remission/Ross

[Guest guest]

Hi Ross, I think I have found my winter retreat. I'm a desert rat. But this

year it is plan cold. For a desert.

> Hi Everyone.

> It is a great day where I live, good and hot. About 95 degress.

>

> I need some help please.

> My doc rang today to say my blood results are all in the normal range

> for the first time in 3 years. What does this mean?

It means that the medical treatment course you are on is working! And is

really great news.

Am I in remission?

Possibly, but most doctors believe that remmision is when you have no active

signs of disease for 1 to 10 years.

But it may mean that you are headed in the right direction.

Can I begin to reduce my meds?

I would not. Only for the reason that this is the first set that has come

back normal. Personaly I would see where you are in three months, then,

start working on a plan to slowly reduce the med.s

You will need to work with your doctor on this one.

But if all your labs are holding good. I would try getting off the pred.

first. But before that can be reduced you would want to have a cortisol

blood level drawn. Predisone takes the place of cortisol in your endocrine

system. It is one of those must have hormones. So it is really important to

keep that level in the correct range. Tapering should go very very slowly.

Once off the predisone. Give your body several months to adjust. The start

on the next immune supperessant. But take it very slowly. The last med. to

go would be the anitbotic. Folic acid I, personally, would never stop

taking.

This is the plan that the doctors that I see are working on. I have been

able to get off three meds. totally. But it is a slow process. You don't

want to flare up again.

Hope this helps

R.