What works? I'm I doing everything possible?

[zamsci]

Hey its me again I think i forget about this website once i'm feeling well and then
I'm back on like an addict once I have any pain :unsure:
1)One question I have is
I'm coming off the prodinsine and im feeling really bad i'm on 7mg and Monday will
be on 5mg. I am still taking Plaquanil 2 times daily for nearly 3 months and I am still
experiening pain. More like from the time I take Prodisnsone in the moring it last 3 hours and not well or as effectively. (i have soreness in joints lite swelling-it feels like I have been snapping my fingers too many times)
2) two weeks ago I did blood work and I keep calling (5 times) to speak with the remy doctor about blood work and the nurses tell me he has your chart he will call you when he can :( so I feel like a pess because I feel worse and I can't even find out if this is normal :unsure:
So i figure Monday I should just make an appointment which i'm sure i won't get in for another month or so. I'm in Oakland Ca and in my medical group he is the only close one.
3) I have also been taking fish oil for a month due to the research on extention for life website said they saw in rats it help with lupus. On here I haven't heard any thing about it just wonder thoughts on it?
4) when I was on high doses of prodosine I stopped taking vicidon for pain now i'm back using it for soreness and shoulder pain any alternates to vics or is there pain meds other use?
thanks zee

[raggedyann1]

zee,

the 3 month time frame for Plaquenil is just an average. Some women here have had to wait 6 months before they notice improvement. Other times women have thought that the plaquenil wasn't doing anything and they stopped taking it, within 2 weeks they realize how much it was doing. When lupus is in a very active cycle it is hard to see what our medications are doing for us.

Prednisone is usually just used as a short term to get you over the hurdle. In calling your doctor on Monday besides asking for an appointment tell the nurses that you are getting sicker and sicker and wonder if you can up the prednisone till you can get in and see the doctor.

Sometimes plaquenil and an anti-inflammatory alone are not enough to manage the lupus. The anti-inflammatory actually does nothing for the disease but helps with the pain caused by the inflammation. Methotrexate is often the next medication that is added to plaquenil and the anti-inflamm. It is an immune suppressor non-steroidal anti-rheumatic drug.

Perhaps when your rheumy sees you and the problems you are still having he may want to add a medication like methotrexate to your treatment.

My rheumy always has me make my follow up appt when I am leaving his office. Perhaps you can do that in the future with your rheumy.

Take care,
Karen