Medicine failures and Depression

[Guest guest]

Several recent posts talked about failure of medications. While we all have

different reactions, it is important to keep trying whatever works for you. We

could use a list of what various medications do for us, how long they

should/could be taken, and what specifically to expect. How funny this inactive

group has taken on a new life!

Unfortunately, those lists are not usually made when we see our doctor. Then

insurance and job pressures make our medication choices even more skewed.

To respond, I still keep walking, gardening and doing most of the things I love,

or changing to things I can do and love. Most of the biologics have been a

question mark for me, but I say I don't know how bad I might have been without

them, how far down that slippery slope to doing nothing.

Antidepressants are very important medications. Because of chronic pain and

fatigue from disease, we have every right to be depressed. Newer drugs (again,

have to find the ones that work for you) offer a more positive outlook that

helps everything. Some of the older ones, such as amitriptyline family,

moderate pain, and can help someone get better sleep. Both of those are good

things!

Finally, proper diagnosis is often delayed. This is why sub diagnoses of

chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc. are often given. Since nearly 1/4 of RA

patients are sero negative, meaning specific tests are negative, proper

diagnosis and treatment are often delayed.

We all need to hang in there and keep learning as much as we can about our

medicines as well as our diseases. And prayer does change things.

[Guest guest]

Good post. A couple of weeks ago about a dozen posts, some from

January, appeared and the activity picked up at that time. For some reason

things were being stored rather than being posted but that seems to be fixed.

http://www.arthritistoday.org/treatments/drug-guide/types-of-drugs/index.php

The link above tells a lot about the different medicines and

that is a good companion to the discussion below. God bless.

From:

Rheumatoid Arthritis

[mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of hlflatau

Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 11:50 AM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Medicine failures and Depression

Several recent posts talked about failure of

medications. While we all have different reactions, it is important to keep

trying whatever works for you. We could use a list of what various medications

do for us, how long they should/could be taken, and what specifically to

expect. How funny this inactive group has taken on a new life!

Unfortunately, those lists are not usually made when we see our doctor. Then

insurance and job pressures make our medication choices even more skewed.

To respond, I still keep walking, gardening and doing most of the things I

love, or changing to things I can do and love. Most of the biologics have been

a question mark for me, but I say I don't know how bad I might have been

without them, how far down that slippery slope to doing nothing.

Antidepressants are very important medications. Because of chronic pain and

fatigue from disease, we have every right to be depressed. Newer drugs (again,

have to find the ones that work for you) offer a more positive outlook that

helps everything. Some of the older ones, such as amitriptyline family, moderate

pain, and can help someone get better sleep. Both of those are good things!

Finally, proper diagnosis is often delayed. This is why sub diagnoses of

chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc. are often given. Since nearly 1/4 of RA

patients are sero negative, meaning specific tests are negative, proper

diagnosis and treatment are often delayed.

We all need to hang in there and keep learning as much as we can about our

medicines as well as our diseases. And prayer does change things.

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found in this incoming message.

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07:54:00

[Guest guest]

Just another little FYI. Since being prescribed 15mg oxazepam which is form of ativan and only have to increase the dose to 30mg, my fibromyalgia is very much under control.  Before bedtime I take 1 30mg oxazepam ( I am only 90pds) a nibble of soma and half a trazadone 25mg.  I also take my pm dose of maintenance meds.  200mg plaquenil, and 800mg caplet of Ibuprofen.  I tried every anti depressant before that and I still got the stiff burning pain in my shoulders, hips, back and arms.  I also couldnt sleep worth anything.  I make sure my pain is totally under control and then knock myself out.  This is not for everyone.  Devote 8-11 hours to sleep.  I will say that getting enough sleep (shutting the phone off and the world too) contributes 85-95% of my wellness each day.  They say with most meds, the more you take, the more you need, doesnt apply to me.  I am very lucky.  My weight is consistent, my routine never varies either.  I am very careful with my diet.  I eat 7oz of protein, a carb like rice a few cups worth and mixed veggies steamed (broccoli, carrots, zucchini (yellow and green).  I allow myself dessert.  Ice Cream usually for the calcium. I have also learned things by trial and error which most people dont know. Prednisone was my arch nemesis causing me to gain weight.  I didnt understand that extra weight caused my joints to hurt more.  I finally found that sleeping as much as I did using Ativan, meant I only ate one meal a day.  around 5-7pm.  I usually go to sleep around 4-6am.  Its just how my body works over the years.  Impossibly I began to feel better, lost weight and lowered my dose of prednisone from 10mg to 5mg.  You see, prednisone must have fuel to go to work.  It is cortisol (adrenaline) and needs food to be effective.  By sleeping at the time I should have been eating, the prednisone only used the little bit of fuel I gave it.  I keep it on a very tight leash and I have control of it, not the other way around.  I can do that with RA also.  You just have to know how.  Diet, sleep and a consistent biologic maintenance is the key.  In order to control your disease you have to completely understand how it works.  You have to do the research and make a committment to know as much as the Doctors do.  You are your own advocate.  I can also say that for people with RA, the medication Naltrexone which is a beta endorphin (euphoric effect) can offset depression that severe RA pain causes as well as manage the disease.  Type into google (Naltrexone and Immune Disease).  Deborah

On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM, hlflatau <hlflatau@...> wrote:

Several recent posts talked about failure of medications. While we all have different reactions, it is important to keep trying whatever works for you. We could use a list of what various medications do for us, how long they should/could be taken, and what specifically to expect. How funny this inactive group has taken on a new life!

Unfortunately, those lists are not usually made when we see our doctor. Then insurance and job pressures make our medication choices even more skewed.

To respond, I still keep walking, gardening and doing most of the things I love, or changing to things I can do and love. Most of the biologics have been a question mark for me, but I say I don't know how bad I might have been without them, how far down that slippery slope to doing nothing.

Antidepressants are very important medications. Because of chronic pain and fatigue from disease, we have every right to be depressed. Newer drugs (again, have to find the ones that work for you) offer a more positive outlook that helps everything. Some of the older ones, such as amitriptyline family, moderate pain, and can help someone get better sleep. Both of those are good things!

Finally, proper diagnosis is often delayed. This is why sub diagnoses of chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc. are often given. Since nearly 1/4 of RA patients are sero negative, meaning specific tests are negative, proper diagnosis and treatment are often delayed.

We all need to hang in there and keep learning as much as we can about our medicines as well as our diseases. And prayer does change things.