updat on me

[Guest guest]

Heidi has threatened me to send an update so hear it

is.

For the newbies, here is my history. Summer of '99 I

started with ear & nose flares, was finally diagnosed

in early 2000. I went to see Dr. Trentham in May of

2000, and he confirmed what I suspected that the

flares were being caused or worsened by another drug I

was on called Zoladex, a hormonal system suppressant I

was taking for a history of breast cancer. It was also

probably suppressing the natural adrenaline in my body

along with the sex hormones.

Dr. Trentham advised me to stop the Zoladex, put me on

colchicine and Plaquenil, and I started a long slow

taper on the Pred. Since stopping the Zoladex my

flare s have been very few and far between, and very

mild. I've been off Pred since Summer 2001, with

again only 1 mild flare since. I didn't even bother

with the pred it was gone in a day.

I think I have a touch of Fibromyalgia with this,

especially in my legs butt & hips. For this I have

been starting a vigorous exercise program to

strengthen these muscles (jogging & bicycling) and

this really seems to help. I think the years of pred

did seem to weaken all those muscles, and the extra

pounds sure don't help either.

This is the first winter in a long time I have not had

a cold or flu every other week, I don't know if it's

getting off the pred or finally recovering from the

chemo, or the exercise program, or what, but it sure

has been nice. I've been very sleepy, my rheumy

thinks I have " atypical depression " . I think it's

just hibernation reflex. Maybe all the sleep is

keeping me from getting colds and such.

Is this long enough Heidi? Also for the newbies I

have the world's loudest cat. You can hear him at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rpolychondritis/files/

Scroll down there are a bunch of pictures people have

posted. Ignore them you want to hear the cat.

Comanche.wav is the file you want it is sound file of

Comanche saying hello.

Martha

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