Hello Cassie
You have started on the Plaquenil which as you know will take several months to have any appreciable effect. You can get your eyes tested by a high street optometrist if you don't have an obvious access route to an ophthalmologist. It should be done within a few weeks of starting Plaquenil.
I suppose that having diabetes could be a complicating factor.
My hubby has diabetes 2 and gets his eyes tested once a year so maybe you can get the tests done quickly enough on the NHS through your GP's surgery.
Eye damage is very rare but nobody wants to take unnecessary risks.
MCTD would be treated the same as lupus although there might be supplementary treatment tips for the particular symptoms such as Raynaud's. You can ask here and read up reliable sites.
You need to sort out this weird business of not taking the amitryptline with Plaquenil Maybe your GP does have some interactions listed on his PC or maybe there is some particular reason why you shouldn't although i';s hard to say what it could be and would be very interesting to know what it is.
It's safe to say that they are very often taken together and I have never heard or read of any reason why they shouldn't be.
You need all the help that you can get and it would be tragic if you are being deprived of an essential med for no good reason ! Usually people take some Prednisone and NSAIDs to tide them over until the Plaquenil takes effect I understand that Pred could be out of the question because of your diabetes. Maybe in the circumstances a short course would do more good than harm as unrelieved pain isn't too good for the body either, nor is the emotional and psychological stress of its effect on your life. Or there may well be other other sorts of pankillers that would be appropriate. Perhaps your endocrinologist could help out with the Pred decision Perhaps there is a pain specialist in your area.
I do hope you can get some help soon
All the best and hugs
Clare
You have started on the Plaquenil which as you know will take several months to have any appreciable effect. You can get your eyes tested by a high street optometrist if you don't have an obvious access route to an ophthalmologist. It should be done within a few weeks of starting Plaquenil.
I suppose that having diabetes could be a complicating factor.
My hubby has diabetes 2 and gets his eyes tested once a year so maybe you can get the tests done quickly enough on the NHS through your GP's surgery.
Eye damage is very rare but nobody wants to take unnecessary risks.
MCTD would be treated the same as lupus although there might be supplementary treatment tips for the particular symptoms such as Raynaud's. You can ask here and read up reliable sites.
You need to sort out this weird business of not taking the amitryptline with Plaquenil Maybe your GP does have some interactions listed on his PC or maybe there is some particular reason why you shouldn't although i';s hard to say what it could be and would be very interesting to know what it is.
It's safe to say that they are very often taken together and I have never heard or read of any reason why they shouldn't be.
You need all the help that you can get and it would be tragic if you are being deprived of an essential med for no good reason ! Usually people take some Prednisone and NSAIDs to tide them over until the Plaquenil takes effect I understand that Pred could be out of the question because of your diabetes. Maybe in the circumstances a short course would do more good than harm as unrelieved pain isn't too good for the body either, nor is the emotional and psychological stress of its effect on your life. Or there may well be other other sorts of pankillers that would be appropriate. Perhaps your endocrinologist could help out with the Pred decision Perhaps there is a pain specialist in your area.
I do hope you can get some help soon
All the best and hugs
Clare
