Update been gone a while

[GayG]

Hello to everyone….I have been gone a while…hate to admit it but I sort of hit rock bottom and had to get away from it all and focus my mind on something else…..I've always been pretty strong I thought but not this time….seems the chronic pain that I was living with (Oxcycodone didn't releive it 100%l)…put me into a depression that came out as “really bad irritability”….my husband tried to tell me but my response was “well I think I'm doing pretty good considering, thank you very much”…BUT it wasn't long before it was very evident that I needed to be on something so I got on Wellbutrin and am doing MUCH, MUCH better in that regard…..I'm hoing that at some point when I go into full remission that I'll be able to discontinue the Wellbutrin….I'm for taking medicine if you need it, but the less you have to take the better.

My symptoms started in October of 2006, I was diagnosed in May of 2007 and started Minocin June of 2007 so I've been on Minocin for a little over 12 months now…from the very beginning to around April of this year were not really that good for me.  I was very sick and in a lot of pain and couldn't do much of anything.  I work from home, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to hold down a job.  I worked here feeling like crap a lot of days and I could take midday naps if needed. 

BUT,  then very subtly I started seeing things turn around…I have gone from being in chronic pain to getting off of the pain medication completely.  I have a little muscle soreness when I sit too long but it's gone after taking a few steps.  I don't feel sick and tired anymore.  My energy level has actually gone through the roof and I tend to overdo sometimes but every day now I feel very good…no more bad days in a long time now.  Each week brings something new that I can do…..everything is loosening up so I can now dress myself and put on my own shoes, do my own pedicures, etc….my leg involvement is slowly improving and has improved quite a bit from what it was….. Just yesterday I also noticed that I could back my car out of a parking space and turn around and look behind to see if I was going to run into anything by myself w/o asking anyone to do that for me because I was too stiff and sore to turn my body and head that far around.  I no longer dread getting in and out of a booth or table at restaurants or anywhere else when I would sit longer than 10 minutes(before someone would have to grab and help me up, I was in so much pain and stiffness) but that is no longer a problem. I swim every day, walk a mile at least 3 times a week and do stomach crunches and arm weights every night.  I can do my own housework now including vacuuming all rooms at one time instead of one room a day or in the beginning of all of this I was doing no housework at all or anything else for that matter, I couldn't even dress myself…..I've gone back to traveling for work and for pleasure, cooking meals and cleaning every day.  My house was a disaster after not doing any cleaning myself for almost a year.  My husband did the best he could but I clean better than he does (I would never tell him that though).  

I also go to accupuncture every other week, and to chiropractic and massage thereapy every other week…..I've changed my eating habits to eat very little sweets (only very occasionally) and trying to eat fresh fruit and vegetables as often as possible (I'm eating a lot less processed food these days).  My next goal is to try and cure the Reflux with accupuncture and suplements….I want to get off Nexium also someday if possible.  I also dont' stuff myself anymore which helps the reflux a lot also (in the beginning the Minocin made my appetite pretty revenous)…Due to that appetitie I packed on about 7 pounds that I'm now trying to get off with better eating habits and exercise.  

I still have some skin tightening on my hands, forearms and upper legs but it's getting looser.  I can actually get down on my knees now with a LOT less effort than before..when this was at it's worst I couldn't do that at all. The skin on my abdomen, upper chest and lower legs has softened.  The skin on both cheeks has also softened, just a little tightness still but a lot better.  I can “almost” make a fist…better on my left hand than the right.  I can go up and down stairs almost normally,…doing stairs is MUCH better and I no longer walk with a waddle from the pain and stiffness.  Some days I actually forget that I have something wrong.

But, I think the most amazing thing is how I feel and what I can do now complared to feeling sick, having to take naps in the middle of the day, and doing pretty much nothing to actually feeling normal again and getting back to what I was doing before all of this happened.  I have also gone back to doing yardwork.  No mowing yet but I have a feeling that may happen at some point.

My Rheumatologist was pretty surprised the last time I saw him a few weeks ago…I must have looked pretty bad the time he saw me before that because he kept saying “you look good” and he kept grinning a lot….he said “do you need your minocin refilled because I suppose your're not going to get off of that” (all while he was still grinning from ear to ear)…I just said “your're right about that”……ALL of this has been a precious miracle from God to me, and thanks to all of you here that post on this websit, you have helped me more than I can say. 

One of the biggest things lately was the ability to get off of the pain medications, I hated having to take those.  They constipated me so bad I looked 6 months pregnant, and started taking supplements for colon cleansing which works very well and that may not be a bad idea to do that 2-3 times a year. 

I haven't kept a diary so I don't have a good tracking of “exact” dates of when this started, and I can't remember exactly how many improvements there have been but all I can say is there have been many improvements because of what I'm able to do now compared to before….it's like I told a friend recently “when you get sick you forget what it was like to be well, and when you get well you forget what it was like to be sick…..I just know that almost every week I do something and I stop and think “oh my gosh, I couldn't do that before”……I'm still waiting for that day when I can say that I'm 100% in remission, I hope that within the next 6 months or so I will be able to say that…but to get this far has been a Godsend to me…will keep you all posted, I know that people come here and are afraid and get discouraged,,,I know that I was discouraged at times wondering if I would ever see the benefits of this….all I had to go by was what others said abut it working for them and a very strong faith that it would work for me and I do believe, if these improvements is any indication, that it truly is working for me, I no longer feel that this is going to take my life any time soon…..will let you know when it's 100% and I hope and pray that this gives encouragement to someone else here that may be just starting this long journey back….Love to all,,,Gay

 

 

 

 

[Kim]

Gay,

My eyes were so welled up I could hardly read to the end of your post.  What an amazing and beautiful story of courage and determination.  I'm not sure if I could have gutted it out with no improvements for the first 12 months.

I could not be happier for you, Gay.  Please set aside some time in your busy schedule to keep us updated ~ it means so much to so many.

Looking forward to your next update……kim

[Goodwife]

Gay,

Great news – keep up the faith and patience, and like Kim said, keep us posted more often  – it will help a lot of people who may be in similar shoes – waiting for improvements.  Good luck,

[GayG]

Thank you so much, I teared up reading your reply!….I definitely will keep doing updates and start posting again when I can….

[suera]

Gay,  I am so happy for you, I just had to write because your story paralled mine so much it is erie….I too am doing so much better and what you wrote about how you feel when you are well then sick is so true. Unfortunately after hitting rock bottom in May I agreed with rheumy to give Enbrel a try. I wish the ap alone would have worked for me but I have a 10 and 13 year old and had come to the point where I needed quality of life vs. worrying about quantity, anyway it doesn't matter how you get there as long as we do.  Continued good days to all.

Sue

[Maz]

Gay, thanks so much for letting us all know how you're doing…GREAT by the sounds of it!!! Wooohooo!:roll-laugh:  Well done getting through the “dark ages”… I understand completely and have visited that “era” myself and know it well. I think if anyone can get past that, you can get past anything. It's hard enough when your body fails you, but when your spirits do, too, that's quite another thing. Just so happy for you and thanks for coming back with such joyful news! It won't be long till your amazing testimonial of recovery will be added, along with all the other incredible AP warriors with success stories, on the RBF website!!!!

Peace, Maz

[linda]

My acupuncture ally! Good for you- I'm so glad you're feeling better! Thanks for sharing your success. Love it, love it, love it!!!

Moving to San Antone Aug. 7th – can not wait!

linda

[Parisa]

So happy to hear that you are doing so well.  Thank you for sharing.  You never know whose life you might turn around just by being willing to share your story.

[mommaof2princesses]

I am just starting out and your story definately offered encouragement! I hope that a year from now I will be hwere you are and that Iwill be helping others too!

[marg]

Gay, it's so good you wrote in to tell us your amazing story!! I'm so glad for you. What credit you deserve for sticking with AP even through the time when it didn't seem to be working. I really believe one of the reasons many doctors dismiss AP is because results are slow.  Your story illustrates the effectiveness of AP and the need to be informed and therefore patient.

All best wishes for continued health and improvement!!

[Rockin Annie]

Hi Gay,

What a truly wonderful post and I might add, a very emotional one as well for me, as I have been like most on here to hell and back!.  I can relate to every single word you have written.  Your fight to get your life back is so encouraging for us newbies and has given me determination more than ever………..thankyou……………Annie

Diagnosed with RA in 2004, after trying many conventional meds I changed to mino.
2015 changed to doxy 50mgs
2016 went off doxy, after getting double pneumonia and massive flare put myself on 250 mgs Zith & 50 mgs doxy, which I will increase slowly.
Supps, magnesium, NAC, vit c, krill oil, oregano oil, thisylin, turmeric, olive leaf extract, vit B, multi vit.

[maz.aust]

Hi Gay,

What a testament to your determination and courage !!! My hat off to you !!!

The meaning of the word courage, to me, involves a risk to affirm what we believe in, and the inner truths that govern our lives.  Make no mistake it is very courageous to continue on the path you have chosen when people around you are questioning your decisions. 

I am so glad you saw a little light at the end of the tunnel, or that you saw enough light to keep going. 

Just look at you now  —-  what an amazing difference —- you are most certainly starting to get your life back ……… WOW !!

Cheers,
Maz-Aust

 

 

 

Dec07: Diagnosed PRA, (CTD; Fibromyalgia; suspected Lyme):
Mar08: Diet to heal gut/bolster immune system (no gluten, dairy, sulphites or sugar)

Jan 2018: ABX Mon/Wed/Fri (started AP 2008)
1/2 x 150mg Roxithromycin(Biasig), 1/2 x 150mg Clarithromycin (Klacid),
1/2 x Fungillin, 1 x 250mg Cephalexin (Keflex)

All off days Probiotics

[Author]

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