Re: Depression (regarding the comment on drugs)

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I feel the same way you do about medication. I have never been open

to taking medication. If I get a headache, I try to drink lots of

fluids and get some rest. If I have a cold, I'd rather let my

immune system take care of it. I think our immune systems are like

muscles and if you don't let it do it's think, it will atrophe and

not work properly. I always believed if I had a strong immune system

I would not get RA.

I grew up watching my mom deal with RA. Her doctors had her on

asprin for years and all it resulted in was major, destructive,

debilitating joint damage. Then she had years on prednisone, which

I am sure contributed to her now having osteoporosis. When she

started mtx she already had the disease for I guess 8 years or so,

and when she started Enbrel (when it was in the trial phase) she had

major joint loss and disfigurement. The drugs can only help her so

much because her pain mostly comes from bone rubbing against bone

and things like her feet aren't a normal shape anymore so wearing

shoes is problematic. Then once she gets her shoes on, she has to

face actually walking on those feet.

But because of my mom, and what I know about RA and drugs, I was at

the rheumatologist as soon as I had the first sign of pain (and

because a blood test showed an elevated RA level, which combined

with the family history got me a referral). I was seeing him before

I really even had RA. My rheumy said I was " developing RA " and each

time I experience some type of worsening of symptoms, we met it with

a stronger drug. I hate the drugs but I know first hand that

avoiding joint destruction is the key. And instead of my mom's 17

years of suffering before Enbrel, my RA is fairly well controlled

with prednisone, mtx and Humira and I have only had one serious

month long bout of swelling (waiting for insurance approval of

Humira). I hope to get off the prednisone soon. I would love to

get off the mtx but two recent studies showed the biological/mtx

combo provides better results. We are still going to reduce the mtx

as much as we can.

I just wanted to let you know there are others who look at their

meds and hate that we have to take them, hate all that artificial

stuff pumping through our bodies, but we swallow and inject our

selves just the same. Knowing it is the only option we have at a

semblance of a normal life.

Jennie

> Hi and welcome to the group! I am the woman who is taking

those drugs

> and is depressed and feel obligated to respond to your post.

>

> Like you, I feel that we need to be educated about our disease and

that we'

> re partners with our health care professionals so that we can have

the

> highest quality of life possible. I never take a medication

without

> investigating it thoroughly. I'm an educated woman and I believe

I have a

> good understanding of the disease as well as the meds. I waited 4

plus

> years before I had a doctor look into my symptoms, simply because

I am so

> against taking meds. I was determined to make myself better with

herbs,

> diet and exercise. I think I tried every angle out there, from

the candida

> diet, to the parasitic regiment, to low carb, to a food allergy

elimination

> diet. By the time I went to a doctor, I was barely able to walk.

I had to

> drop my classes in college (going back / computer programming, I'm

in my 30'

> s) and I lived in constant pain. Unfortunately, my decision

to " heal

> myself " lead to joint damage, pain, and frustration. But I

certainly was

> easy to diagnose by the time I saw a doctor!

>

> I started out on Plaquenil, but it did nothing at all to reduce my

symptoms

> or reduce my levels of inflammation (sed rate, joint count) I

wish it had,

> because it certainly is the best option. Then I was on MTX, and I

got some

> relief, but even then I spent a year with ice and heat and no life

> whatsoever. The disease activity of members of the group can vary

greatly,

> and just because a certain med, activity, diet etc works for one

doesn't

> mean it will for another. Even on my worst weeks I exercise 3 to

4 days.

> In the first year after I was diagnosed I took occasional Lortab

for pain

> and still wasn't getting much relief. The decision to start on a

long

> acting pain med was not easy to make. No, it was one of the

hardest

> decisions of my life. My Dr said that it was safer over the long

run (less

> chance of addiction.) On the med combo I'm using I have gone from

total

> disability to opening and running a business from home where I

have been

> earning a very good living. I've gone from being bedridden to

working 14

> hrs a day. Like you, I am determined not to let this disease make

me an

> invalid and I don't want to end up on disability if there's any

possible way

> not to. I've built something on my own that is allowing me to be a

> productive member of society. Each of us is trying to have the

best

> quality of life possible, dealing with the hand we're dealt.

>

> I have no doubt that the medications have side effects (how could

they not?)

> and I know some can cause depression. I was illustrating the

changes in my

> meds from when I felt great, to what I'm taking now. I really

didn't want

> take an antidepressant, and as an educated partner in my health I

agonize

> over taking another medication. (People who have been in this

group for a

> while know how I agonize over meds.) Luckily the antidepressant

I'm taking

> will allow me to discontinue two other meds. My MD said he cannot

> understand my hesitation to take what he believes is a very safe

drug, but

> he's respecting my opinion and we're going to re-evaluate whether

I need

> this after two weeks (it's new, fast acting AD.)

>

> I understand your mindset, because when I was going the " natural

health

> route " I thought that anyone who was taking any prescription med

was

> poisoning their body. It's a sad twist of fate that I now have to

take this

> ridiculous number of medications to have any semblance of a life.

I think

> if we were to poll the group the average number of meds each

person takes

> would be far more than you are currently on. I've agonized over

every med I

> take, and I'm always trying to reduce the dosage or types of meds.

>

> I wrote that post because I have friends here that I have known

for years

> and I was distraught. Your judgment that I'm " letting my doctor

prescribe

> yet one more pill to shut us (me) up " , in my opinion, was rash.

Believe

> me, if it were just a matter of exercise and Plaquenil for

everyone with

> RA – we'd all be exercising and living the life that we dream of,

rather

> than looking for support in this group.

>

> I usually avoid confrontation but I really was shocked and hurt by

the

> judgment you came to about me, and my situation, without knowing

more about

> both. That said, I hope you will learn to love this group of

friends as

> much as I do. They're obviously great people if I feel I can open

myself

> that much to them. I'll send sensitive topics via private mail in

the

> future.

>

> Warmest regards,

> Carol

>

>

>

>

>

>

> [ ] Depression

>

> I just signed on to this group. I have had RA for 41/2 years.

> I was amazed by the woman on the whole list of drugs that wondered

> why she was depressed. YES, it probably was all those drugs. I'm

an

> RN and no-one can take that many drugs and not have some side

> affects!!! We need to become knowledgeable about our disease and

not

> simply let the doctors prescribe yet one more pill to shut us up.

> I have had wonderful results from taking only one drug,

Plaquenil.

> and from starting an exercise regime. I walk on the treadmill 5

time

> per week. About 4 weeks ago I tore ligaments in my right ankle and

as

> a result have not been able to keep up my treadmill walking and I

> notice a huge difference in my hip and knee pain. Walking is quite

> painful for me right now, but I feel certain that once I am able to

> get back to my walking regime, all those aches and pains will be

> greatly diminished. I am determined not to let this disease make

me

> an invalid not only in body, but in mind.

>

>

>

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