Re: Visit to the doc today

August 1, 2006

Glad you did post that very good news, !

Your rheumatologist sounds like a winner.

It could take a couple more weeks for the Enbrel to reach a steady state. I

hope you'll be able to make it through the week soon.

Good luck with weaning off the prednisone.

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] Visit to the doc today

> Good news I thought I'd share...

>

> I went to the rheumatologist today, and my liver values are FINALLY

> back to normal again after the Arava! So I can increase my Mtx back

> to 20mg, and use the Voltaren again when I need it.

>

> We also decided it's time to try tapering the prednisone yet again,

> (I REALLY want to get off of that stuff!!!) so I'm supposed to go

> down to 12.5mg daily for the next 2 weeks, followed by 10mg daily

> for 2 more. She said if I have any trouble, I should extend each

> drop to 1 month. Then after that, I'll drop down 1mg at a time.

> She does want me to have another bone density test in Sept. since

> I've had to be on the prednisone for so long.

>

> The other test she wants me to have this fall is a stress test. She

> said that since people with RA are more prone to cardiac and

> arterial problems, she likes to do stress tests on all her RA

> patients from time to time to time. She said she thought it was

> even more important with womem, who often don't have noticeable

> symptoms of heart problems until it's too late. Something else to

> worry about, but I'm glad that she really seems to stay on top of

> things.

>

> I talked to her about the fact that although the Enbrel is clearly

> helping a lot, it doesn't seem to last a full week. (actually, it

> lasts about 4 days) We decided that we'll give the 50mg/weekly

> another month, since sometimes it does take more than a month to

> reach its full effectiveness, and at that point decide whether to

> try the 25mg 2x weekly. She said that actally, they only went to

> the 1x weekly/50mg in answer to Humira, which only has to be taken

> every other week. She said that what a lot of docs were finding was

> that the Humira DIDN'T really last for 2 weeks for a lot of people,

> so they ended up taking it more often than that.

>

> So, all in all, it was a good visit, I got my shoulder injected too

> (it really needed it) so I'm sitting here typing this with a bag of

> ice on my shoulder, but I'm sure that will feel a LOT better in a

> couple of days. I feel like FINALLY we might be getting a handle on

> this.

>

> I also have to say that every time I read some of the awful

> experiences some of you have with your rheumatologists, I thank my

> lucky stars that I ended up with mine on the first try. She has

> been really wonderful. She seems to stay right on top of new

> research and treatments, she is very caring, easy to talk to, and

> easy to get in touch with if there is a problem. She has offered

> pain meds at times without me even having to ask. She even called

> _me_ on a Sunday once, just to see how I was feeling! There are

> some really good docs out there too.

>

> Well, that was a lot to say, but since it seems that I haven't done

> much but complain for the last 7 months, I thought I should post the

> good news too!<g>

>

August 2, 2006

Thanks, !

>

> Glad you did post that very good news, !

>

> Your rheumatologist sounds like a winner.

>

> It could take a couple more weeks for the Enbrel to reach a steady

state. I

> hope you'll be able to make it through the week soon.

>

> Good luck with weaning off the prednisone.

>

> Not an MD

>

> I'll tell you where to go!

>

> Mayo Clinic in Rochester

> http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

>

> s Hopkins Medicine

> http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

>

> [ ] Visit to the doc today

>

> > Good news I thought I'd share...

> >

> > I went to the rheumatologist today, and my liver values are

FINALLY

> > back to normal again after the Arava! So I can increase my Mtx

back

> > to 20mg, and use the Voltaren again when I need it.

> >

> > We also decided it's time to try tapering the prednisone yet

again,

> > (I REALLY want to get off of that stuff!!!) so I'm supposed to go

> > down to 12.5mg daily for the next 2 weeks, followed by 10mg daily

> > for 2 more. She said if I have any trouble, I should extend each

> > drop to 1 month. Then after that, I'll drop down 1mg at a time.

> > She does want me to have another bone density test in Sept. since

> > I've had to be on the prednisone for so long.

> >

> > The other test she wants me to have this fall is a stress test.

She

> > said that since people with RA are more prone to cardiac and

> > arterial problems, she likes to do stress tests on all her RA

> > patients from time to time to time. She said she thought it was

> > even more important with womem, who often don't have noticeable

> > symptoms of heart problems until it's too late. Something else

to

> > worry about, but I'm glad that she really seems to stay on top of

> > things.

> >

> > I talked to her about the fact that although the Enbrel is

clearly

> > helping a lot, it doesn't seem to last a full week. (actually, it

> > lasts about 4 days) We decided that we'll give the 50mg/weekly

> > another month, since sometimes it does take more than a month to

> > reach its full effectiveness, and at that point decide whether to

> > try the 25mg 2x weekly. She said that actally, they only went to

> > the 1x weekly/50mg in answer to Humira, which only has to be

taken

> > every other week. She said that what a lot of docs were finding

was

> > that the Humira DIDN'T really last for 2 weeks for a lot of

people,

> > so they ended up taking it more often than that.

> >

> > So, all in all, it was a good visit, I got my shoulder injected

too

> > (it really needed it) so I'm sitting here typing this with a bag

of

> > ice on my shoulder, but I'm sure that will feel a LOT better in a

> > couple of days. I feel like FINALLY we might be getting a

handle on

> > this.

> >

> > I also have to say that every time I read some of the awful

> > experiences some of you have with your rheumatologists, I thank

my

> > lucky stars that I ended up with mine on the first try. She has

> > been really wonderful. She seems to stay right on top of new

> > research and treatments, she is very caring, easy to talk to, and

> > easy to get in touch with if there is a problem. She has offered

> > pain meds at times without me even having to ask. She even called

> > _me_ on a Sunday once, just to see how I was feeling! There are

> > some really good docs out there too.

> >

> > Well, that was a lot to say, but since it seems that I haven't

done

> > much but complain for the last 7 months, I thought I should post

the

> > good news too!<g>

> >

>

August 2, 2006

--- In , " Randall " <krandall@...>

wrote:

I just want to know.. does she make house calls to California? Wow ..

good for you.. i have a real brush off type of rheumy.