RE: Hi, new and don't know where to turn

August 22, 2006

Hi ;

Slow down little one!Panic is about the worst thing you can do to

yourself as it gets the cortisol going and that will cause more problems

disease wise.Whether it is RA or Lupus you may well wait a long time

before the doctors actually figure it out and many of these rheumatic

diseases overlap.You have come here early and will probably get a fair

control but there is so much to learn that it can be mind bogling.My

sister has Lupus and is in remission just by using Doxycycline 50mg 3

times a week.I have systemic Scleroderma and am in remission as well but

it took years to figure things out.We had to find out that we both have

Celiac disease and until we got that controled the AP did not work too

well.It seems like about 70% of people with chronic diseases have Celiac

and you may just find that if you drastically alter your diet you might

feel much better and that allows the AP to work faster.Celiac causes

systemic yeast problems,leaky gut and malabsorbtion of nutrients.

You are in the right place and these wonderful people will guide you

just as they did me.By the way,the doctors had given me less than a year

to live but all my lab results showed normal except for the red and

white blood cells being a tad off.Go figure.Do you have a doctor that is

easy to work with that might write you a prescription for antibiotics?

If not let the folks here know where you live and they will probably

find someone relatively near you. Lynne G.

ktandtm wrote:

> I just found this group and hope you all can help. I went through

> hurricane Katrina while being pregnant. Never had a symptom in the

> world. Then after I had my baby in Sep. I got arthritis pain and

> could hardly do much of anything. Finally went to the doc and was

> told I had lupus. Then moved again and new rheumy said I have RA

> and doesn't think I have lupus. I have inproved some on my own

> before starting methotrexate. I don't feel the MTX is doing much of

> anything and I just want to cry all the time. I am the mother of 7

> and three of my children are under the age of 5. It is so hard to

> take care of them and I am scared and depressed a lot. I really

> thought I would be getting better by now. I am only 37 and just

> can't believe this has happened. Now I am also having symptoms of

> Raynauds and just don't know what to do. C

>

> Can any of you offer any hope other than taking meds upon meds upon

> meds. Seems like when one med doesn't work they just keep adding

> more. I don't want to take all these high risk meds but I dont'

> know what to do! Sorry for writing a book but no one seems to

> understand why I cry all the time. I am normally a strong person

> and have never cried much. Now I am a baby! I just don't

> understand.

>

> Thanks for listening,

>

August 22, 2006

Hi, First congratulations on your new baby. And you've come to the right place.

A lot of people here have been and some still are where you are, including

myself. First thing, stop having any more children. Second, find yourself a

doctor who believes in A/P. That's antibiotic protocol. Get a real diagnosis

if you can. These diseases are known to overlap. Lastly, get prepared to fight

for your life, the rest of your life. These diseases just don't go away

suddenly by themselves or with the changing of drugs. I have S/D, R/A. and

Sarcoidosis. Just got diagnosed for that yesterday. I am and have been on a

drug called Minocin (Minocycline is the generic name.) I understand the brand

name is better. I started slowly at 50 mg MWF, then found a great doc in Boston

who ramped up my dosage to 100mg. twice a day. I have done very well and my

recovery started rapidly and I was elated. Then I started getting tired again

and my heart started to become irregular. I also

developed pulmonary hypertension. There are different types of illnesses, both

outside the body involving the skin only and inside the body where the internal

organs are attacked. The internal ones are harder to treat. Then there is the

MCTD ( mixed connective tissue disease) That's when you have more than one.

You'll have good days, bad days and some so-so days. You've got to learn to ride

the waves. Accept the progress, expect to regress sometimes and other times you

may even forget that you are sick. This is all very difficult not only on

yourself, but also on your little ones. Try to get someone to help you with the

children, housework, laundry etc.so you can rest more often. Nap when the

little ones nap and listen to your body. Get on a good nutrition plan. You

most likely eat on the run with all those babies to take care of. You need

pampering right now. Maybe you can find a young mother's helper who is willing

to do an internship in your house. Try the

churches and schools. Call social services, but definitely you need the extra

help. These diseases can bring the strongest of people down to their knees,

You cannot do this alone, don't even try. There are some good books out there.

Go to the library and get any book by Henry Scammell. Reserve it or you can buy

it new or used on amazon.com at a reduced price. They are not expensive books,

but they tell the whole story. The Methotrexate and such drugs will definitely

have to go. Good Luck~~~~Dolores

ktandtm <ktandtm@...> wrote: I just found this group and hope you all can

help. I went through

hurricane Katrina while being pregnant. Never had a symptom in the

world. Then after I had my baby in Sep. I got arthritis pain and

could hardly do much of anything. Finally went to the doc and was

told I had lupus. Then moved again and new rheumy said I have RA

and doesn't think I have lupus. I have inproved some on my own

before starting methotrexate. I don't feel the MTX is doing much of

anything and I just want to cry all the time. I am the mother of 7

and three of my children are under the age of 5. It is so hard to

take care of them and I am scared and depressed a lot. I really

thought I would be getting better by now. I am only 37 and just

can't believe this has happened. Now I am also having symptoms of

Raynauds and just don't know what to do. C

Can any of you offer any hope other than taking meds upon meds upon

meds. Seems like when one med doesn't work they just keep adding

more. I don't want to take all these high risk meds but I dont'

know what to do! Sorry for writing a book but no one seems to

understand why I cry all the time. I am normally a strong person

and have never cried much. Now I am a baby! I just don't

understand.

Thanks for listening,

To unsubscribe, email: rheumatic-unsubscribeegroups

August 23, 2006

ktandtm <ktandtm@...> wrote: I just found this group and hope you

all can help. I went through