/dry skin

[Guest guest]

Well

you know, I don’t know if it “officially” causes this but I

also know when I was on a form of chemo before (for something else) I had same

problem. I think with meds like this, it leaches things from your system,

so many things can happen. Seems logical anyway, but how much of

life is logical eh? I just know it’s really early for my skin

to be drying up, LOL. And we won’t even talk about what my hair is

doing lately, hehehe.

Andilynn

Meowers ---

Calvin & Hobbes, Countess Zoya, Crushed Ice, Evy the Explorer

Woofers --- Misha, Maggie Mae <JRTs>

http://groups.msn.com/Endoviduals

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Endoviduals/

Newbie...sort

of, LOL (kinda long, sorry)

I joined awhile back...last month anyway, so thought I'd

introduce myself. First off, you all seem like a wonderful group and I've

gotten some awesome information from you! My diagnosis so far is RA, but

Lupus is being looked at. Actually said I have " lupus like " illness

whatever THAT means, hehe. Learning early on it's hard to diagnose and I

have some other health issues that make it even tougher. But I do

definitely have RA, and the treatments are similar at least, and we seem to be

making progress for now. Finding info on RA alone has been hard, most of

what I find is within lupus groups/sites so hope it's okay to be here though dx

is not definitive yet. I strongly feel it will be in time, as does

rheumy, but I try not to self diagnose (hard for a biochem chick to resist) or

think ahead too much ;-)

I am 32, live in Oklahoma, though have moved around a bit.

Born and raised in Kansas, and went to college in Texas, Alabama and

Seattle. Now I'm back in the midwest near friends and family and love it

though I do miss Seattle (especially considering my health and limited options

here in OK, LOL). Just can't live in Seattle while trying to do grad

school...talk about a starving student, hehe. Hope to start OU soon...had

to put it off this fall for health. I'm a biochem major, which helps when

researching and learning about lupus and other health stuff.

I have had endometriosis since age 15, and had a total hyst at

age 28 (jan1999). Since then I have had 4 more surgeries for endo and

adhesions (yes I knew the hyst was not a cure, thank goodness or I " d be

really mad eh?). My endo was a very extreme case, and did a lot of

damage, as did the meds for it. Anyway, after 2 years of PT and other

pain management treatments, I was finally able to walk again and function

" somewhat " normally. I was also able to get off narcotics and

many other meds I " d been on (Neurontin was one of the best and

worst...total love/hate with that med).

Then shortly after that the joint pain kicked in all over.

I knew what it could mean so denied it a bit. After having pain from endo

for so long, you just get used to having aches and deal with it. But

finally the aches became unbearable PAIN and I could not even use my hands,

could hardly walk again, and the fact that every joint hurt except my back and

hips made it obvious something was up. My jaw and toes even hurt...you

forget how many joints you have. To be honest I got scared...and finally went

to doc. Of course fibro was mentioned but after examining me she sent me

to a rheumy, who I just LOVE! Didn't take him too long, especially after

seeing my history with endo and food allergies to zone in on RA or Lupus.

The official dx is RA and lupus like syndrome (if you can call that official,

hehe) Many of my tests regarding lupus are borderline (though its still a

bit confusing to me, LOL) or can partly be attributed to my endo history.

I do know that endo can mess up the results of an ANA test, which doc says is

not, in and of itself, reliable. So now I know two tests that can come

out positive/high just from having endo...the CA-125 (ovarian cancer) test and

the ANA test. So that has made things a bit more difficult. I am

also uninsured right now, since I just moved here a year ago and couldn't even

apply till now. So holding off on too many dx's till I see if I can even

get individual insurance (unlikely) and then I'll apply for the state high risk

pool here. I have started social and all that, but it takes time (been

there and done it before with the endo).

I was first put on minocycline (sp?) but it made me sicker and

sicker the longer I took it, nausea and vomiting. And the RA was getting

worse really fast. I can't take sulfa due to an allergy, so anitbiotic

options were a bit limited anyway. When I went to rheumy for follow up

after being on the minocycline (or is it monocycline? Aaaaack, brain fog)

doc took one look at me and said we had to something more aggressive.

Originally he had talked about Plaquenil but went straight to the oral

chemo instead after seeing the advancement. I don't' know for sure how

many symptoms RA and Lupus share, but it was horrible and I have never been

that miserable in my life. Joints were " tracking " I believe is

the term? I'm still learning, not sure what it means but it was

icky...felt weird and painful and swollen and stiff. Absolutely no grip

strength either. Even with all I endured leading up to it, things

were terrifying. Anyway, off the antibiotic and on daily steroids (major

yuck) and methotrexate. We started trying to up the methotrexate slowly,

but had to go a bit faster than desired so had some wonderful days with that,

LOL. Currently on injectable, 15mgs...but will go up or have something

added to it likely. Things have gotten better though, at least the past

few weeks. In time we want to get me off the daily steroids, and I hope

that comes soon. Taking those after a hyst, and not being able to take

much estrogen, and having had Lupron Depot, my poor bones are wore out and

thinned a little. OH yeah, put me on folic acid script too but will

likely have to start b12 shots again. I have macrocytic anemia, though it

can behave often, and of course methotrexate leaches your folic acid. Top

that off with my allergies to eggs, wheat and yeast, some major sources of b12,

and I'm kinda stuck.

On to fun stuff...I am selfemployed with a few projects going on,

though have had to rearrange life a bit again...we get good at that don't we?

My best friend in KS has a preschool/daycare and I help with the biz end.

I had decided to put off the biochem and finish my masters in teaching (I just

adore working with those kids!) but the latest health sitch has put a halt to

that...at least temporary. Preschool kids take a lot of physical stamina

and energy, which I don't have now, and not sure if I ever will again.

Taking that one day at a time...and sticking with the biochem for now.

Though that could get interesting in the lab during one of my clutzy days,

ROFL. I also am working on an NPO for endo support and education (see

siggy*) and help out with another group dealing with hysterctomies. I do

live with my parents as my mom is disabled from a stroke. It works out

well for all of us (mom, dad and I) though I do need my space now and then

;-) I have 5 cats and 2 dogs who help keep me sane (see siggy for their

info). Family has a farm in OK and one in KS that I escape to when I need

to be calm (my cousins have the farms). I have a wonderful family,

extended ones are close even, and great friends, though not a large number of

them. I'm sure y'all can understand that...facing health issues seems to

thin out friends...but then you know the ones you have are true ones.

I guess this is long enough, LOL. I love your logo

here! Of course I'm a butterfly lover and use them in my logo too

;-) See quote in siggy too...I just love it. Always looking for

quotes with butterflies.

*note to the moderators...if this siggy is a no-no, just let me know

and I'll take the group info off of it. I am quite scatterbrained at

times, so forget things, but didn't remember if there was any guidelines

regarding siggys?

{{{Endo Embraces}}}

Andilynn

Endoviduality Founder/Endoviduals Moderator

MSN --- http://groups.msn.com/Endoviduals

Yahoo --- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Endoviduals/

HysterCity Nature's Corner contributer ---

http://www.hystercity.com/nature_corner.htm

Endo411 --- Dx @ 15; multiple SX's incl. TAH/BSO

<still have endo & adhesions>; ongoing pain mgmt

IMs

--- siwibrat <yahoo, aim> / 159013637 <icq>

Meowers

--- Calvin & Hobbes, Countess Zoya, Crushed Ice, Evy the Explorer

Woofers --- Misha, Maggie Mae (JRTs)

Happiness is as a

butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you

will sit down quietly, may alight upon you --- iel Hawthorne <1804-1864>

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