Re: Wednesday's Rheumy Appointment

[Guest guest]

Hi Doreen,

I hope the mtx injections work for you, keep us posted. I'm sure your

rheumy wants to make sure the mtx is working, before lowering your

dose of prednisone.

I'm sorry your having back problems, and not able to see your

orthopedic doctor. Do you take anything for your neck problem? I

have DDG really bad in my neck and back. I take Flexeril for the

neck problem, and it helps a lot.

I hope your SSD will be appoved soon, and you can get taken care of.

I know you have other problems that needs to be checked out.

Sorry the weather is causing problems for you. Its getting a lot

colder here, and my body has been feeling it the last few days.

I will be sending good thoughts your way, Tawny

PS:It would be nice if we lived closer:)

>

> I can't believe I finally got caught up with all of the posts. This

is

> certainly a hopping group! I went to my Rheumy appointment

yesterday.

> He changed the MTX from pills to injections, decreased the

> Sulfasalazine from 3 tablets twice daily to 2 tablets twice daily

and

> increased the Neurontin to 2 tablets twice daily. We'll see how all

of

> this goes. Tuesday is the day I chose for the MTX back when I

started

> the pills - that way by the weekend when hubby was home, the

> sleepiness and brain fog had eased. He wants me to stay on the 10mg

of

> Prednisone until after he sees me again in December. I guess that

way

> we'll know if the MTX injections are going to help me more than the

pills.

>

> Tonight you'd think I haven't taken any meds. We have a storm front

> coming in, so I am all foggy, uncoordinated and achy. I told my

hubby

> that I wish it would rain already and get it over with! Can't mess

> with Mother Nature, though - she'll take her own sweet time.

>

> Anyway, I talked to my Rheumy about the Road Back Foundation's

> Antibiotic Protocol and he said it sounded like something that I

would

> need to talk with an Infectious Disease doctor about. Well, with no

> insurance, that ain't happening. My pharmacist was able to tell me

> that if I were to try the AP, it would be a lateral move from the

> level of meds that I am taking now except that I would have to stop

> all RA meds and that ain't happening either. The thought of having

all

> of that pain coming back on the off-chance that the AP would help

is a

> risk I'm not willing to take. Plus, I can't afford the extensive

> bloodwork that would be needed for this protocol. Its a struggle

> having the bi-monthly bloodwork done for the Rheumy as it is.

>

> As far as my horrific back pain that won't let me be on my feet for

> more than 15-20 minutes, the neck pain that feels like my head

weighs

> too much and the nodules that are appearing on my knuckles all of a

> sudden, he wants me to see an Orthopaedic. I fully understand his

> reasoning and I understand when he said that the prednisone probably

> wouldn't help those things as they are mechanical in nature, but I'm

> back to the lack of insurance issue again. A new patient fee would

> apply since its been over a year since I've been to this

Orthopaedic,

> not to mention the additional costs of x-rays and MRI's that would

> more than likely be ordered.

>

> Sooooo - I am basically on hold until SSD approves my claim. My

Rheumy

> is doing the best he can to help me considering the financial

> limitations I have. Praying the MTX injections will work better than

> the pills and taking things one day at a time is all I can do for

now.

> Thanks for reading the ramble........Doreen

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much, Barbara and Tawny. I can only take one day at a

time and know that everything will work out as it should. I'm hating

that I can't speak like I really want to, but you both know what I mean

I take my pain meds as needed for the pain and when my head gets too

heavy for my neck, I lay down for a while. I am so grateful that hubby

and daughter are doing their best to be patient with me until SSD

makes up their minds. Again, you know what I mean

It would be so awesome if we all lived closer. I would love to " do

lunch " with all of you - what a round-table discussion we could have

Thank you both so much for your encouragement and support.......Doreen

[Guest guest]

Doreen,

Sweetie, I hope that the injections help. I know that study was a

huge disappointment for you. Your back and neck pain has to be so

exhausting.

I hope you feel better soon. You're on my list.

Shirley

>

> I can't believe I finally got caught up with all of the posts.

This is

> certainly a hopping group! I went to my Rheumy appointment

yesterday.

> He changed the MTX from pills to injections, decreased the

> Sulfasalazine from 3 tablets twice daily to 2 tablets twice daily

and

> increased the Neurontin to 2 tablets twice daily. We'll see how

all of

> this goes. Tuesday is the day I chose for the MTX back when I

started

> the pills - that way by the weekend when hubby was home, the

> sleepiness and brain fog had eased. He wants me to stay on the

10mg of

> Prednisone until after he sees me again in December. I guess that

way

> we'll know if the MTX injections are going to help me more than

the pills.

>

> Tonight you'd think I haven't taken any meds. We have a storm front

> coming in, so I am all foggy, uncoordinated and achy. I told my

hubby

> that I wish it would rain already and get it over with! Can't mess

> with Mother Nature, though - she'll take her own sweet time.

>

> Anyway, I talked to my Rheumy about the Road Back Foundation's

> Antibiotic Protocol and he said it sounded like something that I

would

> need to talk with an Infectious Disease doctor about. Well, with no

> insurance, that ain't happening. My pharmacist was able to tell me

> that if I were to try the AP, it would be a lateral move from the

> level of meds that I am taking now except that I would have to stop

> all RA meds and that ain't happening either. The thought of having

all

> of that pain coming back on the off-chance that the AP would help

is a

> risk I'm not willing to take. Plus, I can't afford the extensive

> bloodwork that would be needed for this protocol. Its a struggle

> having the bi-monthly bloodwork done for the Rheumy as it is.

>

> As far as my horrific back pain that won't let me be on my feet for

> more than 15-20 minutes, the neck pain that feels like my head

weighs

> too much and the nodules that are appearing on my knuckles all of a

> sudden, he wants me to see an Orthopaedic. I fully understand his

> reasoning and I understand when he said that the prednisone

probably

> wouldn't help those things as they are mechanical in nature, but

I'm

> back to the lack of insurance issue again. A new patient fee would

> apply since its been over a year since I've been to this

Orthopaedic,

> not to mention the additional costs of x-rays and MRI's that would

> more than likely be ordered.

>

> Sooooo - I am basically on hold until SSD approves my claim. My

Rheumy

> is doing the best he can to help me considering the financial

> limitations I have. Praying the MTX injections will work better

than

> the pills and taking things one day at a time is all I can do for

now.

> Thanks for reading the ramble........Doreen

>