toto786 said...
Hi ALL,
I'm fromm SOUTH AFRICA and recently moved from our countryside GREYTOWN (KZN MIDLANDS) to Durban (JANUARY 2008) and was healthy as a horse. In February 2008 I found swelling in my finger joints, pain in my knees and ankle. It was painful BUT not excruciating were i was not mobile. I kept on taking anti biotics, but the relief only lasted a few weeks.
On the 23 August 2008 I visited the GP and she forced me to have a blood sample drawn. My ANEs were of and my EPK was 1280. I was in shock not knowing what it was. I thought it was RA. I was refered by a friend to a RHEUMATOLOGIST on the 06 September 2008 (42 in our country to help a population of 45 million). In 10 mins she diagnosed me with MCTD (RA, LUPUS and Scleradxerma). At 37 in peak health, a fitness freak, playing league soccer and riding a quad bike weekly, I was devastated.
She put me on 30mg PREDS daily. A week earlier I started fasting (me being MUSLIM). At 3 am I took the PREDS and started feeling well. Next meal at 17:30. I developed a wheeze in my lower right lung which I laughed of. darn..... by the 20 September 2008 I had no more strength to even climb into bed. I phoned the DOC and she told me I had POLYMYOSITIS. On the 23 September I was admitted to hospital and given IV SOLU MEDROL. On the 25 September at 14:00 I was discharged and given a dose of METHA TREXATE 2.5mg
That night while playing with my daughter I felt my chest getting heavy. I started struggling to breathe and then started coughing up blood. At 23:30 that night I back in hospital. I WAS IN PANIC MODE THINKING I'M DYING. The DOC suspected a LUNG EMBOLISM. In the morning, lung scans, x rays and CT scan and more.....BLOOD TESTS. I was released on the 24 September , taken of the METHA TREXATE and put on to IMURAN (AZAPRESS) 50mg and PREDS 30mg.
One month later at my next check up I'm mobile, able to drive, walk a bit but nothing strenuous. I walk on the beach with my kids and appreciate all that GOD has given me. My IMURAN is up to 75mg and my PREDS dose is lowered by 5mg every second week. Physically I am a bit weak, I have an OFF and ON pain above my shoulders, can't handle spicy food, got he shakes, get tired easliy BUT MOBILE>
To all out there, I argue with my creator daily......LOL. But as someone said there are pepple out there WORSE OFF, and remember GOD only gives diseases to the STRONG. The weak won't handle it!