Having a name to your agony is the first step. Now, as you well know being a nurse, knowledge is power. Research every current as well as alternative treatment option open to you. Look at benefits as well as risks. Decide how much you are willing to risk. At what stage you are willing to increase your acceptance of risks, etc.

Having several plans of actions based on future possibilities has always helped me get through it. But be aware that it is very common to deal with frustration, depression, anxiety, and every other emotional cocktail you can imagine. Look into ways that you can deal with the emotional rollercoster that you have now boarded.

if RA, the inhibitor drugs will help but take 4-6 months to begin working. you've most likely been getting by on anti-inflammatory drugs, which as a nurse you know the down side of extended doses of them.....get rid of the night shades from your diet for relief within two weeks. i take no prescription anti-inflammatory medicines and rarely must i have an Aleeve. Here's a link to get you started to feeling much better:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=62

oh, and to add after reading 2sc's post on the paleo diet; cut out all (or as much as possible) processed sugar and things that are very high in fat (dairy).

you need eating to become a necessity because unless you enjoy pain then it no long a pleasure for you.

i agree with doing research. whatever you can do to naturally alleviate your side effects is an excellent option, but remember that just because your symptoms are being treated (i.e.: swelling, pain) that doesn't mean the disease isn't active. people can exhibit no noticeable swelling but have all the markers for ra - and they have bone deterioration. all the 'normal' markers are not really, well, normal. you'll find that some of us have similar stories, but we each experience vastly different things during the course of the disease. heck, i experience different things from day to day now!

this site has been a blessing for me. it's nice to know that other people have the same concerns and worries as i do. i also have a cousin who is a couple of years younger than me who has given me some great advice. she tells me that once she found a medication that helped her, it was like she's not even sick any more. i hope that's the case for all of us!

Thank you soooo much for the feedback. It makes me feel not so alone... i will adjust my diet and read the info on that as well. M

iT IS OVERWHELMING ....wihsing you much luck and sending you a BIG HUG ...
Tami

Welcome to our world. This forum can literally save your sanity as time goes on. The medications are a little off putting once you do the research, but then so is the idea of a slow disintegration of the joints. Its kind of like the pick your poison dilemma. Being a nurse I'm sure you understand the side effect part of it all too well. The good news is being a nurse you have lessons to learn that you will be able to pass along to patients, and much more wisdom than any of the textbooks you read. Wishing you well in your journey. Trish

Welcome to the Land of No Good Choices. Not good news, but as you allude to, how much more frustrating it would have been to have been told you're fine.

The prednisone should make a big difference quickly. Will your boss get over himself/herself any time soon? If you're a nurse, I assume your boss is also in the medical profession. How frustrating to be in the doghouse at work because you're sick.

welcome
welcome
welcome

i loved altoclef's support to you about your narcisstic boss. good one altoclef. no, the myopic ones seldom get over themselves...deanma you will learn to work around evenutally. i outed my RA to my boss ab out 5 or 6 six years ago. you'll get hyper watched at first. then it abates. I am the same employee as before probably better cause of an uptake in my empathy factor :). hang in there work wise.

the pred is a masker of symptom and an adrenal manipulator.. let us know how you make out.

hugs
Rosemary

omg ros - "the pred is a masker of symptom and an adrenal manipulator.. ". best and most succinct description of prednisone ever.

probably FMLA - family and medical leave act. FML is 'f*ck my life' and while it's a very funny website, probably won't help with work ;)

here's some info on FMLA: http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/fmla-faqs.htm

short and sweet is that you can try to get up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period of time for a serious medical condition. you would be entitled to return to the same or an equal position with your company at the end of your leave and they must maintain your healthcare coverage.