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What do 20lbs, Birth control, and MTX have in common?

4/2/2013

4 Comments

 
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ME!

So, yesterday was my
6 month check up with my Rheumatologist.
I was dreading it. I had not been taking my meds like I should (I was taking them every other week). I knew I had gained allot of weight after a bought of seasonal depression, a demanding semester of nursing school, terrible premenstrual syndrome and a new boyfriend. I thought she was going to lecture me. I was wrong.

Methotrexate........
She took me off it! Thank you god I am off that stuff. It was causing me to lose two
days a week to fatigue and grogginess. I can not afford to lose that while in school. I no longer have to worry about all those side effects!!! I am elated. She now has me on  weekly Enbrel only because I am doing so well. I am so grateful. This has given me a serious burst of motivation, which I desperately needed.

Birth Control............
The last few months my premenstrual symptoms have been off the charts. for about two solid weeks I eat from sun up
to sun down, suffer from depression, my moods are all over the place, my joints hurt, and I am always nausea's and have GI issues. I don't know why the change but my hormones are wiggity wack! I am hoping birth control will regulate this. I see my NP next week and am going to see what kind she suggests as I really don't want to gain anymore weight.


Does anyone have any input on birth control, hormones and RA????

20lbs.........................
When I was weighed yesterday I was shocked to see how much I had gained. It slowly made its way on my body on my body quietly, pound at a time. I had the worst case of seasonal depression I have had in some time, but I didn't want to face it and just kept eating. I started dating someone and you know how that goes, dinner dinner dinner. Combine this with being in nursing school and I am now a house. I have always struggled with weight, it is my curse. My way of punishing myself for reasons I don't know. I will now, like always, find my way to the treadmill and start to rid myself of this weight. Next year, I will hopefully have better insurance, I will get phrophalactic antidepressants and some cognitive behavioural therapy and hope this doesn't happen again.

HAVE A PAIN FREE WEEK!

4 Comments

Dearest Flare Up......You are an A#@HOLE!

7/12/2012

1 Comment

 
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My first significant flare up since diagnosis and I have now reached the stage of being pissed, which hovers right over depression. If I could punch my flare in the face I would, but I would only be punching myself. This flare up is like a house guest that has over stayed his welcome. I am glad you stopped by to remind me that I do have a chronic illness and I must take good care of myself, but I get the point and it is time to leave. I will celan up the mess you are sure to leave behind, just go.

Here are just a few examples why I am now at the pissed stage.

1. I had a date during the week right around when my flare up was starting. I didnt want to cancel becuase I was pretty excited and my body was still doing ok, my mind however was on a whole other planet. You know what I am talking about, it is like being high, but not the funny laugh at your cat kind of high only a teenager knows, but the holy crap I am paranoid, are those the cops? So, I didnt cancel my date, and I am sure I made a fool of myself. The brain fog is the worst! I would keep this pain any day if my mind would just be clear.

2. "You dont look sick". I hear this at least 5 times a day. God Damn it! I know I dont look sick, but my joints are on fire, I cant sleep and am pretty sure that if you ask me to spell anything with more than 3 letters in it, I will fail.

3. I screwed up at work all day today. I was making orderst that were not even close to the order the customer gave me, I could not lift more than 2 plates at a time, dropped 1 out of 3 things I picked up,  mumbled and looked at customers like they were from another planet when they asked me  a question that my RA fogged brain could not process.

4. Hello, is my Doc around? I dont know what to do. I called my Doctor, but while I wait what th heck do I do? I am working to the best of my ability, getting small stuff done, trying to resemble my normal self as much as possible, but what else can I be doing? Do I just wait? Should I pray? Drink some weird potion? Do a tribal dance? Sleep?  Guess I will just keep taking steriods until I here from my Doc or the roid rage begins, I wonder which will happen first? ;)

So, I have decided I am going to rest, because I really need it and while I am not sleeping I am going to develop a serious plan of attack against this flare up. I will snort steriods if that is what I have to do to get rid of this thing. Cross your fingers my Doc gets back to me stat so I can get this taken care of.


****excuse misspells or typo's, I am much to tired to copy paste and spell check*****

1 Comment

Enbrel......................hmmmmmmm

7/20/2011

2 Comments

 
I am not sure how I feel about this Enbrel. I can tell you I HATE giving myself the injections. I am a giant baby and I literally have to hug a pillow when I take them. I refuse to let my boyfriend do it because I don't want to seem like an even bigger loser. I can also tell you the swelling in my foot continues and I am starting to have pain in new places like my thumbs and knees. I am not sure how to gauge this. Is it normal? I thought the Enbrel was supposed to stop this from progressing? I am not upset in anyway, just confused. I am still trying to figure out what my normal is, but that seems to change everyday. Good thing I wasn't very normal to begin with :)

I am thrilled to say I am going on vacation on Sunday to Cape Cod. My boyfriend and parents are coming as well. I am so excited. It has been a rough start to my year, as I was pretty sick for most of the first half of it. I am BEYOND GRATEFUL that I am well enough to be able to enjoy this time with my family.It will be a great break and we all sure could use it. When I return It is back to school to start my nursing clinicals!!! That means no more breaks for this girl. So, I am going to enjoy every second of this vacation:):):) 

Have a great week everyone!
2 Comments

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