itching, itching, itching!

[Guest guest]

Hello! I am not a frequent poster, but I keep my membership open

because you guys are such a wealth of information! Here's a little

background:

I have had RA for 3 years. I was taking MTX/Plaquenil, Pred,

Ibuprofen, Zoloft, Cytotec, and Synthroid. The dr added Enbrel,

worked well, and dropped MTX/Plaquenil. The MTX works great at the

dosage I was prescribed, but I had liver enzyme increase. When MTX

was decreased, it wasn't responsive. Everything was going well and I

was finally weaning off Pred after 2 years of continued use. Enbrel

had its shortage and I flared. The dr has been out of town, but my

last sed rate 3 months ago was 110. It had been creeping up the past

6 months, though. It was 30-40-75-110, and the dr feels it should be

down now that my Enbrel regime has started again. He increased my

pred to 5mg daily, where it has been for the past 3 months.

Well, In the past 2 months since I've seen my rhuemmy, I have new,

weird nodules on my feet. The one on the side of my big toe is

huge! The metatarsal below that joint is spongy again and I have

many sore spots along my toes. I have been run-down feeling the past

week or two. Yesterday (wed), I started itching like mad. It's on

my arms and legs and it could just drive me nuts! My hubby gave me

some Benadryl, sent me to bed, and took care of the kids. I slept 12

hours! I woke up today and the tickling, itchy feeling is still

there. No rash, unless I scratch, then it looks like hives. I also

could barely walk when I got out of bed today and I have a very

painful, red spot on the edge of my heel (nodule?).

I did not eat anything different, except for a new brand of Cajun

fish for dinner Tues night. I did not take anything different (I am

allergic to Vioxx, Celebrex, Wellbutrin). I mowed the grass Tues,

but it's the same yard I've been mowing for years! Has anyone ever

had weird itching accompanying a flare before? Or is a flare likely

to occur alongside an allergic reaction?

Thanks, I really appreciate your sage advice!

R (FL)

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure about exactly what to make of this, , but have you

called one of your doctors? It wouldn't be unusual to have episodes of

hives or something similar in a person with immune system problems, but

I'm not sure how to explain the chain of events you describe.

When the Enbrel shortage interrupted your supply, what were you taking

then to control your RA? When did you resume the Enbrel? Are you on all

of the other meds you listed minus the MTX and Plaquenil?

I'm really sorry to hear this. You must be so uncomfortable.

Still thinking,

[ ] itching, itching, itching!

> Hello! I am not a frequent poster, but I keep my membership open

> because you guys are such a wealth of information! Here's a little

> background:

>

> I have had RA for 3 years. I was taking MTX/Plaquenil, Pred,

> Ibuprofen, Zoloft, Cytotec, and Synthroid. The dr added Enbrel,

> worked well, and dropped MTX/Plaquenil. The MTX works great at the

> dosage I was prescribed, but I had liver enzyme increase. When MTX

> was decreased, it wasn't responsive. Everything was going well and I

> was finally weaning off Pred after 2 years of continued use. Enbrel

> had its shortage and I flared. The dr has been out of town, but my

> last sed rate 3 months ago was 110. It had been creeping up the past

> 6 months, though. It was 30-40-75-110, and the dr feels it should be

> down now that my Enbrel regime has started again. He increased my

> pred to 5mg daily, where it has been for the past 3 months.

>

> Well, In the past 2 months since I've seen my rhuemmy, I have new,

> weird nodules on my feet. The one on the side of my big toe is

> huge! The metatarsal below that joint is spongy again and I have

> many sore spots along my toes. I have been run-down feeling the past

> week or two. Yesterday (wed), I started itching like mad. It's on

> my arms and legs and it could just drive me nuts! My hubby gave me

> some Benadryl, sent me to bed, and took care of the kids. I slept 12

> hours! I woke up today and the tickling, itchy feeling is still

> there. No rash, unless I scratch, then it looks like hives. I also

> could barely walk when I got out of bed today and I have a very

> painful, red spot on the edge of my heel (nodule?).

>

> I did not eat anything different, except for a new brand of Cajun

> fish for dinner Tues night. I did not take anything different (I am

> allergic to Vioxx, Celebrex, Wellbutrin). I mowed the grass Tues,

> but it's the same yard I've been mowing for years! Has anyone ever

> had weird itching accompanying a flare before? Or is a flare likely

> to occur alongside an allergic reaction?

>

> Thanks, I really appreciate your sage advice!

>

> R (FL)