Hello there and welcome!!
If it can reassure you, I have been ill for nine years and diagnosed for one! And, I am definitely, frequently still in denial. For me it is a happy denial and a still sensible one. I would never ever go so far as to throw out my meds. I know too much about the disease to be doing silly things like that. But, I do like to "believe" that there's nothing wrong with me (apart from the obvious mental insaneness :lol: )!
I think that with time we all learn to enjoy life differently. I never aim to go out in the sun but occasionally it can't be helped. When that happens I cover up. I haven't yet got my burkha out but sometimes wish a fashion would develop for them :rotfl:
Seriously though, I have bought myself some good sun protective clothing (you need to be sure the manufacturers "claims" are justified) and also have found some really nice 50spf sun cream which is like a nice moisturiser and doesn't feel at all sticky or greasy. I wear that on my face all year at any time I'll be out for long.
In summer, I am trying to bring wide brimmed hats back into fashion.
You are still very newly diagnosed and your meds won't have had much time to take effect. Plaquenil in particular takes a long time to start working (often around 6 months) but is well worth the wait as it is a very beneficial drug. If, a bit further down the road, you are still not getting adequate relief, there are many other options that your rheumy can use to help you.
Once good treatment has been started a lot of people will find that life does go back to normal to a great extent. It will take time though, you need to be patient. Obviously, lifestyle changes such as pacing oneself and avoiding the sun are still important.
bye for now,
Katharine
If it can reassure you, I have been ill for nine years and diagnosed for one! And, I am definitely, frequently still in denial. For me it is a happy denial and a still sensible one. I would never ever go so far as to throw out my meds. I know too much about the disease to be doing silly things like that. But, I do like to "believe" that there's nothing wrong with me (apart from the obvious mental insaneness :lol: )!
I think that with time we all learn to enjoy life differently. I never aim to go out in the sun but occasionally it can't be helped. When that happens I cover up. I haven't yet got my burkha out but sometimes wish a fashion would develop for them :rotfl:
Seriously though, I have bought myself some good sun protective clothing (you need to be sure the manufacturers "claims" are justified) and also have found some really nice 50spf sun cream which is like a nice moisturiser and doesn't feel at all sticky or greasy. I wear that on my face all year at any time I'll be out for long.
In summer, I am trying to bring wide brimmed hats back into fashion.
You are still very newly diagnosed and your meds won't have had much time to take effect. Plaquenil in particular takes a long time to start working (often around 6 months) but is well worth the wait as it is a very beneficial drug. If, a bit further down the road, you are still not getting adequate relief, there are many other options that your rheumy can use to help you.
Once good treatment has been started a lot of people will find that life does go back to normal to a great extent. It will take time though, you need to be patient. Obviously, lifestyle changes such as pacing oneself and avoiding the sun are still important.
bye for now,
Katharine
