Re: i'm new ....

March 14, 2009

HI BETTY! I AM A 41 YR OLD VISITING NURSE IN THE PGH, PA AREA. I HAVE BEEN ON

PRED. FOR 7 YRS. NOT TOO HAPPY ABOUT THAT, BUT IS DOES KEEP THE SWELLING IN

CHECK. I JUST HAD MY RIGHT KNEE REPLACED, SO I AM OFF FOR 3 MO. WHILE

RECOVERING. HAD THE LEFT ONE DONE AT THE AGE OF 34.....,Y HUBBY, TOO, HAS A

HEART CONDITION...SO HE IS ON DISABILITY...AND WITH ME OFF AND ON DISABILITY

TOO....REALLY HURTS THE INCOME! I HOPE YOU ARE FEELING WELL.....AND THIS GROUP

HAS A GREAT WEALTH OF INFO!!!! SHERRI

Stay strong and healthy

From: bettygates@...

Date: Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:34:02 -0500

Subject: [ ] i'm new ....

hi all,

just joined, and already have enjoyed reading some of your posts. looks like i

will learn a lot of new things here.

i am 67 yrs. old, live in south alabama. a mother, grandmother, and 1 great

grand.... have two grandsons in the army, one will be deployed to afghanistan

soon.

i have had osteoarthritis for yrs., but in the last yr., got so much worse.

blood test show i now have RA. the pain and weakness has gotten so much worse,

couldn't even get from one room to another. dr. sent me to a RA dr., he has me

on some new med. that has really helped. prednisone, plaquenil, and lortab for

pain. thank the good lord for the pain med. i can finally sleep, and function

better with my farm. have cows, goats, horses, and chickens that have to be fed

and watered everyday. toting 5 gallon feed buckets is rough when you hurt so

bad.i still can't do like i used to, but at least i can help some. its just me

and hubby..... he has heart condition, ..... looks like we will have to down

size on animals.

i would like to ask,.... how long can you take the prednisone ?? i go back to

the dr. at the end of next month, i'll ask him then. it has helped, and i just

hate to think about doing without it....

guess i have rambled on enough..

thank you for this group.

BETTY Gates

PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS

March 15, 2009

Hi Betty:

Welcome to our group of truly wonderful, caring, informative people who

will give you lots of support, and love. It has been my salvation.

I am 69, with OA and RA for 5 years. I have been on the Pred. the

entire 5 years, and can't function without it. It has been a Godsend

for me. The only complaint I have is the weight gain of 20 lbs. I had

to decide vanity over no pain, etc. That is why I stay on the Pred.

Without it, I could never function or get out of bed, etc.

To me, it is a wonder drug. Yes, it has side effects, but I still take

it each and every day. I am usually on 5 mg. a day, but have been on 10

mg. a day since last Aug. Very soon I will slowly cut down to my orig.

dose of 5mg.

I am glad you have a Rheumy, and you will see him/her soon. Having a

great Rheumy is the best. Mine is so great, and she has helped me so

much. Glad you got started on RA meds right away.

I also take Placquenil, Sulfasalazine, MTX. and Leucovorin. These are

my meds. all the time.

How wonderful to have a farm, but it is sure a lot of work for both of

you.

Wishing you pain free days ahead. Again a warm welcome to our group.

Hugs,

Barbara

>

> hi all,

> just joined, and already have enjoyed reading some of your posts.

looks like i will learn a lot of new things here.

> i am 67 yrs. old, live in south alabama. a mother, grandmother, and 1

great grand.... have two grandsons in the army, one will be deployed to

afghanistan soon.

>

> i have had osteoarthritis for yrs., but in the last yr., got so much

worse. blood test show i now have RA. the pain and weakness has gotten

so much worse, couldn't even get from one room to another. dr. sent me

to a RA dr., he has me on some new med. that has really helped.

prednisone, plaquenil, and lortab for pain. thank the good lord for the

pain med. i can finally sleep, and function better with my farm. have

cows, goats, horses, and chickens that have to be fed and watered

everyday. toting 5 gallon feed buckets is rough when you hurt so bad.i

still can't do like i used to, but at least i can help some. its just me

and hubby..... he has heart condition, ..... looks like we will have to

down size on animals.

> i would like to ask,.... how long can you take the prednisone ?? i go

back to the dr. at the end of next month, i'll ask him then. it has

helped, and i just hate to think about doing without it....

>

> guess i have rambled on enough..

>

> thank you for this group.

>

> BETTY Gates

>

> PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS

>

March 15, 2009

Welcome to the group, Betty. I pray you find all the support and friendship you

are looking for. I've felt very blessed to have found this group and have made

several very good friends along the way.

You sound like a very busy woman. My prayers are that your grandson will

successfully complete his deployment to Afghanistan and come home to you all

safe and unharmed.

I've always wanted to live on a farm. I just love animals! I wondered about the

feed buckets - would it be feasible to perhaps purchase a children's wagon to

put the feed buckets into and then you would only have to pull that along behind

you? Just a thought.

As for the prednisone, there are some here that have taken a low dosage every

day for a long time. Personally, I've boycotted it lately (again) and am

dreading the fact that I might have to go back on it (again). Have you been

checked for osteoporosis? That would be my main concern with long-term

prednisone treatment.

I look forward to hearing more from you. Welcome and God Bless.

Doreen

hi all,

just joined, and already have enjoyed reading some of your posts. looks

like i will learn a lot of new things here.