Update

[Guest guest]

Hi all. First, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a

blessed New Year!

Okay, I saw Trentham again back in August and he started me on the Enbrel.

He took me off the Methotrexate injections and 150 mg of Imuran at the same

time.

After the 90 days, I was still having major flaring and he suggested adding

Methotrexate orally. Since it made me ill, my rheumy here put me back on

Imuran instead, took me off the Vioxx and put me on Arthrotec to see if it

would help.

I'm still waiting............ I think in some ways I feel better, and in

others I feel worse. I am trying to get off the Pred -- it is doing as much

or more harm as good, and I just went down to 8 mg.

I know I've been having more trouble breathing, especially as the day goes

on, and when I lay down. Went to the doc Friday and he said there was

definitely a lot of rattling going on. Thought is could be bronchitis so he

gave me Tequin (a new antibiotic) just in case it was bacterial -- hard to

tell since I'm on the immunosuppressant.

Just before Christmas, our youngest grandson, 4 month old Jordan, ended up in

the hospital with RSV. Of course we didn't know until he had been in for 2

days that he had RSV -- poor little guy. It broke my heart to see him

laying there so helpless and having so much trouble breathing. I am thankful

to say, that after being in for almost a week, he is home now.

Wishing you all a painfree New Year --

Hugs and smiles,

P.S. My sed rate has always been within the normal range. In fact, the

highest it has been is maybe 8. The lowest is 0. My doc freaked and thought

there was something wrong. It is usually always under 5, averaging between 1

and 3.

I almost forgot, I found out last week that another person here in the

Oklahoma City area was diagnosed with RP by her primary care doc a couple of

months ago. She is under 25 and is seeing my rheumy in Norman. I am hoping

she will join us soon.

Love to you all!!