CINDI/MARINAPAIN RELIEF

[Guest guest]

Cindi,

I can feel for you. I've been having a difficult time too. I

haven't taken a high enough dose of prednisone to really do the

job. I have the same problem witht he methotrexate. I take 20mg a

week. I found that if I break up the does through out the week that

my side effects are lessened than taking it in one big dose once a

week. Because of the dose, I take 2.5mg a day everyday except

Sunday, then I take 5mg. It really does help. Sundays, though, can

be a little rough. It's amazing how one extra little pill makes a

difference.

You hang in there!! We all need a place we can go to cry

it out, scream it out, just plain and simple get it out!!! It is

hard when your family doesn't get it. Mine doesn't. My sister does

to some degree (we are both nurses). The thing is, unless you are

going through it, you don't really get it. I always understood the

biomechanicals of disease process'. But, now that I am going

through it, I feel I can have a better understanding of what those

who come under my care are going through!!

There are days when I wished I had a hottub spa. When the

pain is so bad that a hot bath would help, I can't take one because

the pain is so bad I couldn't get out of the tub!!! I have even

tried to sell my condo so I could move into a ranch style home or at

least a home with the master bedroom on the first floor. I can't

tell you how many nights I have slept on the sofa. I have learned

to keep a stash of meds upstairs, downstairs, at work and in my

purse!!! I just started taking Kineret because the Remicade stopped

working. It was difficult to get to some of those appointments too

because of the pain and stiffness. Boy, I tell you what, injecting

the Kineret is like having a firecracker go off under your skin!!!

OUCH!!! Makes it a lot more difficult to give it to myself!!!

Girl, when you need to cry, then just go and do it!! That is

our perrogative as a woman!! No one needs to know why!! It sure

does help!! I find myself doing it a lot more lately becasue I feel

like RA is running my life instead of ME running my life. It is

difficult to make those life changes!! Does it ever get easier?? I

guess not. Sometimes I feel battered from rolling with the punches.

It's ok to loosen your grip a little, just don't let go!! Once

you completely let go, it can be difficult to grasp life by the

horns again. It's great that you have your family. The words of

the young!! The most precious things in life come from the mouths of

babes!! (some of the gross' stuff too!!). Sounds like your husband

is trying to deal with it too. Take solice in knowing he is trying

to be strong for you. Don't feel guilty, though. Guilt is bad

energy that you don't need!! RA is enough bad energy for anyone to

have to deal with.

I will keep you in my prayers tonight. I hope you get to

feeling better. Sorry I rambled on a bit, but it is nice having

someone to talk back and forth to about this. Feel free to unload

on me anytime!! Take care of yourself and let your family take care

of you too. If you don't, the only one you will let down is

them. ..Marina