FOr In Manassas

[Guest guest]

Hi !

My name is Lynn, I live in Dale City, VA and can

recommend Dr. Ellen of General Internal

Medicine Group. Please e-mail me privately, if you

wish...lynnf_99@... and I'll be glad to tell you

more. I bet I can guess who your current rheumy

is...initials MS???

Lynn

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>

> Message: 2

> Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 06:35:39 -0400

> From: " Schmidt " <karenanne_71@...>

> Subject: Re: Digest Number 2353

>

> Hi -

>

> I live in Manassas, Virginia, so you are really

> close to where I live. I am

> currently " shopping " for a new rheumatologist. Any

> suggestions? I was

> diagnosed several weeks ago, I'm taking prednisone

> (10mg) and methotrexate.

> Whenever I ask any questions my rheumatologist seems

> annoyed. There are

> several other reasons why I'm considering changing

> doctors, but mostly I

> just don't feel comfortable with him.

>

> Thanks -

>

>

> >From: Fauquier County's Promise

> <fauquiercountyspromise@...>

> >Reply-

> >

> >Subject: Re: [ ] Digest Number 2353

> >Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 08:24:50 -0700 (PDT)

> >

> >Hi Suzanne and ,

> > I know all about the benefits & side effects

> of

> >prednisone. I started on 40 mg/day in November

> 1999,

> >at the age of 22. The rheumy told me I would have

> >cravings but I never realized how strong they would

> >be! The worst side effect for me was the weight

> gain.

> >I had, essentially, been the same weight since high

> >school. I gained almost 60 pounds in 2 months. Not

> >only did I have arthritis but I couldn't fit into

> any

> >of my clothes! It was awful!

> > Your doctor is right about the weight coming

> off as

> >fast soon after you reduce the prednisone. I was on

> 10

> >mg/day from May 2000 to May 2001. Last summer, I

> went

> >from 10 mg to 5 mg. I lost 40 pounds in less than a

> >month. I hope to be off of the prednisone by the

> end

> >of this summer.

> > I also take the prednisone in the morning, when

> I'm

> >the most stiff from sleeping. I'm usually okay

> within

> >an hour.

> >

> >Take care,

> >

> >Culpeper, VA

> >Reactive/B27 arthritis & AS

> > > Hi Suzanne,

> > >

> > > Thanks for sharing your experience with

> Prednisone.

> > > I'm having the very same problems you had -

> > > sometimes hot, sometimes cold. I have a little

> fan

> > > on my desk at work and I'm constantly turning it

> on

> > > and off, in between putting on my sweater! The

> > > people around me must think I'm crazy!!!! (I've

> > > only shared with a couple of people what's going

> > > on).

> > >

> > > My appetite has also increased. It's very

> > > frustrating. I've been assured that will

> disappear

> > > when I quit taking the Predisone. I just hope

> it's

> > > in time to fit into my summer clothes! But it's

> > > definitely a small price to pay for taking away

> the

> > > pain. I told my husband it was amazing - I

> feel

> > > like my old self again. It scares me a little

> to

> > > think I'll be going off of it. What if the pain

> > > comes back. The plaquenil supposedly takes up

> to 12

> > > weeks to get into your system so hopefully it

> will

> > > do the trick by the time I come off the

> prednisone.

> > > Did you notice the pain come back when you went

> off?

> > >

> > > I'm on Celebrex, 200 mg twice a day and

> placquenil,

> > > 200 mg twice a day and the prednisone 5mg. I

> was

> > > taking the prednisone at night but was having

> such

> > > trouble sleeping, I switched to morning as of

> today.

> > > Hopefully, that will help.

> > >

> > > I'm not familiar with C-Reactive protein. What

> is

> > > exactly is that and what does that tell the

> doctor?

> > > It's good you aren't having nausea with the

> > > methotrexate. It sounds like a lot of people

> are

> > > taking that particular drug. Is it just a

> matter of

> > > personal preference on the doctor's part, or do

> > > certain drugs work better for certain symptoms?

> > >

>

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=====

*~*~ " When trouble arises and things look bad, there is always one individual

who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that

individual is crazy. " -- Dave Barry *~*~*~

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