I am now approaching week six without my RA meds due to my two back to back back surgeries. I actually started back on plaq at week four because I started to notice an increase in symptoms, but it's not doing anything. Plaq has never felt like it has worked, but I was hopeful that it would help curb some of the symptoms until I can restart my MTX and Enbrel. The bad part is that I had finally gotten to the point where we had tweaked my meds enough that I was feeling better. This was after about a year of playing around trying to get it right. Increasing the MTX to 22.5 and switching to Enbrel from Humira. I go back to the back doctor this week to get the staples out (there are 10), so I will check with him to see when he thinks it would be safe to restart. Whatever he says, I will confirm with my rheumy before starting. In the meantime, each day I wake up in more and more pain. Every single joint cracks loudly in protest, and my muscles and skin are sore to the touch. UGH! UGH! UGH! Thanks for listening...Hows the back?Its scary to go off RA meds that are controlling symptons when we have to have surgery. I had two hip replacements 8 weeks apart, so I had to stop RA meds I think a week before my first surgery, and I forget now when I restarted. I was fortunate and the RA didn't become too bothersome, though I was on some pain meds for a while. Do everything to facilitate healing, eat well (take vit c and e?) and rest, so you get can get back on your meds as soon as possible. It's good that you also check with your RA doc, as in my case, my surgeon and RA doc had differing opinions about meds. I always went w/my RA doc's advice since I've been seeing him since 1986. Anyways, good luck to you, RA is tough enough to manage without adding to that having to go through surgeries, but that is the hand we are dealt, so hang in there, it will get better. Soon it will be all behind you and it 'll be a story to share with old friends when swapping tales about our operations. Take care, and wishing you a speedy recovery. All the best. J.
Oh my gosh, of course you're worried about the lack of meds. Maybe the Plaquenil will turn out to be more helpful than you anticipate. I hope you get the go-ahead to resume your medication quickly. In the meantime, hang on tight to us so we can help you through this. <Hugs>
Thank you for the thoughtful replies. Lovie, the back is okay. The sciatic nerve pain is definitely relieved and the painful numbness in front of my shin is much better. The bad part is that they removed a significant amount of disc, and the disc below it is all but gone due to DDD. So now I am having mobilitiy issues and pain of a different sort. Eventually, the space that is left where the disc used to be will fill with scar tissue and that is supposed to take the place of the disc. I expect I will have this pain until that happens. I feel like I need to go to the chiropractor to get my spine back in allignment, if that makes sense.