Sorry! When one thing happens, everything happens. Taking 10mg prednisone to take care of aches to see if Enbrel (second time around, you know the story) kicks in. And now my right foot is killing me. The top of my foot at the joint where big toe meets second toe. Entire top of foot in pain. Wrapped in compression bandage today while wearing athletic shoes and icing tonight.

Going to call rheumy tomorrow to see if I can get cortisone shot for it while on 10mg prednisone.

I love to go walking and it is a great muscle relaxer and stress reducer for me. But can't walk with hurt foot.

And also getting over the "crud" as you put it. Had it for over two weeks. I understand how you are feeling. I am a strong person and I am ready to go on with my life. I have things to do. I need to get better and I am so tired of everything breaking down.

That sounded sad. Really not sad. Just-"Let's get on with this now." I don't whine and I don't need sympathy. But I'm just ready to get better. So I understand. Sorry!

Dang!! Sorry to hear this. I've had you in my thoughts lately hoping all was going well. I guess I'll put you back at the top of my list!!

May want to contact your Rhumy as he may want to keep you on the prednisone longer??!! Just an idea.

Keep well, hugs to you, Sue

Hey, Sue. Good to hear from you. Dermo has me on the pred. Rheumy does not like to give pred. He'll have a fit when I see him on the 19th and he finds out I've been on it for the better part of a month. He'll just have to get over it, though. I'd like to know what he would have done if he had the amount of blisters on his feet and hands that I have had. From what research I have done, my reaction to the Remicade is rare but it is a known allergic reaction. I have had some weird reactions to drugs before but had I known I could react like THIS to a drug, I would never have taken it. I'm still on the MTX and I have pain meds (which I normally do not take) so I'll be okay until I see the rheumy on the 19th.

Wendy, sorry about your foot. Kind of hard to function when our feet are incapacitated, isn't it? Yes, I am ready to stop being so preoccupied by RA and get out and do something. Diabetes restricts me enough but I've never allowed it to keep me from leading a normal life and I'll be danged if I give in to the RA either.
We need to keep the smiles in our lives.

Hugs,
Frances

So sorry you're still getting those blisters! No fun. Stupid question here, but are you taking anything at all to supress the RA. I ask this because it could also be behind the blisters. Sounds strange, I know, but with RA, anything is possible.

Years ago, before I was even diagnose with RA, I would break out with hives Every. Single. Morning!

It was awful! I would get them everywhere, including my hands and feet. OMG, hives on the hands and feet are no fun at all. It was miserable! I had to take allergy pills to keep them at bay. Miss a pill, and POP, here come the hives!

Eventually, I found out I had RA. I started the treatments and wouldn't you know it, the hives are gone. Gone I tell you! LOL... I never connected it to the RA, so I never asked the Rhuemy about it. Years later, it was my Nurse Practitioner that asked about them. I happily told her that I haven't had a problem with hives in forever.

"Of course not" She said. "Your RA is being treated."

Her comment threw me through a loop, so I asked her what she meant. She explained that my immune system was in overdrive, and that an allergy is due to an overactive immune system. The more up and fighting the immune system, the more likely you are to have severe allergies. Supress the immune system, and things get better.

When you think about it, it makes sense. Your body is fighting anything and everything. Your immune system in on a single minded mission to eraticate an enemy it can not find. So it fights every intruder that sets off the alarm.

My best friend is going through a problem where she gets this awful red rash anywhere her clothing comes into contact with. It not only itches, but hurts so much. Along with it, she has symptoms of RA. I finally convinced her to see the Rheumy. She goes in February. I have a feeling she's going to discover that she too has something wrong with her immune system.

Anyway, to make a long story short. Probably, it could be your RA. The meds weren't working, your body saw them as an intruder, and attacked. BTW, I used to have all kinds of wonky reactions to meds as well. Something else that has gotten better while treating RA.

Curious. Do you have a RF. I wonder if there is a connection between this and whether or not you sero positive. I sero pos.

Hope you feel better soon, and sorry I wrote a short book for you to read.

-Tanya

Hey, Tanya.
Hives is incorrect term for what I have. They do not come and go like hives and they do not itch. They are painful raised lumps that have blisters on top (hard to describe). They were slowly fading and drying away and then yesterday they were just as prominent as ever. Everytime the prednisone tapering starts, they get stronger again.

I'm on MTX and still within the timeframe for Remicade infusion although I will never have another one of those. My biopsy results show that this is an allergic reaction and dermatologist says it is the Remicade. The diagnosis is granulomatous dermatitis. After internet research, I find that my diagnosis of granulomatous dermatitis is an uncommon but valid allergic reaction to the Remicade. I'm not trying to put Remicade down. It is a miracle drug for some but my body does not like it. This reaction is so severe that I have been told to definitely NOT take Remicade anymore...and not to take any new drugs until I am totally past this reaction and the Remicade is entirely out of my system.

I test positive for RF.

I have decided to be proactive on these RA conditions/symptoms. Instead of thinking "I can't ." I 'm going to try to relax and do sitting down activities/hobbies while my body rest and get better(my foot) and waiting for enbrel kick in if it does. Going to get my foot better so I can walk when it gets warmer.

I take care of paperwork for our two small companies so that will keep me sitting down most of January and February. Also, I am going to learn how to knit, read more, pick up crochet again if fingers cooperate. Last year I started making "bead" bracelets and necklaces. Very simple but I love the process of finding example to go by, finding beads and eventually when the fingers cooperate making simple bracelets. Going to Michaels and picking out few beads every once in a while makes my winter happier to buy pretty, shiny objects. Whatever it takes!

Hope you can rest too and enjoy some quiet, relaxing time while you heal. And before you go on to next medication. There is always a new medication to try which should give us hope. We just have to find the right one.

Hopefully, these awful blisters will stop and you can be over them soon. They don't sound like the least bit of fun :(

And I completely understand the Type A personality and low patience lever. In that boat with you.

Take care!
-Tanya