Yup-Yup, Revisited
I had my followup appointment with Yup-Yup (my beloved rheumatologist) today. It seems that the Humira is doing its job, for the most part. I have no negative results to report, and all blood work has come out clean.
However.
I take one shot every two weeks, self injected.
For the past few months, the 'non-shot' weeks have been awful. There has been much pain, much whining, much gnashing of teeth. I have not been fun to live with, I'm sure.
I have slept with the bed heat on, as this has afforded minor comfort and eased the swelling.
You will recall that the temperatures have averaged in the 100s here.
Yep, much fun.
My daily average of two Aleve quickly turned to two or three at a time. This only resulted in stomach pain on top of the rest.
I finally swallowed my pride and contacted Dr. Yup-Yup. Though he is generally booked months in advance, I was booked immediately. He agreed that something HAD to be done.
Initially, he recommended that I switch from Aleve to Motrin, as it would be easier on my stomach. When I commented that "Taking Motrin for this pain is the equivalent of giving a cancer patient a tic tac", he backed down. He asked me to try and minimize the amount of Aleve taken until I met with him to discuss options. (I had to bite my tongue to avoid telling him that he should hush, if he wanted to minimize the amount of boot I placed in his posterior...)
In spite of all of this, the appointment went quite well.
Technically, my next 'logical step' is a combination dose of Methotrexate and Humira. Sorry, not gonna happen. Regardless of what DOCTORS will tell you, Methotrexate is a chemotherapy-based drug. It is nasty. I have seen the side effects, though doctors will claim they do not exist.
Thankfully, Dr. Yup-Yup understands this, and is working with me to find alternate solutions. Effective immediately, I will be taking a maximum dose of Lodine (500 mg "slow release") 2X/day on my 'down' weeks. In a twist of bitter irony, one of the side effects of this medication: exfoliative dermatitis, also known as ECZEMA.
(For those new to the club: I take Humira because I suffer from Psoriatic Arthritis - joint pain and debilitation caused by PSORIASIS - a SKIN PROBLEM.)
I have also been prescribed PHYSICAL THERAPY. Apparently, walking without a limp may be possible. And one day, perhaps, riding a bicycle.
Truth be told, the whole walking thing ALONE would be a bonus.
On the PLUS SIDE: Since my labs have been STELLAR for the past few months, I have been granted temporary immunity from the exsanguination. I do not have to be tested for SIX MONTHS! Woot!
However.
I take one shot every two weeks, self injected.
For the past few months, the 'non-shot' weeks have been awful. There has been much pain, much whining, much gnashing of teeth. I have not been fun to live with, I'm sure.
I have slept with the bed heat on, as this has afforded minor comfort and eased the swelling.
You will recall that the temperatures have averaged in the 100s here.
Yep, much fun.
My daily average of two Aleve quickly turned to two or three at a time. This only resulted in stomach pain on top of the rest.
I finally swallowed my pride and contacted Dr. Yup-Yup. Though he is generally booked months in advance, I was booked immediately. He agreed that something HAD to be done.
Initially, he recommended that I switch from Aleve to Motrin, as it would be easier on my stomach. When I commented that "Taking Motrin for this pain is the equivalent of giving a cancer patient a tic tac", he backed down. He asked me to try and minimize the amount of Aleve taken until I met with him to discuss options. (I had to bite my tongue to avoid telling him that he should hush, if he wanted to minimize the amount of boot I placed in his posterior...)
In spite of all of this, the appointment went quite well.
Technically, my next 'logical step' is a combination dose of Methotrexate and Humira. Sorry, not gonna happen. Regardless of what DOCTORS will tell you, Methotrexate is a chemotherapy-based drug. It is nasty. I have seen the side effects, though doctors will claim they do not exist.
Thankfully, Dr. Yup-Yup understands this, and is working with me to find alternate solutions. Effective immediately, I will be taking a maximum dose of Lodine (500 mg "slow release") 2X/day on my 'down' weeks. In a twist of bitter irony, one of the side effects of this medication: exfoliative dermatitis, also known as ECZEMA.
(For those new to the club: I take Humira because I suffer from Psoriatic Arthritis - joint pain and debilitation caused by PSORIASIS - a SKIN PROBLEM.)
I have also been prescribed PHYSICAL THERAPY. Apparently, walking without a limp may be possible. And one day, perhaps, riding a bicycle.
Truth be told, the whole walking thing ALONE would be a bonus.
On the PLUS SIDE: Since my labs have been STELLAR for the past few months, I have been granted temporary immunity from the exsanguination. I do not have to be tested for SIX MONTHS! Woot!
Labels: health
posted by rennratt at 9:59 PM
8 Comments:
My daughter R. has severe psoriasis. When it is bad, it is like she has measels or chicken pox. It comes and goes for no apparent reason. At least so far it hasn't affected her joints.
Good luck with your new treatment regimen.
It seems like there would be something different they could prescribe for the pain...
I do a daily sub-q injection (for MS). So, I know how fun that is. I hope your new med works great for ya!
Hope the new meds work well -- I hate to hear of your pain. You know, until I met you, I had never heard of this condition. Fingers and toes crossed for ya!
Renn, I have been takling Lodine for my arthritis for about 9 months now, and it works great for me (I only take one a day) and there's no excema. I hope it works for you.
Renn,
I am glad to hear the Humira is working for you. My friend also takes Humira but for Crohn's disease. When she spoke with her doctor about the same symptoms (the second week being hell) he upped her dose to once a week. As it is for a different ailment I was unsure if it was an option for you as well.
Hang in there girl. Best of luck on the new treatment.
Yay for no bloodletting as a first thing.
As a second thing, I met another person on an airplance recently with this condition. He's about as excited by it as you are, but seems quite physically capable still. He's got the methotrexate thing going on, and looked fine by me. Just so ya know, that if it coems to that, it may not be as horrible as you fear.
Still, I wish you didn't have to have this thing.
Well, I'm glad that the finding (quite difficult) and sacrificing(much easier) of the virgin has brought you some relief.
Really, Renn, I'm praying for you. Don't tell anyone, though, or they'll all want me to be nice to them, and I'd rather save up my nice for you. And probably Tiff. And Chachi, Nooze and the Things. And Wordnerd. BUT NOBODY ELSE.
Good to know you're not keeping any vampires alive right now. But it sucks that you're having to suffer in the meantime. Hang in there, and I don't mean with a noose.
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