How Do I Deal With

[Guest guest]

Ellana,I am so sorry you are feeling so badly. Please try to get hold of

the nearest Arthritic Association and have a worker talk to you. We have

all gone through what you are feeling so we do really understand.Keep

osting and let us know how you are progressing. This is a great place to

get it all out. If you wish to talk personally on the phone I would be

happy to call you.

Hugs

June

[Guest guest]

Ellana:

Please excuse me if I have mispelled your name. I think all of us have been

where you are right now and it is not to say we will not be there again

sometime in the future. The hardest part is the acceptance of the disease.

Once you have that licked, then you begin to take action in finding the help

you need and there is plenty of help out there. There are mental health

workers, Rheumatologists, nurses, other types of drs. just waiting for you to

ask for help. But, they cannot help you unless/until you tell them you need

help. Depression is a common denominator amongst us and as others mentioned,

many of us take antidepressants. It is not the answer but a help, as are

pain meds, NSAIDS and DMARDS. This is no cure but there is hope. I have

finally, after nearly 3 years reached a remission in my RA where I am not

feeling pain from RA while being on MTX and tapering off Prednisone. I do

however, have to deal with many side effects. There is no end. So you take

the good stuff with the not so good stuff and be thankful that every day has

its little blessings. In this I think we grow stronger and and more

understanding of others. I don't believe life is meant to be a painless

journey. Before my RA, I was single and living a painful emotional lonely

life. Now I have been married for nearly 3 years, (known my husband for four

years) and have a painless emotional life in exchange for my diseases. There

is always a trade off and we cannot bargain with God on what we can and

cannot have. We play the cards we are dealt the best we can and keep on

truckin. You will do better once your disease is under better management,

which I suspect it is not. Forget the suicide stuff and and start thinking

of ways to live, especially for your children. They need their mom and we

need your friendship. I do not know if you are a believer but prayer is the

strongest force to help you. If you do believe in God, ask for his help and

he will guide you along this path. You are already part way since you found

this wonderful group. Blessings to you.

Most sincerely,

Jeannette

[Guest guest]

Dear Jeannette:

Thank you for emailing me. I pray that you do well on getting off of

prednisone. Even though it is so painful I might try it again, but not yet.

I have to prepare myself mentally for it. I am not ready for that yet. I am

only on 5 mg. However, as you know even that small of a dose is a struggle.

I have been on prednisone for about 14 years and I think my body just forgot

how to make it on it's own. LOL. Yes, it is a devilish drug.

I must say we seem to be like twins. I too have the hump back, the moon face

seems a little smaller lately, pot belly, however I think the hair loss,

which isn't a real lot just thinned out, is from another medicine from my

kidney transplant. I have cataracts too, but not real bad yet. I guess the

human body can get used to anything if we just set our mind to it.

I do believe in miracles too. It is a miracle that people like us can now

live a long useful life, compared to in the past.

Sincerely,

Anjillah@...

PS: Keep in touch.