I Wanna Get Well

A New One For Me: Inclusion Body Myositis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:37:00 +0000

So another condition has been brought to the IWGW notice and it's one I'm not familiar with, but it intrigued me. Inclusion Body Myositis which is an autoimmune where groups of muscles inflame. It can be larger muscle groups or even smaller muscle groups that are affected. It causes major muscle weakness. The first signs a patient would notice would be increasing clumsiness, falling, weakness over a period of time that could be months or even years. There is not an effective treatment yet.

Now, it brings me to wonder why there isn't an effective treatment? I know that a lot of autoimmune patients absolutely hate steroids, but they are an effective method of reducing inflammation. I guess that's why it intrigued me. Oh, and it mostly hits men more than women, which in the autoimmune world is also a rarity.

I will be adding this disease with full information to the IWGW website, as soon as I have time. But I did find information directly from the National Institutes of Health and the Myositis Association websites if you would like to read more about this debilitating disease.

I've also found books at eBooks.com and Better World Books:

Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Love, Tam

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Revisiting Fibromyalgia - A New Education For Me

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:35:00 +0000

So today I want to revisit Fibromyalgia. As some of my people know, I have been dealing with "unclassifiable autoimmune" since 2007, and in 2008 was diagnosed with secondary Fibro, Raynaud's Phenomenon and in 2009 Sicca Syndrome. Up until recently all of my specialists seem to agree that if we got the autoimmunes under control, the Fibro should go away on it's own, and I held hope for that. Who wouldn't? Well, recently, we've learned differently.

Early last year, I got a new Rheumatologist at UW Health Madison, Dr. S. At the time I was on methotrexate tablets which were helping tremendously, but the side effects were hard to bare. So, Dr. S switched me to weekly methotrexate injections, we did some more blood tests and her feelings were that my autoimmune was more Psoriatic then Connective Tissue, which actually relieved a lot of my worries. She also stated that she felt my Fibro would not resolve itself because now it's "too deeply rooted". My heart fell, but I stayed positive hoping she was wrong. She planned to address treatment of my Fibro on my next visit.

Before my next visit which would have been October, 2012, I moved 2 1/2 hours away to Plover. So, had to find all new doctors, which I did. Keep in mind I am still believing my Fibro to be a secondary condition. I was also off my shots due to a serious sinus infection and bronchitis that wouldn't clear up. So, found a new Rheumatologist at Aspirus in Waukesha, Dr. C. My first visit, my records had not yet reached the new office, so he basically started from scratch. He was good, but very business like and very concentrated. He reran all of my blood and did new X-rays on my hands since they are the worst. He instructed me not to restart my methotrexate and come back in 3 weeks to go over all of my results. My 3 week appointment was last week. And - I got the surprise of my life.

My autoimmune panel is now all normal except for the Rheumatoid Factor - it's at 312. But, he ran more specific tests for RA because my hands were why so many doctors were convinced it's probably RA. My fingers are knotted horribly, warped and starting to curl under. Well, Dr C addressed everything, did an exam and then sat me down for my new diagnosis. My autoimmune is no longer. What happened to it? We don't know. Maybe it was the methotrexate or just went away on it's own. So what am I left with? Full-blown Primary Fibromyalgia. Wow - wasn't expecting that, was truly hoping it would go away. If any of you have knowledge about Fibro, you know that secondary is a bit different than the primary form. Primary is much worse. I was relieved in one way that I no longer had autoimmune and Fibro can't kill me, but to be told that something you thought would go away is now going to be a part of your life the rest of your life was brutal. I asked him, "So this means I will have this pain and fatigue the rest of my life??". He told me that's what it means, and that it also means that the rest of the symptoms I have left, like the headaches that my ENT is addressing would be there, the nerve problems, the sleeping problems - everything - I will have this forever. Damn.

But that wasn't the worst of it I guess. He also diagnosed Osteaoarthritis in my hands instead of RA. I was kind of hoping that it was RA because they have these new drugs that can reverse damage. They can't do that for Osteo. Damn, means I'm losing my hands. I'm a web developer - how can I work when I can't use my hands?? And he says they will just get worse as I age - lovely.

So that's where I stand. I have Fibromyalgia, Osteaoarthritis, he also changed my Raynaud's diagnosis to the primary disease instead of the phenomenon. I already knew that I have early stage Osteoporosis. I've been trying to process all of this since my visit with Dr. C. As of this morning, I've come to terms with it, and have been educating myself the last few days. One thing, is that Dr. C was great about advising me what I can do to have a better quality of living, which I would like to share with you.

For one, I'm already on Gabapentin (Neurontin) and Tramadol (Ultram) and have been for 3 years. He is upping me to the maximum doses of each. He says that will help with the pain and nerve firings.
Two - exercising. He recommends 30-45 minutes three times per week. He also recommended Water exercise as being the best form. I already do exercise, and have been trying to get into our Water class at my YMCA (something always comes up and I don't make it to class) since before I saw Dr. C.
He also took the time to go over the alternative treatments many Fibro patients try and went over study results and which ones had shown to be effective and which ones hadn't. I thought that was great. The medication and exercise were the most effective, while alternative treatments showed to have little to no effect. Those treatments were like acupuncture, biofeedback (which I do use) and chiropractors. They do work for those that believe they work, though, so if it works for you, do it.

Anyway - that's the latest update I have. I found a GREAT book written by an internationally-renowned Rheumatologist who is not just a doctor, but is a leading expert in Fibro and his wife also has Fibro. It's called Fibromyalgia - A Leading Expert's Guide to Understanding and Getting Relief from the Pain That Won't Go Away, my husband found it at the library. I started reading it last weekend and so far it's been a great help - I'm actually taking notes! I HIGHLY recommend it. You can find this book at eBooks.com, Better World Books, Books-A-Million and most other book stores. Some textbook shops like Textbooks.com may also carry copies for as little as 99¢.

Another book we've been reading that I've found to be very helpful is Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain - A Survival Manual. I had never even heard of Myofascial Pain until this book. It describes in detail what it is, plus explains how trigger points play into our tender points. You can find this book also at eBooks.com, Better World Books, Books-A-Million and Textbooks.com.

Now, all for me is not at an end. I did have to retire from web development for now, but since I found that there are ways to better my life, I am contemplating maybe going back to work part-time, who knows what's in store for me. I WILL stay positive, I WILL work at getting better, and I DO WANNA GET WELL! There IS hope!

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Love, Tam

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IWannaGetWell.com Website Is Being Worked On

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 19:51:00 +0000

Some of you may have noticed that the "Blood Test Lookup" and "Symptom Checker" are down right now on the website. I have someone working on it right now to get them fixed and running ASAP. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it will be fixed soon.!

Thanks!

Tam

A much needed and overdue update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:10:00 +0000

I know that it has been so long since I have shared with you what's been going on with my life, the IWGW.com site and just what's been going on health-wise. I do apologize. Just like some of you, I've been dealing with some brutal flare ups, set backs and medical leaves. But, I have some news.

In 2008, they diagnosed me with "unclassifiable autoimmune" and fibromyalgia. In 2009, they added Sicca Syndrome. They diagnosed the fibro and Sicca as secondary conditions. I was diagnosed with Raynaud's as a symptom of my autoimmune disease in March of 2009. In 2009 I also began to have Psoriasis in my scalp, down my neck and patches on my back . At the time, my Rheumatoid Factor was positive with an RF qty of 427 (0-12 is normal). By 2010 I was labeled with undifferentiated connective tissue disease instead of "unclassifiable autoimmune" as well as undifferentiated Inflammatory Bowel Disease (which I'm still waiting on a new Gastroenterologist). I believe that's where I left off.

The treatments I've tried mostly have been the Prednisone bursts to reduce inflammation since my "SED Rate" was always elevated. I must have done 5 or 6 over 3 years. It was very effective at first, but eventually negative side effects (weight gain and such) began to outweigh the benefits. When I was initially diagnosed in December of 2008 I was put on Plaquenil which, in my research, is usually the first line of defense for autoimmune. Because my ANA remained negative, they couldn't diagnose what kind of autoimmune I had, so we basically fought symptoms the best we could. By June of 2009 the benefits of the Plaquenil were wearing off. Rather than increasing the dose (I was on a rather high dose), my Rheumy opted to try Rituximab infusions. In September and October of 2009 we did try the infusions, but benefits were very short-lived and side effects more than brutal. But when they ran my Rheumatic Panel after the infusion, my RF qty was down to 217. Sometimes I wonder if I had gotten a few more infusions, would my RF popped up negative? Who knows.

Anyway - after trips to the Mayo, more doctors and feeling like I was getting no-where, and my Rheumy leaving the practice, my general doctor and I decided to take matters into our own hands until I found a new Rheumy. He agreed to try me on the methotrexate tablet trial, so I did. I started the treatment in June of 2011. I saw great benefit from the treatment. I gained mobility in my joints, although my fingers continued to ache. My fatigue was much more controllable most days. There was a decrease in my migraines. Over all I just felt better. Only drawback was the side effects. I would take my dose on Sunday evenings and would be brutally sick with nausea, vomiting, severe fatigue, chills and fever for all of Monday into Tuesday morning. So I would lose two days each week to the side effects. By January of 2012, I decided to stop the treatment and asked about methotrexate injections instead. There were some discussions in my online support groups that talked about the injections having fewer and less severe side effects. I was still looking for a new Rheumy, so I made an appointment for a new one at UW Health in Madison. It took a few months to get in to see her, so while I waited we continued to treat the pain the best we could.

After dealing with over 30 doctors in the 4 1/2 years I've been sick, I finally saw my new Rheumatologist 2 weeks ago. We discussed my symptoms and history of the illness as well as the benefits we saw with the methotrexate tablets. After an examination and review of my history, she said that it was her opinion that we are not dealing with "undifferentiated connective tissue disease" but an inflammatory arthritis instead, something like Psoriatic Arthritis with IBD involvement is her number 1 suspect. I was blown away because that was something that had never been considered. As far as I knew, all of my doctors from my Endocrinologist to my Neurologist were all waiting for my ANA to go positive. But with inflammatory arthritis, your ANA is negative (and in two of them even your Rheumatoid Factor is negative). She re-ran my Rheumatic panel. My ANA is still negative and my RF qty is now 312. She looked at my fingers and said that it is definitely osteoarthritis in my fingers, but she's suspecting the inflammatory arthritis is what is going on in my hip, back, pelvis, knee, shoulders, feet and hands. This was great news.

So now, thanks to my new Rheumy, we have a new plan. I started methotrexate injections last week and I will also be starting a biologic like Enbrel. The hope is to stop the progression completely, reduce the inflammation and hopefully give me my mobility back. I do what I can exercise-wise but when I'm in a flare up it's so hard. Since I saw my Rheumy, I've worked harder at it. I want to give myself every chance I can to help her do her job, too. I bought an air walker which has been great. I'm also going to have another sleep study done because of the insomnia I suffer from. She'd like to add a treatment for my severe fibromyalgia, but says we MUST get my insomnia under control first.

I am so hopeful! I haven't been this hopeful in two years! There's a chance that I can have an almost normal life. Of course I'll still have to watch my diet, be active with my exercise and stretching and stick to my medications, but I can live! I did have severe side effects from my first injection, but we're hoping that will only be for the first couple of injections while my body adjusts.

So, we'll see how it goes. I'll probably have more blood work done next week because I am full-blown anemic now, still Vitamin D deficient, my creatinine was elevated and there was trace protein in my urine, but that's probably my fault for not watching what I eat. But - I'm staying positive. I'm so positive that even if I don't get well right away, I'm getting a start. I know it will be weeks before I see an effect from my new treatment plan, but I'm going to stick to it.

Thank you all so much for your support and for hanging in there with me. I WILL do this. I WILL get better because I Wanna Get Well!

Love to you all!

Tamra

So, it's taken me a while to decide, but on to the SSDI federal appeal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:04:00 +0000

So - many of you can already relate to the hearing denial, and then the denial of your appeal to review the hearing, but have any of you been denied your review because your attorney dropped the ball?

Let me just tell you how upset I am with my representation with AllSup out of Chicago whom I have pushed to friends for representation. I had my hearing for my SSDI in December of 2010 and there was no decision made at the hearing. In January of 2011 I received a notice that my SSDI was denied at the hearing on the grounds that I have MS but am not being treated for it - even though I had many documents from Neurologists stating that I do not have MS.

In April, 2011 AllSup filed an appeal to review my hearing. After April 2011 I forwarded to AllSup many documents that directly contradicted the record and the judge's abuse of authority. These documents were never forwarded to the appeals council and these documents should have granted me a new hearing. My "representation" never forwarded a single document to the appeals council after April 2011. I now have proof of that after a visit to my local Social Security office.

So - I have grounds for a federal appeal which I've decided I will do. Will I get another attorney? I'm not sure. Part of me thinks not after being burnt by one set already, and so many of these social security attorney offices are like mills. But - I'm going to proceed and make a decision later. I'll be sure to let you know how it pans out.

On the plus side, I did add some new links to the IWannagetwell.com website so be sure to check out the new links on the Resources page!.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Tam

Aromatherapy Bath & Body Oil for Healthy Skin - A nourishing blend of healing botanical oils that help rehydrate and heal dry skin caused by stress, natural aging, PMS, even cold and flu. Applied after a shower or added to bath water, this light sheer formula containing Calendula, Sesame and Soy seals in moisture, soothes and relaxes tense muscles. Volume: 8.4 fl. oz. bottle with pump

The Lupus Recovery Diet: A Natural Approach to Autoimmune Disease - The Lupus Recovery Diet is a compilation of stories of people who've overcome autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia through diet and lifestyle changes. The book includes details of the program and delicious recipes.

Super Blue Stuff OTC Pain Relief Cream 3 OZ Roll on - Super Blue Stuff OTC relieves pain in as little as 5 minutes. The 3 oz Roll-on provides you with a longer reach for those hard to reach areas where pain tends to migrate. Benefits of Super Blue Stuff OTC ? Fast pain relief for Arthritis, Myalgia, Bruises, Sprains, and Joint Pain - No Parabens, Natural Ingredients, Plus 11 Therapeutic Herbs. Registered with FDA as an OTC topical analgesic. Provides pain relief in as little as 5 minutes.

Living Well with Autoimmune Disease - A complete guide to understanding the mysterious and often difficult-to-pinpoint disorders of the immune system--and finding the keys to diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. (Paperback) by Mary J. Shomon

metamit's blog: I apologize for the slow blogging - but it will pick up soon!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:09:00 +0000

metamit's blog: I apologize for the slow blogging - but it will pick up soon!

I'm sorry I've been slow on blog posts, the last few day I've been showing my building for sale and interviewing for office help with 3 Son'. If you are interested in either, feel free to see my Craig' list listings!

Client Care Specialist Needed: http://eauclaire.craigslist.org/csr/2851977766.html

Small Commercial Building for sale in Strum: http://eauclaire.craigslist.org/off/2852487656.html

Thank you for understanding! Now that I'm back to work full time you should start seeing increases soon!

Tam

Visit my Zazzle Shop for 50% off 2-Day on all orders - sale ends Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:02:00 +0000

50% OFF 2-Day On ALL Orders! Fibro, MS, Lupus Tees, Totes and More! Use Code: SWEETSHIPPIN http://www.zazzle.com/metamit

Browse other gifts from Zazzle.

I Just Updated the IWannaGetWell.com Health Shop!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:47:00 +0000

New look, fresh products and all done with the A Store by Amazon. Be sure to stop by and check it out!

New Items Added to the IWGW ZAZZLE Shop!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:52:00 +0000

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metamit's blog: Even Though It's Been A Rough Week, I'm Doing Something Positive

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

metamit's blog: Even Though It's Been A Rough Week, I'm Doing Something Positive

Happy New Year’s Sale! 20.12% OFF All Products!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:42:00 +0000

Shop inspirational t-shirts, binders, calendars and more at my IWannaGetWell.com Zazzle shop and save 20.12% when you use code 2012NEWYEARS so be sure to stop by http://www.zazzle.com/metamit and start your New Year with IWannaGetWell.com!

Thanks for your support!
Love, Tam

Look for new posts beginning January 2nd!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:04:00 +0000

I am so sorry for neglecting my FB page and blog, I've been on medical leave. Look for new blog posts and FB activity beginning January 2nd - I am going to make myself stay busy with my blogs beginning with the New Year. Thanks so much for your continued support!

Keeping it Together When You're Sick & A Single Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

So, it's been 3 1/2 years now that I've been sick with this Multiple Connective Tissue Autoimmune, and now Fibromyalgia, Sjogrens Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I am still on the Methotrexate and they've upped my dose. It is helping with the arthritis and arthryalgia and the myalgia - I can walk without the cane now, too. But, my other symptoms are still there, especially the Fibro, headaches/migraines, digestive issues and the fatigue. Being a single mom is so stressful and it's making these symptoms even worse. The last three days my usual headache has worsened into migraines, no matter how many different ways I ask my boys to take it easy because my head hurts. My older boys; 8, 11 and 15, are good about it, but my 6 year old seems to think it gives him license to scream as much as possible.

Their Dad does see them on the weekends - but he usually stays at my house for the weekend when he's visiting the boys instead of taking them back to his town 2 hours away. I've offered to meet him half way with the boys but he'd rather come here. So, I usually don't get a break even on the weekends. And now my health is worsening.

I'm at my wits end! I love my boys, but they are killing me with all of this stress. They don't help around the house, if they don't get their way they scream at me, the 6 year old thinks nothing of hitting me or throwing things at me. I can't keep up - between the fatigue, stomach issues and headache I'm not well enough. Some days I feel like just giving up and staying in bed forever, but when you're a single mom that's not an option. I can't get any help from their Dad - when he's here he leaves the kids' messes for me to clean up on top of his. I'm so frustrated and I'm sure that's why my head hurts and I'm so worn out. I try to use the tools I've learned to deal with it, I've delved back into what I learned in therapy, but nothing is working. I'm feeling the depression and the hopelessness. I do take my pain pills and my gabapentin 3 times a day, but I'm having break-throughs so on the days I have break-throughs I'm having to take my clonozepam on top of it and it knocks my butt out. How can I be a good mom when I'm drugged? I hate these pills.

I see my doctor today so I'm going to talk to him about it, but I don't know what can be done. My doctors tell me to reduce my stress. How do you do that when you are a single mom with no family to help? My friends help where they can, but they have jobs and families of their own.

Lately I can't blog, work on my sites, nothing. I'm still waiting on SSDI - I did make an attempt to work again but it did not work out. I get fatigued so easily that after an hour I have to rest. All of my blogs are behind and I feel awful about it, so that adds to my stress.

I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired. It's been 3 1/2 years - how much more can my body take? I lost my mind last year and had to be hospitalized which I don't even remember, am I on the road to that happening again??? I hope not. I don't know what would happen to my boys! Any ideas on how I can change things?

metamit's blog: Bare with me while I move

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:52:00 +0000

metamit's blog: Bare with me while I move
Please bare with me on my blogging, I'm still getting unpacked and settled in our new home, and am having a bit of a set-back in my remission. I will try to blog and get my ads up-to-date this week and continue with normal blogging next week.

Seeing great progress but still a long road ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:07:00 +0000

Well, we're over a month into my methotrexate treatment and so far my body is tolerating it well, the worst of the side effects are gone. My arthritis and myalgia have improved, but I still have minor bouts when the weather changes, but it's tolerable. Still having the nerve issues, fevers, horrible fatigue and stomach issues. In my heart I think the inability to eat and the pain keeping me up at night are major factors in my fatigue. I see my new gastroenterologist today, though, so keep your fingers crossed.

I'm not feeling so well today, I've been battling fevers since yesterday and the cuticles on a few of my fingers have swelled up and pulled away from my nails. This morning they are blue and bruised, so I see Dr. G next week about that.

Overall, I'm staying positive and trying to push through what's left. My boys come home this weekend and I think having them home is going to do wonders for me. I'll admit, I've been slightly depressed since they left - but they needed the break from seeing a sick mom. Now, they'll be coming home to a mom that can walk, cook, and be active with them as long as I take that daily rest time and pace myself which is HUGE compared to what it was like before. We'll just see what happens.

I'm trying to get more designs into my Zazzle shop - it's still a learning curve for me and with my up and down health I haven't been able to do much with it - but I had one sell so that's giving me a bit of inspiration to do more with the store so I can afford to keep I Wanna Get Well going. I'm also working on my "shop our vendors" section for the blog. These are online shops that I have partnered with and have shopped myself as well as many of my friends inflicted with chronic illnesses.

So look for more updates on the website, blog and shops soon!

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Tamra

Look for a personalized gift at Zazzle.

Taking Pre-Orders for "I Wanna Get Well" Rubber Wristbands

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:21:00 +0000

I'll be ordering "I Wanna Get Well" wrist bands for those suffering and wanting to get well as well as supporters of the I Wanna Get Well network. The bracelets will be $3 a bracelet and will be light blue with white lettering. One size fits most. To order, please use the button below. We'll be accepting pre-orders until July 15th. Show your support and that YOU WANNA GET WELL.

I just updated the I Wanna Get Well Website with More Information!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:08:00 +0000

There are some new informational pages filled in for Scleroerma and Sjogrens with more being uploaded today. I also have some wonderful information about natural healing that came from a supporter in Austrailia and he details how the body can work to mend itself. I cannot WAIT to share this information. He has given me his permission and full support to share this information with you. Look for it later today!

www.iwannagetwell.com

Tam

Beginning Week 3 And Seeing Subtle Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 05:44:00 +0000

Well - the side effects of the methotrexate have eased up except for the photosensitivity and that sucks because it is summer break for the kids. But I'm finally starting to get some relief, enough to do a little here and there. I was out sick today because of the heat, so I had to stay up to get some stuff done.

I'm noticing that my fingers aren't as swollen and stiff, but still can't grip. I've lost a lot of strength in the hands, especially the left hand. My fingers are still warped and I still get nerve pain in the fingertips, but the overall ache of my hands has improved.

I'm feeling more periods of energy, but the fatigue battle is still ongoing. We were hoping that if we got my autoimmune under control that maybe the fibro would take care of itself, but it's actually feeling worse. I don't know if it's always been this bad and I didn't notice because of the symptoms of my autoimmune or if the fibro is in fact worse. That's something for Dr. G to decide, but the fatigue is brutal. I'll have my periods throughout the day where I feel OK them BAM - out like a light. The insomnia is also ongoing (as if you couldn't tell by the timestamp of this blog posting).

With summer break comes heat. The house I live in now doesn't have a/c, but usually upstairs stays nice and cool. Not so much today - it reached a brutal 90 degrees in here. I still get edema in my legs and feet and the heat made it much worse today - my ankles disappeared - even thought I kept my feet elevated. I also stayed on my iced green tea today, but it didn't do much to keep me cool. I had left an air conditioner at my last apartment (moved in the middle of winter and I had already plasticed all of the windows) but the landlord said I could come back and get it in the spring, so a call to him today and hopefully a/c in my room by tonight.

So that's where it stands. Still not digesting properly, but since I started the Reglan I've had a bit of relief. I see Dr. G on the 7th and then the new gastroenterologist later this month and so hopefully they can fix this. Dr. G knows I love my food so to not be able to eat the way I like is KILLING me! LOL

Overall, I'm doing OK and I'm staying positive. This is gonna work, by God, it's gonna work! Thanks you all again for hanging in there with me, and for all your prayers, blessings and thoughts. The support is overwhelming and you and my kids keep me going. Love you all!

Tam

New Chronic Illness/Pain Support Group for Tremp. County, Wisconsin

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:33:00 +0000

Starting in June I will be holding a support group for those suffering from chronic pain, chronic illnesses, autoimmunes, fibromyalgia, or any illness that you feel you need to talk with people who understand. The meetings will be held the 2nd Thursday of each month in my home. If you are interested in attending, please e-mail tamra@iwannagetwell.com. I would be thrilled to see you - everyone is welcome, those that are suffering, their loved ones, friends - we all need to understand ourselves and our families need to understand, too, and that's what this support group is about. Support. I'll see you then!

Tam

Methotrexate Day 10 - Pretty Rough

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:22:00 +0000

Sorry - fingers are bad today so back to Video Blogging today.

Methotrexate Day 9 - Dealing with side effects but it's going OK

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 May 2011 16:18:00 +0000

I didn't get to video blog day 8, so sorry about that. Today is my son, Derik's, birthday so there was a lot to do yesterday. The good news is that since we got my dehydration under control, dealing with the side effects from my 2nd methotrexate dose is so much better than last week. I was able to actually go to the store yesterday to pick up birthday stuff, it was my first trip to the store in weeks. I was able to do some light housework and a little blogging, but then I had to nap. But - that's still major improvement. I was even able to go meet with some friends at Chip Shots for the first time in I don't know how long - I think the last time was mine and Martha's birthday party in March. My friends are the best medicine in the world!!! So a huge hug and thank you to Martha, Missy, Bim, Geraline, Rick (my dance partner), Al, Brenda, Ron, everyone. I may have over-did it a little so I'm paying a bit today pain-wise but it was so nice to see everyone last night. And Rick - thanks for the dance, you rock! Love you all!

I'm having some side effects from the methotrexate like the nausea and dizziness, fatigue, headaches, stuff like that. Most of them I had before the methotrexate anyway, it just seems to be a little worse. But the Reglan and Zofram are helping more, and as long as I keep fluids in me it's tolerable. The headaches not so much, I did start taking a naproxen a day on top of my Tramadol to help.

So today is the birthday party and my energy level is so-so. When I got up this morning my fingers were so swollen and painful - and I've got cramps to boot. The pain is a bit harsh today but it's Derik's day so I'm just pushing through it. I've got everything ready and the party is at noon, so I'm going to take a rest time before the party. Overall I'm not feeling that bad. Last night my friends said I look alot better and that "Tamra's back" and that is a good feeling because it gives me hope that I just might beat this disease after-all. We won't know for another week or two if the treatment is working, but I'm going to stay positive. I think this is going to work, my hopes are that the joint pain and fatigue will start easing up, and that the inflammation will subside. I'm also hoping that my digestive tract will return to normal and that the treatment will stop the progression of the disease in my skin and fingers. That's the goal so we'll see over the next weeks if it happens.

So - it's taken me forever to type this, and now I'm tired LOL Thanks for hanging in there - love you all.

Tam

Methotrexate Day 7 - Sorry for the late post

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 May 2011 01:39:00 +0000

Methotrexate Day 6 - Barely Made It

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 May 2011 04:55:00 +0000

Methotrexate Day 5 - Still Journaling

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Methotrexate Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:54:00 +0000