To Dawn in PA

Dear Dawn,

I am sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with RA.  It is a tough disease.  However, the drugs that are out and coming out now, are offering a lot more hope than ever!  You really have your hands full with little ones, 6, 2 and 6 mos!  The funny thing is that I first began to truly suffer with symptoms when my daughter was about 4 months old and I had a 2 year old and just turned 5 year old!  So, I relate!

I would question your doc as to why he/she is only starting you with plaquenil.  It takes a long time to get started with giving you relief, and my docs in NYC don't even bother with it anymore.  Unless, of course, you are planning on having more children so you are trying to avoid some of the faster acting more intense drugs.  The ACR (American College of Rheumatology) basically reccommends methotrexate given at the start of treatment now, since it is proven that being more aggressive right from the beginning is the way to go.  But there are limits with that with conceiving etc.

I wish you luck.  I hope you will email me once in a while.  I was shocked and amazed that anyone other than my message board buddies were reading my journal at all!  I am glad that I give you hope. 

Hope is the most important thing you can have, sweetie.  You will have bad days, and good ones.  You can't always predict when and where either will strike - and that sucks.  Your life will change.  However, I must say - it isn't all bad.  I have a new appreciation for everything in my life now.  I take no day for granted.  I have learned how to manage time and simplify my life probably far quicker than I would have otherwise!  lol

Write me anytime...

I have not been writing because my dog became real sick with an ear infection and I had to take her to the pet ER at 3am the other nite.  We are both still recovering, me from the no sleep for 2 nites, and she from the infection.  She is doing much better, thankfully. 

Be well...and if anyone else is out there reading this and has any questions...leave a comment and I will answer you...sometimes it just takes me a bit!

Oh yeah!  2 other things...it is so cool we have the same name!!  And, yes the heat sucks.  It really does a number on me too, especially with the humidity!