PIP | Arthritis Information

Share
 

I take it you are not feeling well. Did i miss alot when i was moving? I saw you got a new antiinflamatory pill. And noticed thyriod med you  are taking. I thought your hubby had the thyriod problem? I hope you are doing well. I may just be forgetful but i feel as if i missed something? Are you flaring or doing well ? And is the thyriod thing new or old ?

Hi Pip, I hope you are ok too, you are a well respected and loved member of this board and we don't want you getting sicker, love Janie. Thanks you guys!
 
I've been stuggling with Thyroid issues.  Remember how I tell everybody to pull their chart?  Somebody should smack me as I 'assumed' and didn't verify myself. 
 
Somewhere on the AP thread I posted, back about October, my AP doc saw my thyroid levels were low.  I ASSUMED it was from pre-diagnosis as my PCP refused to run all 4 thyroid tests and thyroid influences all of this stuff. 
 
But it wasn't.  It turns out the thyroid med he prescribed for me had an adverse reaction to the anit-inflam I was on.  ASPIRIN!  Aspirin was messing up my thyroid!  If that don't beat all. 
 
So, he puts me on thyroid meds - and I go seriously hypothyroid.  I can't think.  I get brain fog.  And my head hurts.  If it wasn't for Happ - my brain was that far off - I'd have NEVER put the 2 together.  I kept trying to up the thyroid meds to where he wanted, and would get reactions, then stop the med, clear up for a bit, and try again.  Since October.  I haven't really slept since then. 
 
I called my AP doc 2 Thursdays ago but he insisted I stay on the Thyroid meds.  But I know I'm not explaining myself right because I CAN'T THINK!  So, my AP doc appointment was Thursday and I took the studies that Happ found for me and my common sense (my hubby) and had him help me explain what was wrong.  Doc looked at the studies, listened to me and my hubby and took me off both Salsalate and Thyroid meds.  We're going to check my bloodwork in a few weeks to see if I've normalized. 
 
So, I'm not flaring - but I did get 3 'lurkers' (for PRA peeps - that terrifies us) in my shoulders - but nothing since I stopped the thyroid/salsalate combo.  I'm now trying to correct the sleep thing, so if anybody has some suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
I hope those changes make the difference for you Pip.  What are "lurkers"?  Oh, and if you're willing to pay airfare, I will come out there and give you that smack if you want.  Girl, you really need to sign up for Spirit Airlines Club.  Hubby just went to MI to help his dad for round trip!  You could give me my smack AND relax at the beach!
 
My gauge of PRA Pain goes something like this.  Nothing.  Niggler (tiny little squigle of pain in a joint.  Lurker (huge stab coming up thru the joint) and 'Kill me NOW" flare from hell.  Those lurkers are usually a precursor to a flare and the fact that I 'skipped' the niggler stage freaked me out.  And don't it beat all, I'd just posted that I'd had no pain whatsoever since back in October when we thought the baby had SD. 
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
I am so sorry PIP. I could see the mental fog from a few of your post. I could tell it was not the norm for my dear PIP. I was worried about you and tried to figure it out from your meds. I was really getting worried. Last night i thought you seemed a bit better mentally. We all seem to do that when we are not feeling well. I hope this issue resolves quickly. Get better soon.9 dollar club.  Must check into that.Sleep issues are the hardest thing. Aggg!!!!  No stress and no pain help. I have to take meds to wake up and then to sleep properly. Well if Narcolepsy is AI and can be prevented or slowed down by DARMDS. Then is chronic fatigue early Narcolepsy? As this is antibodies attacking the hypothalamus in the brain. Basically it is not even about being awake and a sleep but about being truely awake when you are awake and truley a sleep while you are a sleep. Pip sleep problems are a whole new research area. So i got nothing, Milly throws hands in the air. Ask your doctor.Milly - I adore you and I do think something is attacking the my hypothalamus in the brain!  My problem is I had some sort of damage from years ago and this damn PRA is making it worse! 
 
Funny you should say that.  I was functioning OK on the half a 30 mg pill but still foggy.  Things really went wrong when I said "oh, buck up, how bad can it be?", and went up to the 30mgs.  My body/brain kind of 'froze'.  It was awful.  At that time I was sending nasty grams to my hubby who was out of town and he and a friend noticed the hormone surges.  They were like 'yo, somethings wrong' and I argued with them.  :-)  Again, if it wasn't for Happy I'd have never known what it was.  Freaking AMAZING!  Yet another 'adverse reaction' and to ASPIRIN!  Or rather, the mix.
 
My AP doc kind of joked about how with me, if it can go wrong, it will.  Haven't I been saying that since I got here?
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
P.S.  Milly, you come visit too.  Got an AP doc I want you to meet!  LOL
 
Edited because I still can't think clearly - but a LOT better!  Anybody know how long Armour thyroid stays in the blood?  The doc told me aspirin is water soluable and will be out in a few days.
Pip!2008-03-15 10:44:23Hey guess what pip!??

I went and saw a new rheumatologist last Thursday and it went really well.  I've been thoroughly convinced that I'm palindromic... but the last rheumy I saw wouldn't even let me talk about it... ugh....  But this rheumy... after 15 minutes he was like, "Have you heard of palindromic RA?"  I just got the biggest smile and was like "YES!"  LOL  So right now he's thinking that's where I'm at.  It's soooo relieving to finally have a name to what I have!  And I def know what those nigglers and lurkers are.... they always scare the heck outta me!  I'm like ohhh boyy... here comes a flare Thanks Snow!  You can come visit too!
 
And congrats Hab!  My absolute favorite part of being diagnosed was knowing I WASN'T crazy and being able to 'prove' the doctors wrong!  Because, originally, when I finally got in to see them, the attack was GONE so...of course, it's all in your head!  I felt vindicated when I finally had something swell so I could show them!  Is that insane or what?  Wanting something to show somebody!
 
Keep researching girl, it's our only way out of this mess!
 
Pip
Not insane Pip. Even with my blood work i have found that you do not get alot of results without swelling. I had some swelling Monday scince i was on high dose pred they understood it had to some what down from what it should be. I am swelling more now so i will go back again this week. Well i have to the meds are not working. It is crazy to want to swell. But i guess it necessary. People do not believe what you tell them. You have to show them.So first it was funny he said that is more the swelling you get from vasculitis. I sad call it what you want just fix it. Then he said but thats why you are taking the high dose pred right, i said right. Because he knows it is not vasculitis. Well i had called the RD in Ill because i did not want swelling and they gave me the highdose pred.  So i would have been happy for that to have worked. I guess they will get there swelling now. I do not mind running back because the doctor is here in town. I really do mind the swelling. And at least this doctor was really more about treating RA stiffness than fibro. He said i had fibro but mostly it was stiffness causing the pain. Because what i did not even try to get into that day was that i get it in every joint. I stuck to the ankles pretty much as that was what was swelled that day. The knees had been swelling before that but did not want to play Monday. Now they are growing at the speed of sound so i would not complain if they quit swelling on there own. But it will obviously not happen that way this time.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com