tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-964987824271441822.post1276301639602343117..comments2023-04-04T08:09:31.889-05:00Comments on A Change of Plans: A Surprising DecisionThe Rheuminator (Jackie)http://www.blogger.com/profile/06065866384052529922noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-964987824271441822.post-3758730280394380102012-04-23T06:21:02.991-05:002012-04-23T06:21:02.991-05:00Self medication can never be good.try and consult ...Self medication can never be good.try and consult Specialist.If you are not comfortable with the treatment of one then move to a next one...but do not neglect your health and then invite remorse and depression from life.Medical Billing Softwarehttp://www.healthtec-software.com/Medical-Billing-Software.htmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-964987824271441822.post-69121702117846865552012-02-12T12:00:54.178-06:002012-02-12T12:00:54.178-06:00I was diagnosed with RA at the good old age of 23 ...I was diagnosed with RA at the good old age of 23 and am turning 62 this Monday Feb 13th. It has been a long rough journey to date. All my dreams and aspirations were taken from me and I am still bitter to this day, but have learned to accept it. That is all I can do, no more, no less. Anyone diagnosed with this disease will tell you straight out that they would give anything for their old life back, me included. All I can say is that it is one nasty and cruel disease, which slowly takes your dignity and self confidence away. Like you Im being up front, nothing barred or censored. This is how I feel and have felt since I was dignosed way back when. I will never truly accept my condition. It has been HELL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-964987824271441822.post-86077475861877278822012-01-18T12:20:23.054-06:002012-01-18T12:20:23.054-06:00I was diagnosed in April. I refused pred, and I d...I was diagnosed in April. I refused pred, and I didn't take anything for pain. (I've now progressed to taking an occasional NSAID when the pain overwhelms me, enough to allow me to keep moving.) I did elect, however, to take a DMARD. When MTX didn't help, I started on Enbrel, and when it helped but only for half the week between shots, the rheumatologist added Plaquenil. I'm not back to normal and I, like many others, deal with constant pain, but this has made a big difference in my quality of life while hopefully minimizing the drugs to which I'm exposed. It's a good tradeoff for me between taking dangerous medications and resuming some sort of life again. My cognitive function was being impacted by RA as much as my physical abilities, and I was not "me." I can deal with pain: I couldn't deal with that, and I'm back to being myself if not back all the way in my physical abilities. Each of us will have different answers. I wish you great good luck and health with yours, too!Linda P.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-964987824271441822.post-57742871929475625622012-01-10T17:54:28.138-06:002012-01-10T17:54:28.138-06:00I have traveled this road also. I had to give up a...I have traveled this road also. I had to give up all the heavy duty meds due to side effects or due to my cancer treatment. And for me I was still getting the joint deterioration anyway, even with the big guns of the biologics. I haven't looked back and not once. My biggest problem to date is finding an ra doc that agrees with me here in NC. My NJ doc was the one that recommended this course as she was there for the 8 years with me through my ra and understood it all. I HATE having to try and convince a doctor of why I don't want to take anymore of the infusion meds, etc. I am and have been on low dose pregnisone for years. I have been trying vitamins and such and with some luck. I have an aggressive form of ra but feel the same way you do about weighing my options. We gotta do what we gotta do.abcsofrahttp://abcsofra.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com