RE: Flaring....again

[Guest guest]

In my experience Prednisone is the only

one that normally acts quickly and a short burst doesn’t take prolonged

weaning to quit. Sometimes a biologic will act quickly but more often

they also take a few weeks or even some months. My guess is a burst of

Prednisone and going back on Methotrexate plus either Plaquenil again or a

biologic. I can’t imagine me having to be off my meds for any

length of time. God bless.

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis [mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of i_live_in_slippers

Sent: Monday, April 17, 2006 5:55

PM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject:

Flaring....again

Hi group!

I don't post all that often but am feeling

frustrated!

Back in October I went off all my meds because I

had planned to

attempt a pregnancy in December and was also

having some skin

reactions to the meds I was on. To make a long

story short (kinda) I

wasn't able to become pregnant in Dec or Jan so

I've given up for

the time being because my RA continues to get

worse and worse while

off the meds.

Since I had an apt for April, last month I just

called my dr. and

said enough was enough and she went ahead and put

me on 5mg of

prednisone daily until I could get back in to see

her (which

thankfully I go tomorrow). Between that and the

Mobic that I started

taking again I've been able to coast by until

recently. The last few

days have been really rough. I'm having little

flares all over and

tonight it's my jaw. I can't close it or really

open up, my mouth is

stuck just about in the middle; it's driving me

nuts, almost feels a

little numb and just aches no matter what.

Thankfully I do go to her tomorrow morning but am

feeling pretty

lousy because I know whichever meds she decides to

put me back on

will take weeks to kick in and I'm wondering how I

can keep going in

the meantime. I'm so tired again and just dont

have time for

this ....haha...as if my body listens. The last

meds I was on were

plaquenil and mtx, and I'm on mobic and the pred

now, any

suggestions that I should ask for med wise? Any

ideas?

Thanks

[Guest guest]

Hi tracy-

I know its frustrating. I think Remicade would be the fastest acting Biologic, or the new Rituxan which works pretty quickly. You just need to get feeling better and as pain free as possible. I will say this also. RA has absolutely everything to do with your hormones and pituitary levels. Women get the disease during or after pregnancy right out of thin air. That is alarming and happening more often. It seems to be a catalyst. I had latent fibrotic seeds and apparently a dormant RA gene just sitting there waiting to be triggered. I couldnt have carried to term regardless of how hard I tried and I did try. Surgery and everything. I consider myself a mother to mankind and not in any way less a woman. When I think back to the onset of my disease and how aggressive it was at the start, I shudder to think that if I have a hard time caring for myself on the most basic level, how could I have held a child without pain, or given him the care he deserved. Maybe there is a biologic that will put you in remission, and after that is achieved you can focus again. Remember that caring for a baby is hard enough for a healthy woman, let alone someone with a connective tissue disease. Hugs, Deborah

On 4/17/06, i_live_in_slippers <bart.tracy@...> wrote:

Hi group!I don't post all that often but am feeling frustrated!Back in October I went off all my meds because I had planned to

attempt a pregnancy in December and was also having some skinreactions to the meds I was on. To make a long story short (kinda) Iwasn't able to become pregnant in Dec or Jan so I've given up forthe time being because my RA continues to get worse and worse while

off the meds.Since I had an apt for April, last month I just called my dr. andsaid enough was enough and she went ahead and put me on 5mg ofprednisone daily until I could get back in to see her (which

thankfully I go tomorrow). Between that and the Mobic that I startedtaking again I've been able to coast by until recently. The last fewdays have been really rough. I'm having little flares all over andtonight it's my jaw. I can't close it or really open up, my mouth is

stuck just about in the middle; it's driving me nuts, almost feels alittle numb and just aches no matter what.Thankfully I do go to her tomorrow morning but am feeling prettylousy because I know whichever meds she decides to put me back on

will take weeks to kick in and I'm wondering how I can keep going inthe meantime. I'm so tired again and just dont have time forthis ....haha...as if my body listens. The last meds I was on wereplaquenil and mtx, and I'm on mobic and the pred now, any

suggestions that I should ask for med wise? Any ideas?Thanks