Comments | phaballa: yo dawg, yo

phaballa

yo dawg, yo

Apr 06, 2010 10:03

This is going to be a long, probably boring, probably eyeroll-inducing entry about my health (or lack thereof), so if you're easily annoyed or whatever today, you might want to skip.

( Cut to protect you from the whining ahead. )

personal

Comments 38

scottmpriz April 6 2010, 17:08:44 UTC

sorry this is sucking so much. That drug sounds incredibly scary, and I would be terrified of it.

I think your instincts are right in regards to the pain vs. all those terrible side affects of it. Sweet monkey fuck, frankly.

phaballa April 6 2010, 17:11:55 UTC

It's a LOT of side effects. And bad ones. And my immune system would be compromised the entire time I took it, which means getting sick could be really really bad...

scottmpriz April 6 2010, 17:15:39 UTC

and putting you on it long term is such a thing. What a stupid decision by the docs. office.

phaballa April 6 2010, 17:20:37 UTC

Yeah, it's really random and weird. I should look up more reviews of this doctor...

Thread 9

dont_panic4242 April 6 2010, 17:50:28 UTC

Ugh. Pharmacists are not doctors. It's great that they're there to talk to you about your medications and tell you about side effects and suggest you should talk to your doctor about any concerns, but frankly I think this dude crossed a line when he basically told you that your doctor was mismanaging your illness. Also, he's wrong. Assuming you have some sort of autoimmune disease (RA, lupus, whatever) that's attacking your joints, taking an immune suppressing drug like prednisone DOES treat the underlying disease. It suppresses the overactive immune cells that are trying to eat away at your joints. NSAIDS/painkillers don't do this at all, but prednisone does. That's (presumably) why your doctor switched you over - because your blood tests revealed some sort of active inflammatory process. Any rheumatologist (indeed, any reasonably well-informed physician) could tell you that prednisone isn't a good long-term solution, but that's because of all the long-term side effects, not because it doesn't work. And I highly doubt that your ( ... )

call_me_loca April 6 2010, 18:00:27 UTC

Thank you for that, I was trying not to get ranty about it, myself, LOL.

dont_panic4242 April 6 2010, 18:31:22 UTC

I... am unfortunately prone to ranting. :) But thanks!

phaballa April 6 2010, 19:11:07 UTC

Oh, I know. I mean, I've read a ton of stuff about RA and I've read the studies involving prednisone, so I do know that with DMARDs it can be incredibly effective. The pharmacist wasn't alarmed until he looked at the the supply she gave me, and considering that my rheumatologist didn't tell me anything, basically, about why she was switching my meds and moving up my appointment, he was just very cautionary. And when he saw that I'm also on levothyroxine because I've got hypothyroidism, and also that I have an infection, he was extra cautionary about it. Considering that my rheumatologist told me at my appointment that she didn't want to put me on a DMARD because of how I might want to have babies someday, the switch to predinose with no indication that I would be starting a DMARD as well was very alarming to me, anyway. I definitely don't want to use prednisone as my sole treatment. If that's not the case, though, she can tell me on Thursday and maybe convince me that prednisone is the way to go. My mom did say it would make me ( ... )

Thread 9

call_me_loca April 6 2010, 17:58:39 UTC

I have been taking prednisone for close to 4 years. It has it's good days and bad, as with any steroid. Definitely ask questions and voice ALL concerns you have. It is the fall back drug for RA, I've known alot who have taken it until they found the RIGHT meds for them.

I used to be on close to 60 mg per day. I'm down to 30 as needed, but usually stick to the 10 unless I am in a flair, then I up it, unless I am in huge pain then I usually get epidural injections.

The side effects I had were minor (well, in comparison to the other shit I was going through, anyway) and I'm only now experiencing issues with the weight gain. (I was only 96 pounds when I was diagnosed, so any extra weight was positive back then, LOL)

How high were your ANAs? (if you don't mind me asking?)hell, emailing me might be better, since I'm leaning towards semi-personal info, LOL.

Above all, I am here for you if you need me, in anyway.

phaballa April 6 2010, 19:19:56 UTC

I'm not sure about the ANAs. All I really know is that my ANA was positive, which is what my doctor told me to tell the rheumatologist's office when I made my appointment. Obviously something in the 10 phials of blood they took from me on Friday showed Dr Bunch something that concerned her. But I'm not the kind of person who will take meds blindly and trust a doctor I just met, expert or not, you know? Especially not a drug with as many crazy side effects as prednisone, when I don't know what her treatment plan is for me or how long she plans for me to be on prednisone, if she's going to add a DMARD or what. Also because I've got hypothyroidism, I don't want to start a drug that states explicitly not to take it if you've got a thyroid disorder. So, maybe it seems like an emergency situation to Dr Bunch, but to me, I pretty much feel the same as I always do ( ... )

bououou April 6 2010, 18:22:33 UTC

I took prednisone a lot. But mostly to threat my asthma after big attacks. For like one week at the time. And the doctors where really strict and my mom always gave it to me reluctantly. It's not a fun drug. :(

phaballa April 6 2010, 19:24:42 UTC

Yeah, I've actually taken it once after a severe allergic reaction to a tetanus shot when I was 15, and it was kind of horrible. I had acne for months after...

lurkitty April 6 2010, 18:41:30 UTC

I have a lot of history with prednisone, and you are right to question its use. You need to go over your whole history and all of the drugs you are taking, but if you need it, please do consider it. If it will keep you from getting worse in the end, it might be worthwhile, but you need more information. You can control the side effects, but it takes work. OTOH, frankly, it seems that she dismissed the methotrexiate out of hand.

I hate that doctors consider that all women are a set of ovaries and won't prescribe therapies based on the notion that we might want to get pregnant in the future. I practically had to assault the gynecologist that did my hysterectomy to get him to act, and then, after he did it and saw what was in there, his reaction was, "wow! I don't know how you stood that pain for that long!" DUMBASS! Why is our quality of life solely based on our ability to make babies?

phaballa April 6 2010, 19:39:54 UTC

Yeah, I really hate the whole argument about how I might want babies. Because you know what? If I want a baby, I will adopt one of the hundred of thousands of orphaned children in the world, or become a foster parent, or whatever. Under no circumstances do I want to pop one out, especially if it means delaying treatment that could save my joints and keep me from being disfigured.

I think I just need to make sure the rheumatologist understands my priorities. And if she still wants to give me the argument about babies, I can find another doctor who will treat me like a person instead of a uterus.