[Joandublin]

Hi everyone

Just thought I would give an update on my Rheumy appointment today. All my Lupus bloods are looking good so thats great. Wish someone would tell my body that

A while ago I posted about pain I was having in my arm in and around the elbow area. The pain is also in the upper arm area. Well my Rheumy did some movement tests and said it was tendonitis so I have instructions on using heat pads to see if it reduces the pain. If this doesnt work, I am then to try ice packs as well. He is also sending me for physio and we review everything in three months. Injections are the next step but he is reluctant to go down that road until we try other treatments. Suits me grand.

I also have sciatica caused by degenerative bone disease (probably a mixture of age, being overweight and the steroids). I've been having increasing lower back pain that goes down into my legs.

I will be getting a 24 hr BP monitor on soon. The plan is to see if they can reduce the amount of meds Im on to control the BP so fingers crossed. I hate those machines! You cant get a wink of sleep with them!

Finally I am recovering from a horrible bout of stomach problems since Thursday night. Turns out I had the Norovirus all along (winter vomiting bug). Wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy :scaredy: The good news is the doc says I am no longer contagious. I spent the last three days in bed without eating a thing so tonight I have an appetite like a Rhino! Look out fridge! The interesting thing is that the doc said one should never take anything to suppress the diarrohea as it absolutely has to come out. Gross - I know! He said its fine to take something to suppress the vomiting but not the other end And there was I swallowing anti-diarrohea tablets to beat the band. Mind you, they didnt help much!

He also said something interesting. He advised me not to take my Celebrex if I had diarrohea because both can cause dehydration and one will only enhance the other and could end up causing kidney problems. If he only knew that I was so sick I couldnt hardly take any of my tablets but the two I faithfully took were the steroids and the Celebrex. Ooops....

Hope you are all keeping well.

Much love
Joan:rose:

 

[greenhaggis]

Joan,

So glad youre bloods are okay, but as I well know symptoms are still there!

I'm glad that you remembered to tell Rhuemi about your elbow and will keep fingers crossed that heat/ice pads help alongside the physio.

I wouldnt be to put off the injections! I had them before Christmas in lower spine area and I can say the feeling afterwards was bliss and wished steroids wernt so harmful. If I could I would have had them done all over the body :lol:. :hehe:That feeling lasted two weeks, had a grocery home delivery and managed to put things back to sqaure 1!

Glad youre getting over your virus! I know from experience of gastro problems how hard it is to take meds when youre feeling so rubbish, I generally have to give them all a miss!

Take care of yourself!

Hugs!

 

[Katharine]

Hi Joan,

I'm glad to hear that you are finally feeling less dismal than this week-end. That bug sounds awful indeed.

I'm waiting for the rheumy to get back to me again (second time in a week) for my tendon problems. I shall be hoping that we both get that cleared up as soon as...a right pain, literally.

Katharine

 

[KarolH]

Hi Joan,

Glad things are looking up and sure hope your done with the flu bug.

I hope you continue to improve.

 

[lazylegs]

Hi Joan,

I am glad the worst of the Norovirus has past. Thanks for passing on the doctor's tips. They may come in handy if I am stricken on one of my cruises.

How many heating pads do you have Joan? The heat may help the sciatic pain as well as your tendonitis. Good luck with the physio. It may hurt worse when you first start out, but if you keep it up usually people get good results.

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[elisabethm]

Hi joan hope you are feeling better i had the injections in my elbow that was years ago.Then after 3 it turned out to be tennis elbow.Had the op and the releif was instant hope you dont need the op but if you need the injection take it as it does help.I still go for mine in my hips had them done a couple of months ago.Have you ever had Acupuncture if not ask about that as an alternative i am so glad that you are well.Elisabeth
ps leisa is waiting to here from the sponsors about the bunge jump she is giving it all to Lupus

 

[karen.w.]

Hi Joan

I'm sorry to hear you have been so ill :sad: so many bugs around this year
goodness that's worrying about the celebrex! at least you can pass that important information on though joan!

glad to hear your bloods are ok I hope the tendonitis eases for you soon and good luck with the BP machine.

you have a good excuse to raid the fridge joan so enjoy :wink2:
take care, hope you continue to feel better
hugs karen x :hug:

 

[Lily]

Hi Joan,

I hope someone stocked that fridge up for you :hehe: you would be nearly up to eating some chocolate soon I hope :bigsmile:

I am glad you are over the worst of it, those things really take their toll

Good luck with the physio and it's good at least to know if things don't improve (and I hope they will!!) that there's a backup plan. I'm off tomorrow to get my carpal tunnel injected, I know you have that too. It never rains it pours

Huge hugs for the sciatica............I had that after each child was born and the pain is terrible (((((((((Joan))))))))

love
Lily

 

[cath]

Hi Joan,

Thanks for the update about your rheumy visit. I'm sorry to hear you got hit by that nasty norovirus. It is terribly unpleasant. But very glad to hear you are recovering now.

I hope the heat packs help with the tendonitis. You might find grain bags a good source of heat, as they are a bit humid/moist. Alternatively you can make a mosit heat pack by pouring boiling water over a towel in a plastic bag, then sealing it closed with packing tape (that wide sticky tape) and wrapping all that in another towel or pillow case. A bit of a palava (?SP), but more effective than a traditional hot water bottle:blush:

Hope you have better days soon,

X C X

 

[onetay]

Joan,
I am glad to hear that your labs come back good. I know what you mean when you say someone should tell the body :rotfl:. I am not sure if you have ever tried a chiropractor but I have tennis elbow in both arms and when the shots did not work I turned to him and have not had to have another shot since. You will find there are a couple doctors I just love and one is a chiro :thumbs:. Mine helped when meds and other doctors could not. Well it is worth a try, right.

I am glad that things seems to be looking up for you with the labs. If you can get the rest of your body to understand that it should be behaving :rotfl::rotfl:.

 

[helloos]

That is great news about your labs but ya, I understand that even if the labs are good does not mean you feel better either.

It is a tough season for illnesses and glad that you are done that one ! That sounded horrible !

Hope you are doing well now.

 

[lin]

Dear joan, so glad your appiontment well well, but i do know where your comming from when you say wish my body knew that my bloods were ok lol!!

I know what your going through with your elbow having been down that road having ahd surgury on my tenis elbow, yrs ago which did help heeps, fingers crossed.

Joan you say about pain going down leg sorry your having this, bless ouy im having it in right hip going towards my loewr back bum, not down leg so i know what you must be going through,

iwish for you much better days lovey, big hugs Lin xxxxxx

 

[Joandublin]

Thank you all for your helpful replies

Im using the grain bags for the moment. Its a pain in the butt though having to heat them up all the time in the microwave. Still, it could be worse.

The Rheumy told me to use my right arm as little as possible but I just find that so hard to do. Its mostly at night time that I get to use the rice bags as its just not possible during the day when Im in work.

Will let you know how the heat therapy goes. If there is little or no improvement in about another week I will have to change to ice packs. Not looking forward to that!

Im pondering about getting a sling for my arm which would make me think twice before using it. Sometimes one just forgets....

Thanks again my friends.

Luv n stuff
Joan:rose: