Results of my RD check up

Hi all,

Well I had my 3 month check up with the RD.

It's been 6 months now that I am off the MTX and he says he sees no evidence of disease.

I told him I feel no different off than I did on. Still have pain levels daily on a range of 1-3 and I'm tired.

My last blood tests were less than 2 months ago because if you remember my liver enzymes had elevated. Everything came back perfect. I have always been sero negative and my ESR and CRP although highly elevated at onset- about 5 months into MTX and Prednisone they dropped back to normal levels.

He says I continue to be the most unusal case of RA he's ever seen. He said I had the most severe presentation he ever saw and have made the most remarkable come back. he says I've been around for a long time and you are really just unusual. I said did I maybe not have RA? He shrugged his shoulders. he said you certainly presented with all the tell tale signs other than the fact you were sero-negative and 5-10% of people just are.

He told me to enjoy my remission and I don't have to go back on the MTX for now.

I asked if it's possible it would never come back and he shrugged his shoulders again and says there are instances when are RA presents monocyclic.

So he says come back in 3 months and we'll do labs again.

When I got home he called me and said he was reviewing my file more closely and noticed I am taking 5000 IU of Vitamin D daily- Why so much he asked? Did your GP do a test and your deficient? No I said the time I had a test my levels were fine but I thought it was good for me and I thought more was better! he said no- do not take more than 1000 IU per day- you could get Vitamin D toxicity. That can cause calcium stones among other things.

So- I was thinking maybe the D was helping me in the RA dept. but I did not say so. I will drop down and see if I notice any increased pain.

All in all I am happy with this visit.

I am Vitamin D deficient and I take 20,000 units a week. Hmmmmm. They do blood work every three months to make sure I am not getting too much. Also, since my Vitamin D level has gone from 22 to 35, I do have less pain. Testing my vitamin D level was one of the first things my GP and rheumy did. My rheumy says low D levels do cause pain. Oh my goodness, I guess we get different answers from different docs!

I think the reason he said 5000 IU was too much is because my levels are not low. I have excellent levels plus I sun myself regularly. I was thinking the extra was helping with pain levels while being off the MTX.... I haven't taken any since Thursday so we shall see how I feel.

Momto3- I wish you all the best in achieving what I have! I wish everyone here could do as well as I am doing! In the back of my mind I have a niggling fear that one day it will rear it's ugly head with a vengeance as it did the first the time....

Go- I have always been opposed to fish oil because I hate fish and I am afraid of fish burps, farts etc... LOL.

Do they upset your GI at all? Do you taste them all day?