Re: Medicate or not to medicate

[Guest guest]

hey, Skye girl!! so good to hear from you again. two weeks ago, no one could find you = we all thaought you moved again or was wandering around out in that desert country you love so much. gentle hugs, Marciagonzo_skye <gonzo_skye@...> wrote:

G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have last posted. I have been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +. I stopped it due to the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at all. I know my body will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and live. As some of you know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write the entire time I was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no effects.This is a scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being just a body. I need to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't been in touch with the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or did, anyone here make the same discision? ANy feed back would be appreciated. btw hello to Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hello, Skye,

I assume you've been discussing your side effects with your

rheumatologist--what you've been experiencing sounds pretty extreme

(and unusual) to me--I don't blame you for wanting to chuck the meds,

but I would give a good period of time (a year) to trying different

dosages to minimize side effects and maximize benefit. Frequent

communication with the doctor is a must if things are not going well.

My hunch is that your dosages were off. I'd encourage you to keep

trying. The risk of joint damage is one I don't think you should take.

Sierra

>

> G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have last posted. I have

> been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +. I stopped it due

to

> the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at all. I know my body

> will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and live. As some of

you

> know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write the entire time I

> was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no effects.This is

a

> scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being just a body. I

need

> to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't been in touch

with

> the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or did, anyone here

make

> the same discision? ANy feed back would be appreciated. btw hello to

> Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye

[Guest guest]

Hi Skye ,,,,,,,,

So you'er still here ? I thought you where lost in

a song ? sorry to hear you was sleeping for so long

,,, sounds like you where over medicated just a bit

there ummmm sounds like what i need then maybe I could

excape this horrable exsistance for a while ?????????

god bless and take care !!!!!!! giddy up cow girl !!

john

--- gonzo_skye <gonzo_skye@...> wrote:

>

> G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have

> last posted. I have

> been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +.

> I stopped it due to

> the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at

> all. I know my body

> will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and

> live. As some of you

> know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write

> the entire time I

> was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no

> effects.This is a

> scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being

> just a body. I need

> to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't

> been in touch with

> the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or

> did, anyone here make

> the same discision? ANy feed back would be

> appreciated. btw hello to

> Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye

>

>

>

>

______________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

I only take Naproxen only. I made the decision many years ago not to take the BIG drugs as I call them. I, too, like to have a life to live. Many times I have had strong reactions to certain medications. I'm to scared to take much medication.

Carolyn

Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

[Guest guest]

Hi Skye,

I am so glad to hear from you, I have indeed been worried! I finally found your

phone number but have been too beat at night to call you. I am down to 1

finger typing tonight so can't type too much.

I have only been on ONE therapy at a time, only Enbrel or Humira, no MTX or

anything. Perhaps its just the effects from the MTX? I would be 100% in

medical remission if I did a dual therapy but don't want to throw MTX into the

mix as I am gearing up to try for a baby.

Talk to you soon!

Love,

>

> G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have last posted. I have

> been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +. I stopped it due to

> the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at all. I know my body

> will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and live. As some of you

> know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write the entire time I

> was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no effects.This is a

> scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being just a body. I need

> to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't been in touch with

> the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or did, anyone here make

> the same discision? ANy feed back would be appreciated. btw hello to

> Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye

[Guest guest]

---I tend to agree. I have bipolar disorder as well and I take the

minimum amount of meds as I don't like being in a mental fog. I can

put up with a lot as long as my mind is clear. I would like to be

pain free and clear minded but I sure hope there is a happy medium

somewhere. Maybe just a little copable pain but not sleepy. I want

quality life. We all deserve it.

Janice In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " "

<catdelouise@c...> wrote:

> Hi Skye,

>

> I am so glad to hear from you, I have indeed been worried! I

finally found your

> phone number but have been too beat at night to call you. I am

down to 1

> finger typing tonight so can't type too much.

>

> I have only been on ONE therapy at a time, only Enbrel or Humira,

no MTX or

> anything. Perhaps its just the effects from the MTX? I would be

100% in

> medical remission if I did a dual therapy but don't want to throw

MTX into the

> mix as I am gearing up to try for a baby.

>

> Talk to you soon!

>

> Love,

>

>

>

>

> >

> > G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have last posted. I

have

> > been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +. I stopped it

due to

> > the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at all. I know my

body

> > will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and live. As some

of you

> > know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write the entire

time I

> > was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no

effects.This is a

> > scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being just a body.

I need

> > to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't been in

touch with

> > the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or did, anyone

here make

> > the same discision? ANy feed back would be appreciated. btw

hello to

> > Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/8/2005 11:54:54 A.M. Central Standard Time, gonzo_skye@... writes:

G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have last posted. I have been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +. I stopped it due to the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at all. I know my body will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and live. As some of you know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write the entire time I was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no effects.This is a scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being just a body. I need to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't been in touch with the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or did, anyone here make the same discision? ANy feed back would be appreciated. btw hello to Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye

Sorry to hear that the meds you were taking were making you sleep. I started Enbrel 2 months ago, and it works a whole lot better than MTX and Arava. Once I started on the Arava

I was "stoned", which I really didn't care for. 8 MTX pills made me so out of it the day after and the day after that that there was no way I could drive because I barely knew where

I was. The day after taking the MTX I was almost incoherent. And the stomach aches and vomiting were too much. After ending up in the E.R. with uncontrollable vomiting from the

MTX shot I had to get over my fear of needles.

The Enbrel works better than the other stuff, not so tired, but have to be careful about getting the right amount of sleep.

Maybe Enbrel by itself would work for you. Since I had such a reaction to the MTX, I am not longer taking it nor the folic acid.

Are you aware that RA is a progressive disease? Not taking anything for it could turn out

to be a bad decision.

I was very reluctant to start on the needle, but my doc gave me an option of not taking anything to "see what happens". HA. Not an option here!

Yes, I have to say that Enbrel gave me my life back.

I should probably be on some sort of anti-anxiety drug, but the last one that I took turned

me into a zombie, but I took it for a long time because I couldn't sleep at night without it.

Becky

[Guest guest]

I don't know what the answer is so maybe I shouldn't reply. My

doctor wants me to increase my Methotrexate from 4 pills one day a

week to 6 pills one day a week. Plus I'm already on Naproxin,

Plaquenil and of course Folic Acid. I've tried prenisone before and

it doesn't work for me. I just gained weight and got moodier than

usual. But no relief from pain and stiffness. I do know when I

don't take anything I can really tell. I don't want to live in pain

but I also wouldn't want to be too tired or sick from my

prescriptions to enjoy life. I just hope that you make the right

decision for yourself and good luck.

Take care,

Susie--- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , StarsHutch@a...

wrote:

> In a message dated 9/8/2005 11:54:54 A.M. Central Standard Time,

> gonzo_skye@y... writes:

>

> G'Day everyone,it has been a while since I have last posted. I

have

> been on the Enbrel and Methatrexate for 3 months +. I stopped it

due to

> the fact all I was doing was sleeping .No life at all. I know my

body

> will go thru alot but at least I will be awake and live. As some

of you

> know I am a songwriter.I haven't been able to write the entire

time I

> was on it. I have taken all the other Dmards with no effects.This

is a

> scarey discission to make but I cannot stand being just a body. I

need

> to talk,write,read,play, smile.The reason I haven't been in

touch with

> the group for so long..I was unconcious. Does or did, anyone here

make

> the same discision? ANy feed back would be appreciated. btw hello

to

> Lizmama and Zoomer.........................Skye

>

> Sorry to hear that the meds you were taking were making you sleep.

I started

> Enbrel 2 months ago, and it works a whole lot better than MTX and

Arava.

> Once I started on the Arava

> I was " stoned " , which I really didn't care for. 8 MTX pills made

me so out

> of it the day after and the day after that that there was no way I

could

> drive because I barely knew where

> I was. The day after taking the MTX I was almost incoherent. And

the stomach

> aches and vomiting were too much. After ending up in the E.R.

with

> uncontrollable vomiting from the

> MTX shot I had to get over my fear of needles.

> The Enbrel works better than the other stuff, not so tired, but

have to be

> careful about getting the right amount of sleep.

> Maybe Enbrel by itself would work for you. Since I had such a

reaction to

> the MTX, I am not longer taking it nor the folic acid.

> Are you aware that RA is a progressive disease? Not taking

anything for it

> could turn out

> to be a bad decision.

> I was very reluctant to start on the needle, but my doc gave me an

option of

> not taking anything to " see what happens " . HA. Not an option

here!

> Yes, I have to say that Enbrel gave me my life back.

>

> I should probably be on some sort of anti-anxiety drug, but the

last one

> that I took turned

> me into a zombie, but I took it for a long time because I couldn't

sleep at

> night without it.

>

> Becky