Re: New to Group & Sleep Aids

[Guest guest]

Hi Elaine, I enjoyed your post...and wanted to let you know that I am

also a psychiatric nurse. I work three days a week. I homeschooled

my oldest son. He is 23 now and married with children. I am waiting

for my first visit to a rheumatologist and I am not on any meds for

RA yet. Jeannie

>

> Hi,

>

> I'm Elaine. I'm a psychiatric nurse (part-time) and a home school

Mom.

> I've had mild to moderate RA for a number of years. It took a number

> of years to be diagnosed. I kept complaining of joint pain and

> tiredness. My doctor would do some X-rays and test for RA factor and

> tell me I had some osteoarthritis. Finally I tested + for RA factor.

> Once I was medicated the tiredness magically disappeared.

>

> Unfortunately, every RA medication I've taken so far has alleviated

my

> pain and tiredness but caused some side effect that's caused me to

> stop taking it.

>

> About sleep aids. We use them regularly for our patients in

psychiatry

> at the hospital where I work. Melatonin works for some people. We

use

> trazadone (Desyrel) a lot. It's an antidepressant that made people

so

> sleepy that most people quit taking it for depression. Everyone has

> different reactions to medications, but often people who take this

> medication find they must take it relatively early as it seems to

last

> awhile and leave one feeling very tired in the morning if taken too

> late. The dose required really seems to vary among my patients. Of

> course, many of them are dealing with lots of emotional issues. We

do

> prescribe Ambien if these or other meds (antipsychotics) don't work.

>

> I know how frustrating the medication and treatment issues can be.

My

> daughter has 1 or 2 anxiety disorders and OCD and it took several

> years to get her on medications that worked. Part of the problem was

> her youth & concerns about medications, but I had to keep pushing

the

> doctor's to reevaluate her medications. They finally added

Anafranil,

> after 1 -2 years for the OCD but only because I got a different

doctor

> one particular visit (I think). Seroquel was added for anxiety after

> another year when I finally asked about it. I wish she didn't need

all

> these meds, but now she feels better and has a life.

>

> I'm going to start Enbrel in the next day or two. I hope my body can

> tolerate it.

>

> Blessings, Elaine

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi,

>

> I'm Elaine. I'm a psychiatric nurse (part-time) and a home school Mom.

> I've had mild to moderate RA for a number of years. It took a number

> of years to be diagnosed. I kept complaining of joint pain and

> tiredness. My doctor would do some X-rays and test for RA factor and

> tell me I had some osteoarthritis. Finally I tested + for RA factor.

> Once I was medicated the tiredness magically disappeared.

>

> Unfortunately, every RA medication I've taken so far has alleviated my

> pain and tiredness but caused some side effect that's caused me to

> stop taking it.

>

> About sleep aids. We use them regularly for our patients in psychiatry

> at the hospital where I work. Melatonin works for some people. We use

> trazadone (Desyrel) a lot. It's an antidepressant that made people so

> sleepy that most people quit taking it for depression. Everyone has

> different reactions to medications, but often people who take this

> medication find they must take it relatively early as it seems to last

> awhile and leave one feeling very tired in the morning if taken too

> late. The dose required really seems to vary among my patients. Of

> course, many of them are dealing with lots of emotional issues. We do

> prescribe Ambien if these or other meds (antipsychotics) don't work.

>

> I know how frustrating the medication and treatment issues can be. My

> daughter has 1 or 2 anxiety disorders and OCD and it took several

> years to get her on medications that worked. Part of the problem was

> her youth & concerns about medications, but I had to keep pushing the

> doctor's to reevaluate her medications. They finally added Anafranil,

> after 1 -2 years for the OCD but only because I got a different doctor

> one particular visit (I think). Seroquel was added for anxiety after

> another year when I finally asked about it. I wish she didn't need all

> these meds, but now she feels better and has a life.

>

> I'm going to start Enbrel in the next day or two. I hope my body can

> tolerate it.

>

> Blessings, Elaine

Hi Elaine!

Welcome to the group! Everyone here is very compassionate,

understanding, and very helpful! I am 36 and have FMS, MPS, and RA. I

take Sulfasalazine and Plaquenil at the moment. I have panic disorder

and an anxiety disorder. I understand what you mean about wishing

your daughter didn't need all of the medications. I know they can

really help us to feel better and to live fuller lives! I'm working

with a new CBT doctor, who is also a life coach. I'm hoping that will

help as well! Good luck on the Enbrel! I hope that it works well for you!

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to say hello to everyone as I am brand new. I was

finally diagnosed with RA after being told I had tendonitis for a

year or so. I tried Methotrexate but the side effects including

shortness of breath and dry cough were terrible so I am starting on

Arava this coming Monday. I am also on Folic Acid and 10mg of

Prednisone. I could not deal with more mg of the Prednisone. I also

take Ambien to sleep and find it very helpful.

I am not sure how to get around in here very well but I sure hope to

meet some nice people who have similarities to chat with. So far my

dominant hand and elbow are the only things affected but I do get

fatigued. The chills and fevers are gone. I can no longer work but

hope to get back soon if they can get me into remission.

Any positive stories would be very much appreciated. No one in my

family had RA so this was quite a shock to me after I had an MRI with

contrast dye.

Anyone out there have good results with Arava?

Thanks for your time.

Lynn