Mystery

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. My RA doc started with 30 mg

of prednisone, which was like a miracle for me. I went from not being able

to walk or get up from a chair (toilet) to being able to teach my line dance

class in just a few hours. I was on this for three weeks until I went back

for the Dx. He said the tests showed I had RA and that my insurance

company wanted me to start with Methotrexate. I started with 8 pills, which I

took every Monday morning. I felt sick most of the week. So we cut down and he

added Arava. That also felt awful and I lost my hair.

So I was able to try Remicade. I'm at the lowest dose in my infusions. So I

was still on 3 Mtx tablets each Monday. I would feel sick on Tuesday, have

trouble thinking until usually Wednesday. I accredited this to the Mtx.

Although I often felt fatigued and nauseated on Sunday, which didn't make

sense.

So the last time I went, he thought I should try a different drug. He

started me on a small dose of Imuran and I stopped the Mtx. I think he chose

Imuran because I also have Crohn's and am having some GI issues. I'm losing

some of my hair again with the Imuran, plus gaining weight, which may not be

related to that.

I think I've been on the Imuran for a little over two weeks. There have

been two Mondays that I have not taken Mtx. But I still have the fatigue and

nausea, starting Sunday and lasting until late Tuesday. I take the Imuran

every day, so it's a mystery to me.

Do you have cycles of fatigue and nausea? Can you tell what causes it?

dd