J with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis)

Day 36 on Enbrel - Heading to Brigham and Women's Hospital

2013-05-10T03:44:00.001-07:00

I got back from Las Vegas last night. I had a flair up on the trip in my pinky toe joint in my left foot. But it only lasted for one day. The following day, it was gone. It was weird. One day, I was in extreme pain and the next it was gone. I did ice and I took double Ibuprofen. I took my shot of Enbrel last night. My knee held up great in Vegas. I was very happy about it. I'm excited to see my doctor today. I think things are going well. We'll see.

Knee looking great after my trip from Las Vegas. I even walked the strip a bit!

Day 32 on Enbrel - Another flair up due to traveling?

2013-05-06T17:35:00.000-07:00

Now I'm in month 2 of taking Enbrel. The first month had some downs but mostly ups! As you can see in this posting my knee is continuing to improved from the flair up I had a few weeks ago. Today, I landed in Las Vegas for work. Only after a couple of hours of being on my feet, my joint at the end of my pinky toe is hurting and pretty bad. This joint has been a problem since the beginning of my rheumatoid diagnosis a bunch of years back. It was doing well, especially after taking Enbrel. However, for some reason it's acting up today. I wonder if it is the travel and stress? Has anyone gotten flair ups from traveling? I see my doctor this week and will ask her.

Taken last Wednesday before my 4th shot.

Day 20 on Enbrel - Rheumatoid Arthritis Flair Up Continued

2013-04-24T17:11:00.003-07:00

Things have gotten better since my last posting. I just got back from a little walk with one of my dogs. My knee is feeling a little swollen but when I just took the below picture it almost looks like there is no swelling at all! And I'm sitting by my fourth shot of Enbrel. I'm just waiting for it to warm up. So I've had three shots so far. Time to order a new round of 4. I hear Enbrel is very expensive but my insurance covers it besides $30. Not bad.

The swelling has gone down in my left knee since 4 days ago.

Day 16 on Enbrel - Rheumatoid Arthritis Flair Up

2013-04-20T05:15:00.002-07:00

Left Knee Rheumatoid Arthritis Flair Up.

Just when I thought things were on the up and up, I had a setback which started Thursday afternoon. After my 3 shot of Enbrel Wednesday night I thought things were going very well. The third shot was easier than the second, which hurt, and the first. I think leaving it out for 20min was the trick. Instead of 15min. I hope that isn't the reason for my flair up.

This week was another stressful week at work with a colleague I hired leaving the company. This put an extreme amount of work and stress on my plate and I'm thinking this is the cause. Plus the Boston Marathon Bombing which was on Monday could have also contributed since I live in Massachusetts.

So Thursday afternoon I started to feel my left knee reverting back. I came home, iced and elevated to try and stop it, but by Friday I was walking awkwardly again. Ugh. I was very surprised and thought I was in the right frame of mind since things were going so well with my knee. Now it's Saturday and it hasn't got any better which you can see in the picture.

Has anyone had a flair up while on Enbrel and did it ever settle down?

Day 13 on Enbrel

2013-04-17T15:29:00.001-07:00

Left Knee on April 17, 2013 (13 days on Enbrel)

Tonight I take my third shot of Enbrel. The second shot did sting a lot more than the first shot. I think I will let it warm up longer than 15min this time. It's suppose to sting when it's cold. I do have to say that my knee is still getting better! Last weekend I did have a minor setback when I decided to go fishing on foot in a woodsy/hilly area. My knee has given me trouble for so long now (three months+), that I've lost major muscle mass in my leg. So that fact didn't help me in the woods. When I got home my knee had inflamed more. So I was bummed and have shut down my activities for now.

The good news, is that I got the additional swelling to go away after a few days of ice and elevation. If you take a look at the photo in my Day 1 on Enbrel I'm sure you'll agree that the swelling has gone down. And even more so from my first posting on this.

So I am happy. I just need to start using my leg more to begin building my muscles back up.

Day 1 on Enbrel

2013-04-04T15:15:00.003-07:00

Enbrel Injection Site. First Time.

The shot in terms of physical pain was very minimal during the 15 seconds I had to hold it against the top of my thigh. A dash of blood which I expected and it swelled last night. This morning I rubbed the spot on the way to work and it did sting and still does sting/hurt when I touch it now. The hardest part was realizing I actually have to do this. I'm now calling it, "I'm dancing with the devil". My knee isn't getting any better so I needed to do something. It just stinks that it had to be this. So now I'm on max methotrexate and shots of Enbrel. Ugh. :(

Now onto the good stuff! When I woke up this morning, the swelling in knee had gone down since my first posting and overall my knee does feel better. I didn't expect to see any results overnight. But I do feel better today. And I'm walking better. We'll see what happens over the weekend. I should still be cautious, ice/elevate, but who knows. I'm optimistic that "dancing with the devil" could help my knee. Stay tuned.

Left Knee on April 04 2013

Starting Enbrel Today

2013-04-03T15:13:00.001-07:00

Since mid december my left knee has been getting worse. Prior to december I was already having problems with me. I've stopped walking my dogs as a proactive measure to keep the swelling down in my knee. Since December the swelling has gotten worse. During this time my stress levels have been pretty high with stress at work and the passing of my father.

This picture was taken on March 12th at the peak of my swelling.

Fluid taken from my left knee. Yuck!

Due to the major swelling and that I was set to travel for work, I booked an apt with my Doctor at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA for March 14th. When she saw my knee she immediately knew it needed to be drained. I never have had a joint drained before. Besides some stinging it wasn't that bad. Prior to removing the needle she injected a shot of cortisone to help the inflammation. One day later my knee's swelling had dropped by 80% or more. I was able to walk very normal if not completely normal. Unfortunately that lasted for only one week. The second I got off my plane from Florida I started to notice it tightening up. This continued over the next few days. On March 29th I had another apt with my doctor. We all agreed that it was time to add another drug to my list of 25mg (10 tablets once a week) methotrexate, 600mg (3 times a day) Ibuprofen, and 1mg (1 tablet daily) Folic Acid.

So today I take my first injection of Enbrel. One shot a week. This is in addition to the above list of medication. I'll be using the push needle and hoping that is easier than the straight up needle. We'll see how it goes and I hope to track my daily progress here.

Questions to ask my doctor

2011-08-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I get to see my very nice doctor at Brigham and Women's hospital. I guess I should write a list of questions that should ask her.

1. Knee very slowly getting better but still inflation and still unable to be athletic.
2. Right shoulder to kneck has given me tons of trouble.
3. When I wasn't on codeine everything hurt a lot. Stiff.
4. Yesterday. Walked on a field with the dogs for 20min and got pains in my left foot. Still unable to be athletic.
5. When will the methotrexate kick in? Taken 4 weeks of it.
6. Drank a few beers Aug 6th but that was it.

What else should I ask my doctor?

How much does Tylenol-Codeine help Rheumatoid Arthritis?

2011-08-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was feeling great and then I ran out of Tylenol-Codeine. I was taking 2 to 4 pills a day. I forget the MG but it's in a previous posting. Pretty much the day after I stopped the pain in my foot slowly started to come back. On day 4 I had to give in and I got in touch with my DR at brigham and women's hospital in Boston. I do not want to get addicted to it and haven't yet. But I'd rather take it then go back on the prednisone. So I got another prescription and have slowly started to feel better. I see my DR on Friday. Hopefully well run some more blood tests and maybe take some more xrays. Maybe one of my shoulder. It kills.

When Does Methotrexate Begin to Work with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

2011-08-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Since yesterday morning I've felt tons better. Although I can't say I feel anywhere close to 100%. But the pain in my foot has been next to nothing and the swelling in my knee went down enough to where I can walk pretty normal. My shoulder has been the worst and actually hasn't improved. Maybe the one of my drugs is starting to take effect. I'm hoping it's the Hydroxychloroquine but it could also be the early stages of the Methothrexate. Either way I'm happier that something is happening.

When did your pain/inflammation start to go away after starting any of the 2 drugs I listed above?

Another Day with RA

2011-07-28T04:24:00.000-07:00

I started my walk to work and was like, "man I feel better" and then I took a few more steps and was like "ouch, that hurts." So the walk wasn't that great. But I'm ready to work at my office!

Lots and Lots of Medication

2011-07-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

Daily Overview: Woke up feeling pretty good. Took tons of pills. Feeling good lasted until I walked from the parking garage to work. My left foot's fifth metatarsal joint acted up again with sharp pains plus stings going over my foot. Something that has never happen before until recently. Lunch felt like this...The pain was dulled by codeine but the disease was thriving. Just after 3pm while sitting in my chair, my foot starting acting up with pain and stings over my foot. Crazy how I'm keeping track of a simple walk to the parking garage. I barely walk during the day and it's still a struggle. What the @#$*&^$. I'm 33 and like to be active.

Today is the return to taking more medication. The result of my phone call with my doctor was three additional prescriptions to the three I'm currently on. So here's the list.

1. IBUPROFEN 600mg (3 pills a day)
2. OMEPRAZOLE 20mg (1 pill a day to coat my stomach for #1)
3. HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE 200mg (2 pills a day)
4. METHOTREXATE 2.5mg (6 pills on one day of the week)
5. FOLIC ACID 1mg (1 pill a day due to taking #4)
6. APAP/CODEINE 300-30mg (when needed. currently take 2 pills twice a day)

My doctor put me back on Methotrexate along with Folic Acid. I had been on that with my previous RA doctor until I got a bad liver test in late March of this year. I really hope it helps again. Also I got to choose to not go back on prednisone and got apap/codeine instead. I have never taken it before. Definitely seems very different. More about the pain rather than the inflammation. Not going to judge it yet. Too soon to tell.

Can I Drink Alcohol While Taking Methotrexate?

2011-07-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

So I spoke with Doctor today and I'm on yet another path of meds in hopes to put my RA once again in remission. Today was a very tough day on the left foot. I need to get the name of the joint. It's the one on the outside below the pinky toe joint. The pain has continued onto the top of foot which is weird. It hurt most of the day which has rarely happened before.

Anyway, my doctor is putting me on Methotrexate which I have been on the past 2 years until I stopped taking it in late March due to a bad liver test. However my new doctor wants me to go back on it. I'm going to start with 5mg one day a week. I was up to 8mg one day a week before stopping.

So here's the question. Does anyone know how much alcohol I can drink while on Methotrexate. I've had three RA doctors tell me 3 different things:

Doctor #1: No alcohol the day before, during, and day after taking Methotrexate.
Doctor #2: Limit yourself to seven drinks a week, doesn't matter when.
Doctor #3: You really shouldn't drink at all. Maybe 1 drink a year.

So let me hear from you.
Are you drinking while taking Methotrexate? What did your doctor tell you?

Start to a New Week and more Battles with RA

2011-07-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

One of the things I'm always asked at the doctors is, "Are you stiff in the mornings?" My answer has always been a NO. But recently I've been waking up to what I guess is feeling like being stiff in the areas that hurt. From my left knee down is now stiff in the mornings. Some mornings, they even still hurt with shooting pains or irritations from the inflammation. During lunch today I could of swore I felt shooting pains on the top of my left foot. Not good. I've also been noticing my left foot hurting after putting my shoes on for the first time. I'm already wearing size 13 so I can't go too much higher.

Well tomorrow is my call with my doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Orthopedic and Arthritis Center. Hopefully she'll tell me some good news!

Been Another Long Weekend with Rheumatoid Arthritis

2011-07-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

First posting! I've decided to keep track of my battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis via this blog rather than in a notebook. I thought it might be helpful to me keep track of my RA issues and maybe even get some thoughts and feedback from others with like problems. I won't get into my history now, but I will for sure. For now I'll do a quick update on the weekend.

I can't recall how many times I've iced my knee and foot since Friday. I woke up between 4-5am this morning with crazy pain in my foot. So much, that by 5:30 my sweetheart went downstairs and grabbed an ice bag. Took my medicine around 8:00 and mowed the lawn at 11 am. I went real slow and easy. I felt embarrassed as I must have looked 90 years old out there!

Can't wait for my phone call on Tuesday with my doctor at The Brigham and Women’s Hospital Orthopedic and Arthritis Center! Going to get some more ice and continue with my new addiction to the show 24.