Around this time last year I realized something wasn't right in my body. I began noticing stiffness and extreme fatigue. I was unable to enjoy the holidays because I was so exhausted and had trouble pushing through everyday activities. In January, I got in to my GP and he diagnosed me with carpal tunnel syndrom. I began sleeping in a brace, but the numbness and and tingling in my fingers, wrist, and elbows progressed to soreness and then pain. Sometimes they would be hot to the touch. I again went to the GP and was refered out to my current Rheumy. We then began the long process of finding a medication to control my undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis. We began with naxaproxin(sp?) and I got little to no relief after two weeks on it. We then decided it was time for predisone. I did not know the love/hate relationship I would form with that drug. All I knew was that I was in so much pain I was having trouble functioning. My days consisted of coming home from work and laying in bed until I was time to go to work. Predisone gave me the relief I needed while we searched for a more long term solution. I went on a low dose of pred while we gave plaquanil a shot. After 2 months on plaquanil, I was worse off than when he saw me initially. I was wondering whether or not I would ever feel better. He told me it was time to try a drug that was very successful in treating RA. I started out on 6 pills of MTX every Friday night. After the first month, I found my symptoms were decreasing. After 3 months, except for minor aches and pains I was doing very well. I was excercising and socializing again. Then we decided to mess with my dose of MTX. The lead to a emergency call to my RD. I had completley regressed and my hands were swollen and locking up and my toes,knees, elbows, and shoulders were very painful. I actually thought I was going to cry because I hurt so badly. I had a nice shot of steroids and went back up to 6 pills weekly. Today I came back from my appointment with nothing but good news and for the first time in a year I see smooth sailing ahead. We did discuss the MTX yucky feeling and I wll be spliting my pills 3 Friday night and 3 Saturday night. We also discussed that if this doesn't work trying injectable MTX on the next appointment. He also said that the injectable would be cheaper. We will stay with my current dose for 6 months. I feel almost normal, or should I say my normal now. I still have minor stiffnes and slightly puffy joints in my hands. But all in all, I am 95% back to where I was before all of this began. I feel like I am a more understanding individual having gone through this year of pain and fear. I know with my disease anything can happen and things can change quickly. But today I will celebrate and enjoy my return to my new normal!.Wow, what wonderful news! Congratulations to you and your doctor who seems to be really on the ball. I wish you continued success and good health.
We so rarely hear such good news!!!!!!
I'm soo happy for you and I hope that things continue to improve. It gives us hope to hear that things can get better.
That's wonderful news! So this year you WILL be able to enjoy the holidays. Enjoy it - you deserve it.
It's nice for folks to hear things can get better!
Yeah!
Pip
That was an uplifting, encouraging post. Thanks I hope that things continue to go so well for you.I'm glad you took the time to read my ramble. When I was a newbie reading about how some were able to live relatively normal lives with this disease gave me hope that someday I too could be almost normal. I hope everyone one day achieves almost normal again. [QUOTE=caprice]I'm glad you took the time to read my ramble. When I was a newbie reading about how some were able to live relatively normal lives with this disease gave me hope that someday I too could be almost normal. I hope everyone one day achieves almost normal again.[/QUOTE]Alan
Caprice,