Carol, Big hugs coming attcha. Sorry I have not been around much, got overwhelmed. Hope you have taken Rosies' and Emmies' excellent advice and called your doctor. Let us know how that goes. Good...
Hi Lynnwood, Sounds like you are doing a bit better. Hope the elves have arrived! I started reading your post because I knew I could relate to the subject matter. Just got up from a half hour nap,...
Hi Paladin, Sorry to hear your Mom is having such problems. My advice on tapering on the predisone is to listen to what you doctor says but also, she should listen to her body. I went from 10mg to...
Hi Joy, I just wanted to add my welcome to the others. They've given great advice. I didn't stumble onto this board until after my diagnosis but wish that I had! I hope you get to a rheumatologist...
Thanks Rosie, Hippie and Des, It brought tears to my eyes to read your welcome backs. You guys are the best! My bipolar brother who was living with me had a psychotic episode and I had to have him...
Gidget, Good luck with the Imuran. The two meds that keep me going are my Imuran and prednisone. In the beginning, I had some trouble adjusting to the Imuran -- stomach cramps and nausea, even taking...
Hi all, As Amy and Sharen say. We are all so different and it depends on what's going on. Sounds as if your doctor has a reasonable plan. I was on 10 during a flare, got down to 5 and 5 is now my...
Rosie, Thanks so much for a cheery post. I got to drink coffee and think about puppies! Wonderful. I have had as many as four dogs but have just one now. Nothing beats the excitement of your dog...
Hi Everyone, Got overwhelmed and haven't been reading here but I have been holding you all in my thoughts and wishing you all the best. I'm happy to see I recognize lots of names on the front page. I...
Lion, Sorry to hear this, bummer! I hope you didn't just quit the pred. without a decent taper strategy. I can't get any lower than my 5mg per day without serious pain in my fingers and joints, etc....
Lynn, The one time I had vertigo exactly as you described to begin with (turn over in bed and the room kept going) was before my one and only major flare. The flare lasted weeks and was devastating....
Thanks you all so much! Good information here and you are all helping me to form a plan. Right now, I am actually feeling pretty good. I have a therapist appointment this afternoon (this is new for...
Fran and Hippi, Thanks for the replies. I guess I need to reorganize my thinking to shift some items to my PCP. It's just that my rhumie originally did these things for me. Fran, so glad the AmbienCR...
Hi Everyone, Hope you all are having a good weekend. I'm up early today as my daughter is flying home from Morocco and I am nervously trying to track her flight on-line (it hasn't left yet). She's...
Carol, Now you take care of yourself! Listen to all the folks here trying to Mother you. Please do call your doc (listen to Hippi and des) rest and drink fluids (listen to Stacie and Babs). You know...
Hi All, I just saw this one too as I've been overwhelmingly busy so I got to read the thread start to finish and chuckle along the way. I'm with the "just ask" folks as in having her start by saying...
Hi Barb, Good luck to you. Lots of positive thoughts and energy coming your way from me. Nikita and the purple room made me smile (as that is the color of the walls and the rug in my daughters room)....
Barb - Thanks for letting us know. Hope you are doing ok. Babs - I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. Hope he is doing better and taking care of him is not wearing you out too much. You remain in my...
Jen, Very interesting -- thanks. I have a fair amount of mold in the basement of my home and you have given me the idea to have it tested! I did poke around some and I think there may be cheaper...
Mandolyn, I just wanted to welcome you to this place filled with wonderful people. I would think that if you wanted the lupus designation that you (with your symptoms and blood tests) should be able...
Hi Emmie, First off, I want to add to the Hippi Happy Dance!, for having great results on the lung tests. Sorry to hear about the lesions in your liver. Diane sounds like she has great advice. Take...
Hi Sheryl, I am a testament to the right mix of meds can really change a persons life. A year ago my wonderful boyfriend practically had to carry me into the water thinking that I could at least do a...
Lion, Oh, so many bad things happening. I feel for you so much! Glad you had a fab time away with the family. You are a fabulous Mother, really. We are all struggling so much, big time. Your daughter...
Hi Carol, So sorry to hear about the troubles with your son. Wonderful that he has a girlfriend who feels comfortable calling you to talk. I am glad he sounded more upbeat when last you spoke to him....
Dolly, You've come to a great place. Everyone here knows what you have been through and many can help with specific question about meds. etc. It is all so sad that we need to struggle with this (or...
Hi Valinda, Welcome to the site. Like Patty, I've "hung my hat" here. You can feel love and support whenever you log in and even take it away with you when you are not on! Before I got too sick, I...
Hi Pat and Misscali, I have recently been dealing with my brother who is diagnosed with bipolar so your thread title caught my eye (and scared me!) The link didn't seem to work but I googled Lupus...
Carol, No shooting your dog, please (*grins*). What have you tried for the fleas? The best stuff is that once a month liquid you squirt on their back (can't remember the name). Of course, with 9 cats...
Sheryl, Sorry I wasn't around to greet you. I was touched by your note to Carol (Okie). She is one of the many wonderful folks here. I've been busy (having to deal with my bi-polar Brother who was...
TurtleGirl, As I understand it, Raynauds can be "primary" (you only have it) or "secondary" (it is a second disease and you have another one that causes it). I had some out of range bloodwork first...
Lu, I'm with Babs -- email me anytime you want. I do not share your beliefs but I value diversity. So sad that lines are drawn. As peacesoul says, hope you reconsider. *hugs* Sue...
Des, Thanks so much for your time, effort, involvement, .... You do wonderful work. Stay Strong, Sue...
Redrose, Wonderful, wonderful! I am so very happy for you. Hope you get the info you need and the check soon. Stay Strong, Sue...
Hi Kasey, I have had the MCTD diagnosis for about a year now. I was under the impression that UCTD (undifferentiated as opposed to mixed) was used when the results of certain test indicated a...
Hi everyone, I'm Sue and I'm 52 years old. Thanks for sharing. Wow, did you all find this as difficult as I am finding it? It is so hard to be concise and coherent. Looking back, I think I have been...
Hi Tammy, Good luck on the tapering. I have been on prednisone since last Sept. I only needed 10mg a day and have since gone down to 5mg a day. Even at that dose, I have a bit of a moonface. I detest...
Lynnwood -- Thanks for the link, and Peter -- Thanks for the both the article and this fantastic site. Your work here is appreciated by so many. Stay Strong, Sue...
Hippi, Thanks for the reminder. Hope this doesn't cause a flare. My one and only one, in retrospect, was probably caused by me not understanding that all of the stay out of the sun cautions were for...
my3sons, The way I understand it is that there are a collection of autoimmune diseases which are all of the your body does not recognize you as yourself so it attacks it. The cause is unknown and the...
Hippi, Glad you got some relief but sorry it had to be with more prednisone. The old "balancing act". I believe, as goldenwings says, on doing a taper on your own. I only have 5 mg tablets so can...
Okie, Hi girlfriend! Sorry've been busy and out of tough. Bsime has the right idea. The changing what it is that you are doing is *huge*.. Diet is a key thing, and Patty,Omega, CityGirl all know...
Lu, I'm sure Bill will be along. In the meantime I'll give my notion of what is going on. An autoimmune disease is when our immune system does not recognize our body as ourself and our immune system...
Hi Elyse, Welcome! This is a great site. The people here are fantastically supportive. Sorry, though, that you are ill. I have MCTD also. My pain and fatigue is somewhat under control now after...
e, The only time I got the vertigo thing was right before my one and only flare. So, I think of it as a warning sign but, like sands, mine doesn't go on for an extended time. I do have polymyositis...
Ocean, Sorry you are in pain. It's just awful to drag yourself around in pain trying to get things done. I'm with Pat, my rheumy doesn't even look at my ANA anymore. I even asked if they would ever...
Hi Elcamino, I was just wondering whether you have found anything out? I was, in fact, disappointed that the celiac tests came back negative. I was absolutely desperate to find that I could have some...
Hi AveryLynn, I have not been on as high a dose of the prednisone as you currently are but I am taking both Imuran and prednisone. I have been on Imuran since Sept. and it is my lifesaver. But, it...
Hi El, When I was undiagnosed and getting tests, I did a lot of reading on celiac disease. I too, found the connections interesting. My rheumie dismissed my concerns but I insisted that I get tested...
Hippi, Thinking of you and sending you energy. Yes, focus on one thing, get it done, and move on as best you can. Including, of course, trying to schedule in down time! Sorry that Josh is in so much...
Hippi, I go straight for anything that can save time. I love to cook and think fast food is the bane of American health but I go right for the take out any night I have had an overwhelming day. I...