Methotrexate and other meds...

May 3, 2008

Hi Everyone,

I did start taking plaquenil today. I take my four Gleevec pills in the

morning, two Alieve, and one Ultram, and then I take another Ultram in the

afternoon. Now I am taking plaquenil twice a day. I am worried about so many

meds. I hate taking all of them, but they seem necessary. For some reason

the Ultram gives me energy, and I've been on it for years. My onc. says to

keep taking it, because he thinks it calms my arthritis pain.

Thanks everyone for the info on bottle/jar openers. I definitely need

the one that does it all, and opens tabs. I feed my cats and dogs Halo, and

the tabs on the cans are hard to open.

Grooming my horse has become very difficult, but she's worth it. I just

say, " ouch, ouch, ouch, " and keep going. Somehow, in some strange way,

using vocal " pain relief " helps!

So, does the pain eventually lessen with the plaquenil (and if I get on

metho, with metho), or does this pain always stay? So far, each day has been

the same since last September, except my wrists are much worse. Should I

put heat wraps on my wrists while doing work? Hot water does seem to help.

For the FMLA people - DEFINITELY take FMLA to cover you. No company can

count FMLA in your yearly attendance report as " time lost from work. "

Michigan has an " industrial unemployable " law, and without FMLA, we'd all lose

our

jobs. Thank God Bill Clinton signed the FMLA bill in '93.

Now, when you do take FMLA, request the entire amount of time (you do

not have to use it all), in intermittent events. This will cover you, and

WATCH YOUR DAYS. If anyone goes over the FMLA time, you can lose your job. I

have only used about 10 to 20 days a year, sometimes an hour at a time, a day

at a time, or maybe two days. Depends on what I need. Sometimes, if I'm

running late, I only call in for 15 minutes of FMLA time. You know, you just

have those days where you simply cannot get things - opened, buttoned, put

away,

or even dressed - on time. Only people with RA would understand that, and

especially ones with dogs and cats at home, like me. Still gotta feed

everyone and let them out before work.

Well, thank you all for letting me ramble. Sorry for the longish post.

I still have so many questions, so be prepared...

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