Hey y'all! I know, I should post more...but I do try to catch up on the
forums daily. Typing hurts my hands, so I try to limit it. I've been
using my daughter's big track ball mouse thingie to surf. (she's 2) heh.
Anyway, I fired my old Dr (I don't know if anyone remembers me posting
about how his nurse told me I was an idiot for giving my son
breastmilk...like I had a choice in the matter, it takes time to wean
down from pumping 90ozs a day! heh), and I FINALLY get to see the new
one on Thursday!!! I'm so happy, I've set a timer in my kitchen to
count down the hours.
So, here's my questions....I have all my labwork that's been done the
past few months, a list of all the meds I've been on, do I need to take
anything else in with me?
I've also managed to get my milk production down to about 22ozs a
day....and I'm having a hard time mentally with stopping the pumping. I
know I'm a good mommy for making it 5 months, and I have a HUGE freezer
stash, but there's still that little nagging voice in my head "don't
stop yet, maybe you can keep it up a few more months". *sigh*
Being a mommy is sooo hard!!!
So, if the new Dr IS okay with me still pumping, my options for meds
are limited to Humira and Remicade. Which I was at first against them.
However, I have had so many BAD days pain-wise, that I'm willing to
consider ANYTHING. I've spent the last 2 weekends in bed, and am on the
couch so much during the week, my poor daughter is bored outta her
mind. SHe's taken to asking me "mommy, why are you feeling bad". So
yeah, I need to get over my fear of injecting myself, and just do it. I
have GOT to be able to take care of my kids, and right now, there are
many days I simply can't. (luckily my dear neighbor will take my son
for me if I need her too...she's my "nanny". heh. she loves babies)
What would you do? Something like Humira or Remicade (I'd prefer
remicade, because then I don't have to give myself shots...I'm a big
baby), or try the MTX first? I saw my GP 2 weeks ago (I was dying, I
needed pain meds), and he said to stay far far FAR away from MTX is at
all possible. I'm torn after reading about it.
Sorry this is long, I just really want to be prepared when I walk in there on Thursday.
Oh, and is it okay to ask him for painkillers? I've got vicodin
(5/500...doesn't do squat...I have to take like 3 to touch the pain),
and ultram (doesn't help much better...I usually take 2-3 at a
time...in the evenings so I can actually sleep...I'm in too much pain
to relax otherwise), but I've never had anything but those for things
in my life. Is there something specific I should ask about? I know
whatever RA meds he puts me on won't kick in right away. I've got to
have something though, cause I cannot sleep otherwise. Sleeping pills
are out, since the baby still gets up in the middle of the night
sometimes.
thanks everyone!!
-Midgie
I'm sorry to hear your still in so much pain but hopefully the new doc will treat you much better! The mtx you definitely can NOT do if you are breastfeeding. I finally just gave in and started it last Friday. I'm also on the humira, they have a new self injector pen that's really easy and you don't even see the needle so its great for the needle phobes!
Have you tried percocet for the pain? I have vicodin also but on bad days, I need the percocet. I think sometimes just changing helps because our bodies get used to the same pain meds over time.
I would also try to type out a short summary of your symptoms and when they began to take with you! Good luck!
Good luck at the new doc! Let us know what this one says. Yes, you can ask for painkillers. You have the right to control your pain and you have the right to sleep. Pain meds are really specific to the individual and what works for them. I have Morphine ER (extended release) that lasts 12 hours and it controls my pain pretty well. For the bad days I have the vics 5/500 that I can take 1 every 4 hours along with the morphine. Taking too many vicodin can really mess up your liver because of the tylenol in them. Please be careful how many you take.
Usually what happens with meds is that your insurance is going to want you to try everything else first (like plaquenil, pred, mtx) before going to things like Humira or Remicade. None of us like giving ourselves shots or having our family members give them to us. Remicade is an infusion and you would need to have someone watch the little ones while you are being infused. Humira now comes in the Quick Pens and it is a lot easier and I find it to be less stressful and less painful to give myself a shot with those.
Giving up breastfeeding is such a hard to choice to make but you need to be able to take care of yourself in order to take care of your kids and it sounds like it is coming to the point where you need to have the meds in order to do that. I do remember I was so heartbroken when it came time to wean my daughter (that was almost 11 years ago where did time go lol). So I know what you are going thru and what a struggle it is.
I really hope your new doc is 1000 times better than the other one and you get the answers and the relief you are looking for. Good Luck!
Hmm...at the good hospital out here, they have
someone to watch your kids for you while you get any kind of infusion,
or give blood, or have chemo..etc etc etc. Maybe her hospital has one
too? Usually what happens with meds is that your insurance is going to want you to try everything else first (like plaquenil, pred, mtx) before going to things like Humira or Remicade. [/QUOTE] The docs hands are pretty much tied by the insurance company. Enough if you have very expensive PPO type coverage, Your doc will have to get authorization to prescribe ,000 + a year drugs. I found that to be a real eye opener - no where in my ins plan literature did it inform me that my doc was not in charge of my care, they were. And what really mattered was the fatness of their wallet. Now that I'm off my soap box, I'm going to climb up on my other one. You need DMARD treatment now! Right Now! You need it to be a good mom. You have to take care of yourself, if you want to take good care of your kids. Do what you have to do to get well (ok better).
No, the morphine did not knock me out. It is a low dose (15mg) and the only problem I had with it when I first started it was a little bit of a wheeeeeeeeeee every 4 hours when it would release and if I took it on an empty stomach I would have a little bit of wheeeeeeeeee. That stuff went away after about 2 weeks and my body got used to it. Make room on your soapbox for me Marian. I hate insurance companies. Oh psshhaawww. The pain pills they make these days are straying farther and farther from habit forming. I mean yeah, the possibility is there, but whatever the heck it is they're doing to them you'd have to be downing half a bottle a day to get hooked. And no one does that. If the number of pills freaks you out more than the dosage, see if there's something stronger that you can take fewer times a day. Then you might not have that subconcious "oo am I gonna get hooked?" thing in the back of your head. My b/f is TERRIBLE about pain meds. He always thinks he's going to get addicted and he doesn't take half of what alot of people on the boards here require. He's just a wussy baby though
I think you'll do great, and hopefully you'll come out feeling like a nice weight has been lifted off your shoulders!
There are times I do not take my pain meds at all and don't have a problem with "jonesing" for them. And I take Morphine. You might not need the pain meds as much once you find the arthritis medication that works well for you. Especially when you start having those "good" days. Pain meds are there for you when you have all those bad days and it seems like this flare is never going to end. They are also there for a preventative for pain. I (like most people here) try to live as normal life as possible and sometimes we just want to get out and do things and know we will pay the price later. So, I make sure that I get a good jump start on pain control and take my meds ahead of time. Like when we go camping. Or to one of the gazillion festivals up here in the summer. We live 15 minutes from SummerFest and I REFUSE to miss that. So it is my cane and pain meds for me. I agree with Katie. There is a slim chance you will become addicted. Just remember, if one type of pain pill is not working for you, then call your doc and switch it.
I actually have the approval for Humira already from my insurance,
because my old Doc put it through right away. At the time I was against
it, I guess because I was HOPING it was a post-partum thing that would
eventually go away. (I had only been having joint pain for 4wks when he
wanted to start the Humira, and my bloodwork didn't show ANY RA factor.
So, you can see my hesitation)
However, with the onset of fall, and the cooler weather, I have finally
come to terms with it. This is NOT a post-partum hormonal thing, it's
here to stay. :( For the sake of my little ones, I have GOT to keep
myself healthy, so I can keep up with them! So, I am now more open to
something like Humira. I'm also more informed than I was 3 months ago,
know what I mean? My old Dr really just made me feel like crap, and him
telling me that the pain was all in my head wasn't helping MY faith in
trusting his advice as far as meds.
Oh, I have another question. I'm taking Zoloft (it was for PPD....I
crashed hard after the baby was born, and was stuck in the
NICU....dang, it has NOT been my year!!! lol), and I WAS going to start
weaning off it now, but I was speaking with my uncle who's a Doc, and
he said to stay on it, as it's used for chronic pain patients. In fact,
he was suprised I'm needing painkillers since i'm taking Zoloft. Should
I ask about increasing the doseage?? (I'm on 25mg...thats all I needed
to get "happy". I figure if I can not be mad at my mother, it's
working. lol)
Thanks again....this is a great forum!!!
Ohhh, gramma....I don't ever take more than 4 vicodin in a day. I try
to only take it at night anyways, I know i have to be careful because
of the tylenol. Does the morphine tablets knock you out though?? I'd
love to find something that is extended release, oh man it would make
getting up in the middle of the night and the mornings SOOOOO much
easier. I struggle SO much in the morning, it's not even funny. It took
me an hour to get out of bed today. I can handle the pain during the
day usually, but at night I can't get calmed down enough to sleep. My
BP is sky high right now too. (they nearly sent me to the hospital when
I was in my GP's office a week and a half ago!!! My BP was almost
double what it is normally. The Dr was like, wozers missy, you must be
in some pain there!!! As my hands were shaking. lol. Ya think?)
Again, thankyou everyone. I feel like I know more about RA and my
options now, and HOPEFULLY this Dr is better than the old one. Everyone
raves about him, so I have hope. (My OB whom I simply ADORE said he was
the best in the city)
[QUOTE=arriscolwell]
Luckily I don't have to really worry there. My husband works from home
50-70% of the time...and I have a very dear friend who will watch the
kiddos anytime. Thank goodness.
Although, I believe the hospital here does do that. I know it was
offered when I had my son, if we needed childcare for my daughter, they
had a place where she could go when I was in labor. We didn't need it,
but it seems they have it.
[QUOTE=grammaskittles]
to take any x-rays you may have gotten. When you see a new
doc they usually want to do x-rays, unless you already have
them. Good luck at your appointment!
So, if I can just get over that fear, I will be okay. I think I will be
okay, I managed to tell my GP Dr 2wks ago that I was desperate, and he
had no problem giving me whatever I wanted. He said I needed to not be
a "hero". I like him. I hope the new Dr is like him
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