Hi..my name is Delena and I have had RA for about 3 years now. I am hoping to meet some great friends and find others who are experiencing what I do each day. I am on MTX, low doses of prednisone, Celebrex (was on vioxx)....I am thinking of asking about Plaquenil........anyone on that??
I am thankful to have found this board! I look forward to friendships and support!
Hugs,
Delena
Hi Newbie,
I hate prednisone. It works great, but the side effects! I have got to the point I will not take it. I take Humria,MTX,IBP,and some pain killers. Since, I stopped taking the prednisone I have lost 20lb and the mood swings and painful periods are all gone. Finding great RA Doctor is the key. I have been to 3 in 5 years. I have finally found the doctor for me. Listen to your body it will tell you when it has had enough. Hope talk with you soon. Take care! Have a great weekend. Gina
Delena,
I'm also new here :)
I love this board and you can really learn alot here.
My Rhuemy just put me on Plaquenil and mtx, of course I have not started them as of yet. The side effects scare me.
Jen
Well it is a stiff painful morning for me..we are expecting rain and storms this weekend and it does a number on me. How about you?
Thank you for the kind replies to me intro....I know a good Rheumy is the key to effective treatment, but for now that is impossible. Last March my husband lost his job after 10 years, we have no insurance. He recently went back to work and he has insurance but I can not find an agency to insure me since I take MTX....agents told me it was the risk factors. I can't afford to drive 3 hours to Little Rock and pay the doctors visits myself, so I see my family doctor. I was doing pretty well until I was taken off Vioxx, and have had two flares within 3 weeks. I too have a love/hate relationship with prednisone, I love how it eases my pain and stiffness but hate the side effects......but until this falre subsides, guess I will be taking a few more doses of it!
I guess that is enuff complaining from me!
I have taken Plaquenil for 3 years, with no side effects. You do need to get your eyes checks every six months as with some people, it can cause increased pressure in the eye and possible glaucoma. But my tests have always been normal. I used to fear the size effects of meds, but I finally got to the point that I realized I needed them in order to have any quality of life. It is a difficult decision, but I am very glad that I decided to take them. I have RA, PA, neuropathy, COPD, restless leg syndrome and sjogren's syndrome and could not imagine a day without my meds. Hope that you feel better soon. Welcome!! I know that you will find lots of very nice and helpful people here. Lu Newbie, Have you checked with your local state and city to see if there is not some kind of health care assistance? If, your husband has been out of work you even qualify for SSI? I hate it that you can not get the health care you need it will reaaly hurt you in later yaers. Good luck! Talk to you soon. Gina We have gone down every single road and there is nothing available to me, that I can afford anyway...I can get high risk insurance but it is almost 500.00! We can't afford that...no I was denied SSI..and disability as well. I know the Lord is caring for me, but I get really scared sometimes.....this is one reason I joined this board so I wouldn't feel all alone! The first year I was diagnosed and in bad shape, I was on Prednisone. I weaned myself off of that very gradually, and that seemed to work. I was on Plaqunil too, but that didn't work so good. I'm on MTx and Mobic and doing fairly well. I've had RA & OA for 4 years now. Luckily, I haven't had any bad effects from mobic or MTX, just have to check my blood every 6 weeks. My white blood count goes low every once in a while and then they lower my MTX. I'm on 5 pills a day. Good luck to you. Stay pain free. I used to be on the plaquenil but it did affect my eyes - I didn't have problems with glaucoma but there are several ways that it can affect the eyes. If you do take it, be sure to get your eyes checked every 6 months - it's very important. Be sure that the eye doctor knows that it is a plaquenil check too. Good luck! I hope that you find some relief soon!
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