toes to

> my jaw joint is killing me. I am on pain meds, but

> they are not cutting it

> at all.

>

> In hospital, they told me that the " normal " end of

> high for an SED rate

> (test to determine inflammation/pain in RA

> patients), was 20. Mine was

> at 52 !!!!!!!!! Just think, I wasn't even anywhere

> near as much pain last

> week when that test was done as I am now. Would

> hate to think what it

> would be. After they discovered that, I was given a

> second Morphine

> shot, and two Percocet. all within an hour or so.

> Sadly, it still did not

> relieve all the pain. I don't want to think how

> much pain medication is

> needed to get this under control. While it didn't

> relieve my pain 100%, it

> made me feel better than I've felt in 10 months

> since first being

> diagnosed. As weird as it may sound, I felt so

> relieved to hear that the

> nurses and docs understood just how much pain I was

> in. When you

> have chronic pain everyday, after a while you start

> to question whether

> or not it's really that bad or is it all in your

> head. I am relieved that

> someone has validated what I have been saying and

> feeling all along.

>

> Lastly, I received my walker, bath bar and bathing

> chair yesterday.

> Although it was a HUGE blow to my ego, I know it's

> necessary to

> have. I am so thankful that I have these items on

> loan for 3 months

> through a local Red Cross program where I live.

> After that time, if I find

> I need to purchase these items, I can do so at a

> discounted rate.

> Financially, this is a huge blessing, as I don't

> have the money to put

> into that sort of stuff right now.

>

> Almost killed me to type this message, but I needed

> to vent about all

> this stuff. I have made some wonderful friends

> through this group, and

> that has been what's kept me going during the rough

> times.

>

> Please, pray that I get an MRI soon and that I have

> a diagnosis as to

> what is going on with me. I am terrified. I have

> two boys to raise on

> my own and I can barely keep up as it is. I can

> deal with the RA, but

> last week when I couldn't see or walk properly

> because of it....I was

> terrified. The RA has restricted my body's

> movements....but loss of my

> vision would deprive me of the few things I have

> left to do

> independently - go online, send e-mails, watch TV,

> watch my boys play

> football.

>

> Thank you everyone for reading,

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

Kathe in CA

__________________________________

Start your day with - Make it your home page!

http://www./r/hs

[Guest guest]

:

I am so sorry that you are going through such a

frightening and painful time. I cannot even imagine

what you have to go through to take care of two

children on your own and deal with the pain you are

experiencing. You are a very strong woman, although

it may not seem like it at this time, and your

strength and love for your children are what is going

to get you through this hard time.

Prayers are winging their way to you, my friend, that

you receive a diagnosis, get the proper treatment, and

go back on your RA meds as soon as possible.

Kathe in CA

--- ltlmisscrankypants

<ltlmisscrankypants@...> wrote:

> Hi all.

>

> Since having that fun episode of vision/depth

> perception distortion and

> my right leg going numb last week, and ending up in

> the hospital, I have

> been taken off ALL my RA meds. I had the option of

> staying on my

> MTX, but have opted to stay off it until I have been

> properly diagnosed.

>

> Was sent to the Neurology Clinic at the hospital on

> Monday, had a 1

> hour exam, and still no answers. I have bloodwork

> to complete and

> have to wait up to 1 month to get an MRI....the

> waitlist here is long, and

> I am getting in on an URGENT basis. Until that test

> is done, there is no

> way to determine what is going on with my body. The

> docs feel it's a

> Neurological issue, but need to do the MRI to make

> a more precise

> diagnosis.

>

> Had my eyes checked at the Opthamologist on Tuesday,

> and all is well

> with that. Left there with my pupils dialated and a

> bill for close to

> $200.00 including my eye drops for my Sjogren's.

>

> I did not realize how dependant my body was on my RA

> meds until I

> stopped taking them. I am horribly swollen and my

> fingers and toes are

> all inflammed and hot. Every single joint in my

> body from my toes to

> my jaw joint is killing me. I am on pain meds, but

> they are not cutting it

> at all.

>

> In hospital, they told me that the " normal " end of

> high for an SED rate

> (test to determine inflammation/pain in RA

> patients), was 20. Mine was

> at 52 !!!!!!!!! Just think, I wasn't even anywhere

> near as much pain last

> week when that test was done as I am now. Would

> hate to think what it

> would be. After they discovered that, I was given a

> second Morphine

> shot, and two Percocet. all within an hour or so.

> Sadly, it still did not

> relieve all the pain. I don't want to think how

> much pain medication is

> needed to get this under control. While it didn't

> relieve my pain 100%, it

> made me feel better than I've felt in 10 months

> since first being

> diagnosed. As weird as it may sound, I felt so

> relieved to hear that the

> nurses and docs understood just how much pain I was

> in. When you

> have chronic pain everyday, after a while you start

> to question whether

> or not it's really that bad or is it all in your

> head. I am relieved that

> someone has validated what I have been saying and

> feeling all along.

>

> Lastly, I received my walker, bath bar and bathing

> chair yesterday.

> Although it was a HUGE blow to my ego, I know it's

> necessary to

> have. I am so thankful that I have these items on

> loan for 3 months

> through a local Red Cross program where I live.

> After that time, if I find

> I need to purchase these items, I can do so at a

> discounted rate.

> Financially, this is a huge blessing, as I don't

> have the money to put

> into that sort of stuff right now.

>

> Almost killed me to type this message, but I needed

> to vent about all

> this stuff. I have made some wonderful friends

> through this group, and

> that has been what's kept me going during the rough

> times.

>

> Please, pray that I get an MRI soon and that I have

> a diagnosis as to

> what is going on with me. I am terrified. I have

> two boys to raise on

> my own and I can barely keep up as it is. I can

> deal with the RA, but

> last week when I couldn't see or walk properly

> because of it....I was

> terrified. The RA has restricted my body's

> movements....but loss of my

> vision would deprive me of the few things I have

> left to do

> independently - go online, send e-mails, watch TV,

> watch my boys play

> football.

>

> Thank you everyone for reading,

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

Kathe in CA

__________________________________

Start your day with - Make it your home page!

http://www./r/hs