Arava and Plaquenil help.

[Guest guest]

Still in DX stage i suppose. Rheumy thinks I have Lupus like my mother (SLE) but

still testing. Previously DX'd with Ankylosing Spondylitis/Fibro and Gerd. Our

family has been deemed a MYSTERY. In any case, used to take Prednisone,

MTX/Folic with bad results (renal issues) and severe GI problems (enlarged

intestines & unbearable screaming pain.) Now, I'm on Arava and Plaquenil which

when I first started, though I was in noticeable pain with stiffness, i was in

excellent spirits for the first time in years. Short lived though..Now, just

feel bad, all joints & muscles hurt. Up with charlie horses in my arms and legs

last night. Tried to play darts yesterday but i'm paying for it now. Extreme

fatigue, alternating constipation and diarrhea. And today, I feel so hopeless I

can't bear to look outside. All of my life struggles lately have hit me hard

today and i'm just so upset and cry at the drop of a dime. Just hopeless. Like

life is over for me...can't do ANYTHING without it taking me out for a week at a

time. I'm a single mom of three kids aged 4 to 15 yrs. I gotta hold it together

for them and I know it but I just cant. Scheduled an appt. with a counselor but

that's 2 mos. out. Can't get any sooner. Limited resources on

Medi-Cal/Medi-Care. Anyone relate?

Heidi