In desperate need of advice...

[thunder]

I was diagnosed over a year ago with RA. By the time I left the Rheumy, I was to be taking several medications incouding - Plaquenil, Methotrexate, Prednisone, folic Acid, Tramadol and Flexeril. When I left, I felt so overwhelmed, I did reasearch on all of the medications and just basically said - NO WAY! I thought I would wait until I couldnt take it anymore. Well, in the last few weeks, I have been just plain miserable - intense pain, swollen ankles, knees, wrists, fingers, elbows..I feel like I have been hit by a truck!! I have an appointment to see Rheumy on the 21st of this month. I am so scared to take all of these medications...Can someone please tell me things will be ok? Or that I should not take them and try something else. This is now effecting my job, my home life, my marriage and my sleep. Please give me some insight as to what I am in for. I appreciate any replies. By the way, I am a 40 year old woman. Thank you!!

[Vicki]

Dear Thunder, I'm 47 and have been dx since I was 31. Hard to believe it's been that long. I have been on methotrexate, placquenil and sulfasalzine since the beginning. I find I am sun sensitive two days after taking the metho which I take 8.5 2.5mg pills/wk which is a pretty high dose. As long as you take care of yourself, plenty of fluids and your blood draws you'll be okay. My labs are great and that's been being on the meds for 16 yrs. now. You've also have to control the pain to allow yourself to sleep so you won't be in so much pain, vicious circle I know. And you absolutely have to decrease the stress levels as much as you can. Good luck

[jessielee72]

Dear Thunder,

I am new to this site. I saw the nervousness in your writiing so I thought I would respond. I am 38 years old and was just diagnosed 3 months ago with RA. I had been ill for 5 years before my diagnosis. I have been on all those meds and including methotrexate and plaquenil, and became sicker. I am not trying to scare you, but what works for one person may not work for another. about a month ago I was so sick I thought I was going to die, and I really believed I was going to. I was talking to my dad on the porch swing that day and told him I couldn't take it anymore. He looked at me and said "please try one more thing, come with me to this lady's house that sells natural enzymes" I said I don't have anything to lose but I was also skeptical at the time. The lady and I talked about a natural enzyme called NEPRINOL AFD, she has had RA for some time and is not on any medications whatsoever. So that nignt I started taking them, and immediately began having relief. Within 3 days of taking these enzymes, I am completely off of my RA meds, and has now been almost 2 months please, please, try it!!! I am serious, I was so skeptical about natural supplements until now. I don't even take an advil unless I have a headache. I was sick with flu symptoms and painful joints every day until I got on this Neprinol AFD. Look in up online and read all about it, I guarantee you, you will be very surprised.!!!