tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3333366417331831589.post3907213758554128104..comments2023-11-02T01:31:47.667-07:00Comments on Sweet Little Thing: An STD never sounded so good!Shannonheickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09561040810292064595noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3333366417331831589.post-76926622433710628562009-12-09T19:48:24.881-08:002009-12-09T19:48:24.881-08:00Hey Shannon! Thanks for tracking me down over at m...Hey Shannon! Thanks for tracking me down over at my silly blog.... Been following your rheum saga and am finding it all too familiar. I'm so sorry you're heading down this path. Some days are better than others. BECAUSE YOU ASKED, I will share with you my Methotrexate story... I don't offer this one unsolicited!<br /><br />Short version: two years into my plaquenil treatment for RA that was focused in my knees, hands, and toes [head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.. let's sing! :)] my Rheum decided that he was putting cortizone in and draining my left knee more than he liked.. so he recommended that we add Metho to the mix. Since I was a newbie, I said sure. I took it for about a month - it was one of those 'take four on monday and two on Thursday' sort of cocktails.... anyway, it absolutely wrecked me. Put me in perpetual migraine mode the entire time I took it. I remember specifically being at a job interview for my husband - actually, since he's a pastor, it was the day we were meeting the whole leadership team of the church... ugh..- and i didn't know how i was going to get out of the car without throwing up.It was HO.RR.IB.LE. Completely changed my life. After 5 weeks, I flushed the remainder down the toilet and called my Rheumy 'I'd rather have messed up knees and be in chronic pain than feel like those meds made me feel'. The end of the Metho for me. He was very understanding, and explained that some drugs work well for some people, and others don't. Ya THINK!?!?!?! ;)<br /><br />In the meantime, my knees chilled out for about 2 years, and then I had Carpal Tunnel repair surgery on both hands.. then they calmed down.. but then, this past summer, 2 toes and 2 finger knuckles became terribly inflamed. If you've never had inflammation in a toe, guest reader, don't judge. You can't imagine the pain that one bad toe can spread throughout your entire body. it's awful. SO, we moved, and I have a new rheumy.. and he suggested that I try one of two drugs -- 'either methotrexate [GACK] or Sulfasalazine'. Clearly, I chose the sulfa. It has helped, I think - mildly. But as he says 'if we're going to medicate you, I'd like you to feel as good as you can. No use going through the medical drama just to feel... ok.'<br /><br />So that's the latest. Hang in there. Once you find the cocktail that works for you it will make a great, steady improvement. Keep in touch!!!!<br /><br />Warmly,<br />StephAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com