So when I left when I was thinking arthritis was showing up in my thumb. Well... It did, then it spread since that time pretty much all over my body to my spine, shoulders, elbows, the tendon in the back of my feet was acting up as well. Pretty much my whole body was hurting. I was bed ridden for about three months thankfully it was the winter months id hate if it were the summer months. I still was just about crazy stuck up in my room stairing at my walls. Its not fun when your own bedroom feels like a jail. Id use a cane to get around but the farthest I could go when i was at my worst was the bathroom which is thankfully right near my bedroom even then it was pretty much torture. I wouldn't take pain killers because I didnt want an addiction to deal with but looking back I feel I should have had something for it. I was shaking whenever I had to walk. (very not good) The months in bed was me waiting to be approved for remicade. Those were the worst months of my life. Honestly I wanted to give up because no one should be in that much pain. Ive had three doses of it now and I'm back on my feet. From needing a wheelchair to get to the first infusion to actually being able to sit on the floor and then stand up without any help is amazing. I can actually raise my arms over my head and a few weeks ago I went rock climbing at the beach (probably shouldn't have done that so early in the game though lol) but so far it seems like my miracle drug. I hope I get a few good years out of it. Yes I still get panic attacks when I see the needle but at least the medicine helps a lot :) I can tell its almost time for my next does which will be in a few days because I'm getting stiff. I never ever want to be in that much pain again and I hope none of you have to experience that either. All this for putting off needle medication. Next time if the doctor says "you should really be doing this.. because your arthritis seems to not be responding well to what you are on right now" I will listen. Oh and its cleared up a lot of my psoriasis. I used to have to vacuum my bed because of the flakes but now Almost all of the flakes and the psoriasis nails are gone which i love. Yes some of my joints are a bit bigger now because of the swelling and won't look fully normal /: but they work again!
LOVE! I held off, too, and when I finally took Enbrel I couldn't believe how nice it felt to feel good. Glad you are feeling so much better!
Wow. Makes me angry to hear you had to wait so long to be approved for Remicade. I think you're right about painkillers though, both right to be cautious and right to think that it might have been better to try something, in the circumstances.
I was pretty impressed that Remicade enabled you to sit on the floor, then you mentioned rock climbing! What a complete contrast with being bed-ridden. I hope it lasts & lasts.
Thank you for taking the time to expand. It's quite shocking what you've been through. But wonderful to hear where you are now.
Oh & don't let loss of the blogs put you off. I reckon this thread would fit fine in the discussion section.
I'm sorry the journey was such a horrid one but I'm so happy that you're now doing well, kittychemcat. I hope it stays that way forever :-)