Hi Mary Ann,
I'm exhausted but hanging in there. 2 more weeks before I head back to the classroom for preplanning. We have had such a frantic spring and summer going back and forth to doctors and reaching diagnoses, starting medications....between my son, my daughter, and myself, I think I need to clone myself. Very stressed. Sorry to vent though. Hope ya'll are enjoying your weekend and staying well!!

Hi Mary Ann,
I don't think I'm feeling so great lately. I've been dealing with my thyroid and IBS issues lately. Anyone know how to stop mucus in bowel movement? Sorry if that's too graphic.

Moojean,
I'm sorry you're feeling so yucky. I don't know a lot about the issue you're having problems with, but there is a huge IBS support group here on Daily Strength. Here is their link:
http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Irritable-Bowel-Syndrome-IBS/support-group

Hope it helps,
Teresa

Hi all, everything is going slow but very well. Received new contract last week, URI is over and flare is resolving. Heat/headaches are being managed.

Hey Moojean, Thats a real problem. For me I couldn't work with the sliming trots. What's helped is a change in diet. I stick to it as well or else I pay and so does every inocent bystander in the room.

I've implemented a low G diet with very low sugar. Changed from eating wheat/white flour to Spelt and brown rice pasta. No sugar or sugar substitutes. No White rice, bread or potatoes. If I need a sugar fix or something sweet I have a handfull of raisins, small amount of honey and I've started cooking with organic molasses. Only free fruits (according to diebetic diets)are included. Low sodium foods too. No canned items unless it's Starbucks Double Shot.
Hope this helps.

Take care all,

CrisD

Hi all,
Busy weekend, working my second job. I started week two of MTX this morning, and I am certainly hoping I do not have as near of a bad week as week 1! So far, only nausea and diarrhea (no vomiting) and it has been 90 minutes since I took my first pill...I am very excited!

Still having a hard time without a source of support here. I have always been good at coping....but, No family and my husband I guess is living in his own universe. Oh, how nice it would be to be nurtured for ONCE!

Hi PrinceH,
I'm sorry last week was so rough with the mtx, and I sure hope this week is better. It is my daughter's 2nd week on the drug, too. I'm curious about what you said about the "first" pill. Do you take them separately? She has only done this once, but we understood that she was to take all (4) of the 2.5 mg pills at one time, once per week. Do you actually take one, wait a certain period of time, take another, etc? I'll be curious to hear what your dosing schedule is. Hang in there. Working two jobs sounds pretty rough. Take care of yourself!

Hi everyone. Had bad leg and hip pain over weekend. Not too bad today thankgoodness as I had a long drive 8hours to go pick up my car and come back. Lost my keys and it had to be towed there. Not going to do that again. ouch very expensive but happy to have it back. I will probably pay tomorrow but I have my car again. MMy desktop computer went on me to so am on my little laptop. more money. yikes. hugs marilyn

Hi everyone I have'nt been on the site in awhile. I've been in some pain and have'nt been able to do a whole lot. I had my hearing for my dissability on friday and was approved, which has relieved some of my stress. It also brought up my spirits a little. Which kinda releived some of my pain. well hope everyone is doing well, and I will try to get onto the site more often to keep you posted and to see how eveyone is.
Your friend, John

Hi TWAC, yes you can separate the 2.5 mg tabs of MTX to decrease the severity of the side effects. My dose is six tabs once daily per week, so I take one tab orally every other hour starting from 6am to 4pm. As long as all of the doses are within a 24 hour period. Studies have shown that this is much more tolerable. Hope this helps.

Hope this week is better for you, Marilyn. My week was about like yours last week!! JHack, congratulations!!!!! I'm so happy for you, and I know your frustration. It took my son nearly 7 years to get approved for SSI benefits for her multitude of disabilities!! Go out and celebrate!!

PrinceH, I'm so glad you wrote back!! I will definitely inform my daughter that she can try this type of dosing. Last week was pretty awful in the hours following those 4 pills. She is trying an evening schedule for the meds. Maybe she could do 4, 6, 8, and 10pm doses. Thanks a bunch, and hope all is going well with your mtx this week!

Hey, guys, sorry I've been away so long-- been bummed about moving my mom out of her apartment -- this happens in one month-- busy with school, and had a nasty flare after body-boarding, and had to lay off exercise for a week. Kind of facing the reality that while I don't have to give up sports just yet, I do have to be careful.

Very quickly -- got a paper due tomorrow-- Moojean, what I do when my stomach goes off-- similar symptoms, don't know if it's MCTD and it doesn't happen that often-- is just eat a big bowl of cooked hamburger mixed in with rice. And cheese. Settles everything right down really fast... I'm sure the diet is a better solution, by my technique is a possible quick-and-dirty fix that works well if you are really hungry, have trouble putting on weight, and need to e at a lot fast without screwing up your stomach too much. Prince, it is tough not having support-- but as a 35+ year survivor of this illness, I always tell people to be as patient as you can stand with friends and loved ones. People who just don't seem to get it? Well, sometimes they really come around.

Man, this site does not run well with Firefox, I downloaded Opera just so I could use DS and I have not been a very good correspondent! Thanks for your patience, I think of all of you frequently, just been a little down and achy recently. School is going okay, passed second quarter with flying colors, third quarter is a bit more irritating... too PC and postmodern for my taste.

More later... wish me luck with my dental work (see separate post.) I'm telling Jaqui to see a dentist, but delaying it myself!

Best,

--Cat

What a busy group. Glad to hear from our new members and also our returnees!
Been a little down. My job is a big mess and very stressful right now. Been bummed as they are cutting vacation hours and 401K matches as well. Still dont know my job status but will find out in a month or so. Trying to hang on until then.
Too much back, leg, foot , knee and bladder pain. Here I am, up at 1:30 AM. Cannot sleep due to pain. Took some Tylenol and hope I can get back to sleep. Also have a splitting head ache. Too much pain and stress.
My daughter had her wisdom teeth out last week. Wore me out changing ice packs for 24 hours. But she is doing well. Playing her flute at band camp with no problems.
My older son got a good job finally. But they are moving 6 hours a way. My older daughter is getting ready to move 10 hours away. All moving in 2 weeks. So bummed by that. The younger kids go back to school Aug 10. We start early in the south.
Raining again. But it has been dry and Cool for July. Thank God! The heat is so bad for me.
Got a new washer and dryer! No more hanging out laundry in the rein! It was so hard to get anything dry. Got up 2 days ago with no hot water, but the heater started working again. Probably need that replaced tool 20 years old. I am trying to get the money for a car as my transmission is going out. I need that job.
But, today I have everything I need and should count my blessings. I will go to the clothing closet tomorrow. Maybe that will help me be more positive about my own life. Some of those people are so down on their luck.
I just need to keep saying more positive things to myself!
Take care.
Mary Ann

I forgot to mention -- JHack, glad that you are back! Great to hear from you...

MT, you are busier than any of us! Oy, I wish they had a low-level narcotic with no tylenol, would help with those headaches of yours (and mine).

We have done the laundry on the line thing-- for years-- when we were between dryers. Fortunately, the Hollywood Hills are really not as snooty as they are made out to be, no one cares if we live like the Beverly Hillbillies!

Gotta run, long day in school, mom wound up in the hospital today with blood pressure issues-- hey, can a urinary tract infection cause low BP and orthostatic in an elderly woman? And do you agree that this suggest diaper is not being changed often enough? She is home now, but we have to watch this carefully, she is on antibiotics.

Hope your daughter's wisdom tooth settles down soon, too... those can be nasty, but usually, fortunately, of short duration.

Best,

--Cat

Hi everyone, my week has flown by and i havn't got much done again. I have been spending more time with my mother as she has broken her wrist. Sje was in respite for 10 days, but still had me running about for her lol. Today she gets out.
My steroids have been lowered for the first time in years, and for 3 days i could barely walk. Just under my knee is red and swollen. I had forgotten how bad i used to hurt before steroids.
I am being referred to see lupus/mctd in London, and quite excited about it, after many years of doctors who are uncertain as to whats going on.
Jhack, so glad you got disability. I remember the relief i felt when i finally got it......and the jealously of my sisters unfortunately. Trying to work and be "normal" really took its toll.
Twac, my mum has been using coconut oil on her skin for itching and it has worked a treat......if your daughter has this problem with the dm she should try it. Its the best thing my mum has tried.
Thankks for the reply you left me about the apnea, can't remember where i posted it now. Sorry to hear about your son having this problem also, it must be hard on him.
Cat, sorry to hear about your mum, it must be hard to see her so ill. I hope things get better for her.
I hope everyone is doing as well as possible.
Love and hugs x