The Dr. called me with the results of the blood work and chest X-Ray, and everything is fine (C Protein level is high, but that is expected with inflammation). Dr. wants to start me on Sulfasalazine (sp?) tomorrow. Now here's my problem....He told me to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, but I am leaving on a cruise to Bermuda in 5 weeks!! This is a celebration of my Son's 10th Birthday and we are going with friends and their 3 kids. How the heck am I supposed to avoid the sun on a cruise and in Bermuda??? We have already booked our snorkeling trips and island exploration trip...UGH. I asked Dr. if I could wait on the meds until I get back, but he didn't think it was a good idea to wait. I am SERIOUSLY considering waiting anyway. As you may recall, I am not in really bad pain, and it was kind of a fluke for me to get diagnosed so early in the disease ....The Dr. said if it was that important, I could stop the meds for that week and start up again when I get back, but that just seems like a pain to me because I'll have to do the ramp up stage all over again (wouldn't I?). ADVISE PLEASE!!! I don't want to be sick and avoiding the sun during my whole trip, this is the first vacation we have had as a family and the first since my honeymoon 12 years ago!! I guess I just want to go on this trip and consider it a starting over type of thing...last hurrah...ya know? Well, thanks in advance....
Staci,
Get online and research the Rx. I take an antibiotic that precludes overexposure to the sun, so the answer for me is strong sun screen. Hopefully that's all you need. I know someone here can give further advice.
RA can be so agressive, don't wait to start containing it. Have fun on the cruise.
Mike
Hi Staci,
Sounds like a fabulous trip you have planned..you don't want to spend any time worrying about anything, so do what makes you feel comfortable.
I'm taking sulfasalazine and we just put a pool in this summer and well...I'm in the sun all the time. I don't wear sunblock at all either. Not saying that this is ok...it's just what I do.
Kelly
Staci; Sulfersalazine was the first medication I was on years ago. It worked well for several years for me.
I was in the sun a good bit but only got burnt like they warn once. In my opinion if you honestly don't feel that bad maybe waiting won't be that bad. OR; you could just do like your doctor suggested and stop the meds during that time. A week off won't hurt you much; especially if like you say you don't feel that bad.
If you do infact start the meds before the trip...use lots of sunscreen. They make sun block that's water proof and really strong. Also wear T-shirts and cover ups.
I'm an ex-sun goodness myself; so I completely understand fun in the sun and the need for it. A cruse!! How fun!! Don't freak out. THink it through. You can make this work.
I think with still 5 weeks to go if I was me; I'd go ahead and start the meds. Regain all the strength you can before you leave. Stop the meds a couple days before you leave and resume as soon as you return. You're likely to be exhasted when you get home regardless....this way you can restart your meds and they'll be slightly more effective at that point verses starting from scratch.
OMG...A Cruse!! Fun!!
Good Luck!!
Staci, I was taken off of Sulfasalazine when I went on my honeymoon. RD acted like no big deal. He just upped my prednisone. I would just not take it while on the trip. Have a great time.Have fun!!!
Sun Screen! And Have a Great Time.I wish I was your 10 yr. old son, what a lucky guy!I take sulphasalazine- I am outside alot. I just use alot of sunscreen. I put it on every 3 hours and am okay so far. It takes 6-8 weeks for the medicine to start working. So start taking it now.....One of the things that it does is lower inflamation. I have been on it since May. I got sick in July and was off it for a month- But my blood results when I was on it showed the sed rate and CRP as normal- prior to sulpha both readings were really high. So you should take it and use sunscreen. You want to keep the inflamation levels down- Some people say it helps with the pain.