Update... -- Steroid Warning Network

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Date Posted: 12:06:55 04/02/08 Wed
Author: Ivy (Exhausted)
Subject: Update...

Hey everyone...sorry I have been a no show on the board for a while. I have been in one flare-up after another since October and it became quite clear to my docs, and to me, that my 6-mp just wasn't working anymore. After making the decision to stay on 15 mg of prednisone to help my body heal, I still remained in the flare up...it was like I wasn't on any prednisone at all. I was in constant pain, asthma flares, and stomach flares. My blood work was also coming back alarming...my platelet count had JUMPED up higher then it has been in years (meaning inflammation was rampant in my body), my red blood cell count dropped for the first time ever, and the size of my cells were too large (which is from the 6-mp). Also, my amylase was high, showing problems in my small bowel again. So my rheumy, pulmonologist and I agreed that I needed to be taken OFF the 6-mp and started on methotrexate. So after 3 weeks of weaning off the 6-mp I started seriously flaring up my breathing, so my doc hurried the process along and I started on the methotrexate. It has been just 2 weeks on the med, and my breathing has stabilized, but the side effects of this drug are incredibly evil! I am nauseas pretty much all the time for the first few days after I take the med (it is once a week dosing), my stomach is a wreck (either too much or not enough), my mouth is one giant sore, I am starting to lose my hair again, and I am just flat out exhausted. I know I went through this when I started the 6-mp and that gave me at least 1 full year of stability on 7 mg...so I am really hoping and praying that this doest the same thing. I just have to push through this month of torture to get there! I go to my doc on Friday and we will run all the blood tests to make sure that my body is not rejecting this drug.

In between all this mess, I had a massive infection/abcess in my leg, and was on antibiotics for a month before it finally burst and started healing. Luckily the culture came back normal, which means the antibiotics were working and I didn't have to be put in the hospital on IV drugs...that was a real concern and possability...oh, and my ER doc looked like a young George Clooney LOL...SO special when I looked like something the cat dragged in LOL! All this, AND my puppy, who is my therapy dog in every way that counts, had to have surgery today to remove a tumor from her shoulder...luckily the growth did not infiltrate her muscles, but it is being sent to pathology to make sure the cancer is only a stage 1 and not any worse then that. So I will be VERY stressed until I know for sure...I am going to pick her up from the vet in a couple of hours...I miss my baby!! She is the best little girl I could ever ask for...she even sits on my lap when I am throwing up in a bucket (which is usually over her head LOL), she puts her little nose/mouth right up to my mouth if I am passed out, and she cuddles right into me wherever I am feeling pain. So please pray that she will be cured by this tumor being removed!!!

I will keep you all updated!! Please know that I think of all of you often!!!

Love,

Ivy

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Replies:

Re: Update... -- Leslie (Sad), 10:45:23 04/06/08 Sun
Re: Update... -- big momma judy, 21:39:46 04/29/08 Tue