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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / February 2006CHANGED MEDS-QUESTIONS
Been on Humira every other week,since July of last yr.Mtx inj.every week.Celebrex twice daily,5mg.Prednisone in a.m.and 2 1/2mg.in p.m.Darvacet as needed,15mg. Prevacid,Xanax as needed.Nasonex for allergies.Maxide.1mg.Folic acid,calcium,and multi vitamin. Just had an MRI of neck and found I have a bulge at C5-6,pinched nerve.everything from shoulders down to my fingers hurt,including muscles in upper outside arms.My left knee started acting up 2 weeks ago and now the left started yesterday too.I had steroid shots in both knees last May and they have been ok till now.Had an MRI done then, a small tear in the meniscus on left and a lateral colateral in the rt,Bakers cysts in both.Also feet hurt. Went to my RD this past Wed.and he changed just about everything.My blood pressure was 184/107.(my BP has been good) Needless to say I was miserable with pain and also full of anxiety as to what he was going to do,I always get nervous when I go to my appts.anyways. He took me off the Humira,put me on Enbrel 25mgs.twice a week,kept the MTX.the same,Added Sulfasalazine,which I start at 1 tab-500 mg a day for 3 days,then 1 tab.twice a day for 3 days,then 2 tabs.in a.m. and 1 at p.m.for 3 days,then 2 tabs in a.m and 2 at p.m.a total of 2,000 mgs a day.Does this sound right? Are there many side effects with this drug? He then put me on 50 mg.of Trazodone to be taken before bed.He said it will help my neck pain,sleep etc.Anyone had any experience with this drug? He recommends me to stop the celebrex (if I want to) because he said it was doing nothing for my inflamation and was just helping with the pain.also was making me retain water and makes the blood pressure go up.Told me he wanted me to take vicodin for pain instead.Also stay on the 7 1/2 mg. of Prednisone. He gave me a steroid injection in the knee and also 2 shots on each side of the butt of Depo Medrol.Now,my blood pressure is still up 140,50's / 80,90's. Would the steroids be keeping my BP elevated? My face is flushed also,but that happened with the steroid injs I got in my knees before and was on 10 mg. of Pred then.I had a problem with my BP going up in Sept.and cut down from 10 to 5 mgs. of Pred and to 1 celebrex a day and thats when I started the Maxide.BP was good then and after a month I went back to the 2 a day Celebrex with no problem. I know everyone is different,but how long till I can tell a difference from the steroid shots?I can tell some,My knee is feeling alot better,and my feet,but my left wrist is still bad,left elbow, shoulders and rt. knee not good.Sorry this is so long,as you probably can tell I'm frustrated,depressed and alot of anxiety,I feel like I'm never going to get better,like the last few months have been a living hell. Thanks for any suggestions,or answers. Carol Went to my RD this past Wed.and he changed just about everything.My > blood pressure was 184/107.(my BP has been good) Needless to say I was > miserable with pain and also full of anxiety as to what he was going to > do,I always get nervous when I go to my appts.anyways. He recommends me to stop the celebrex (if I want to) because he > said it was doing nothing for my inflamation and was just helping with > the pain.also was making me retain water and makes the blood pressure go > up. I'll just stick to this one drug change. I was able to take NSAIDS like Celebrex for years without problems. Gradually about five years ago they began to push up by blood pressure. OK, that I can treat and live with. But soon they also began to cause so much fluid retention in my feet and lower legs that they were causing at least as much pain as they helped. We tried changing and using various NSAIDS with the same result. When I would discontinue them, my blood pressure would drop and I'd dump fluid almost immediately. It ain't easy having any type of inflammatory arthritis without being able to use any NSAID at all, but quite a few of us are in that spot. I've even tried them for just a few days, mostly for diagnostic reasons and the side effects come back within a day or two. Unfortunately, I also have bad reactions to most pain killers. Mostly a paradoxal reaction to opiates that makes them a stimulant for be. As in no sleep, hyper behavior, etc. So I take them when I can't stand the pain and otherwise do without. Anyway, I gave up my Celebrex and all its friends. And wasn't much worse off without them than I was with them. Jo like jo, i can only address the celebrex. and like jo, i was on it for years with no problem and then it started elevating my BP. finally had to go off it. so as long as you're still taking it, i think it may be hard to know what's affecting the BP. (((((((((((((carol))))))))))))) diane Diane,I went off the celebrex,this is the 3rd day.BP still up there.I don't understand whats going on.I just took it before I came on here and was 181/90,so sat for a few mins and took it again and it was168/96,waited 5 more mins.154/91.The other day Xanax 0.25mgs took it down.But today it didn't help a whole lot,the lowest was 141/90.It's making me nervous when it gets up in the 180's.Thanks for responding. Carol Jo, this is the 3rd day without the celebrex,I think without the Depo Medrol injs.I had I'd be in alot worse pain than I'm in now.I won't take it till I find out for sure whats going on.I do think my RD is right tho,it probably wasn't doing anything much for the inflamation,just some pain and that wasn't a whole lot.I'm in the worse shape right now that I've been in,since being diagnosed with it (RA) going on 5 years this Apr.Hard to keep a positive attitude sometimes,just when you do,something else kicks up.Thanks for your reply,I appreciate it. Carol > Jo, this is the 3rd day without the celebrex,I think without the Depo > Medrol injs.I had I'd be in alot worse pain than I'm in now.I won't take [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > do,something else kicks up.Thanks for your reply,I appreciate it. Carol >\ If you have been off the Celebrex for three days, but on steroids, from an injection or whatever, it will be hard to see a quick change in your blood pressure. And it only confuses things when your pain is out of control cause that will send your blood pressure up too. Jo Hi Carol,,,, I think you have a very good RD. He/she is trying to find out what works for your system while trying to put out your fire in several places with steroids. My RD has done the same thing over the years. I also use Enbrel but am on the once a week shot and twice a week for several years. I also used the Methx. Sulfasalazine, prednisone mix for a couple of years but Enbrel made all the rest not needed which included stopping prednisone. Good luck with it all and give it some time and you will have improvement. It is possible that places like your wrists or other places might need another shot or two to put the fire out. The last steroid shot or shots that I needed were in my back ribcage that was inflamed and would not clear up. That stopped the problem with no more problems. If you get your rest,,, quality rest,,,, and keep your stress levels down (as though we could control that ) you are headed for better days. Harv > Been on Humira every other week,since July of last yr.Mtx inj.every > week.Celebrex twice daily,5mg.Prednisone in a.m.and 2 1/2mg.in [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > get better,like the last few months have been a living hell. Thanks for > any suggestions,or answers. Carol Harv,thanks so much for your words of encouragement,as you can tell I feel really feel afraid right now.So many changes at once and now this BP thing.I do have a good RD right now,I just got him 2 mos.ago,and he is highly recommended.I like him.I'll call him Mon.and see what he makes of this BP thing.I'm to start the Enbrel Mon.also. (Can't get it until then.)I'm looking forward to it and pray it helps me. Carol > Harv,thanks so much for your words of encouragement,as you can tell I > feel really feel afraid right now.So many changes at once and now this > BP thing.I do have a good RD right now,I just got him 2 mos.ago,and he > is highly recommended.I like him.I'll call him Mon.and see what he makes > of this BP thing.I'm to start the Enbrel Mon.also. (Can't get it until > then.)I'm looking forward to it and pray it helps me. Carol Hi Carol,,,, I will pray that your life improves and that peace and quiet makes your dreams pleasant. Harv Oh Harv,that means alot to me Thank You...Carol Carol, Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time of it. Sure hope things improve for you soon! As far as your blood pressure goes, many things can effect it and cause it to be elevated. Steroids can, and often do cause some fluid retention (and the flushing you see in your face!) which will elevate your bp to some extent. Also, pain can elevate your bp, and given all that you have going on right now, I suspect the pain may be playing into the increased bp as well. Certainly stress, anxiety, worry, etc can also elevate your bp some, so try not to stress over it too much if you can possibly help it. Give your body time to clear the celebrex and to allow the steroid injections to help ease your pain levels some. Also give the enbrel and the sulphasalazine time to kick in as well. It may be possible that the bulging disc issue in your neck could be causing some of the shoulder, arm, hand, back pain and if that is the case, the steroids may not help that. Taking the vicodin for the pain or the other med he gave you, may help ease things enough to help the bp as well. It is probably still good to keep track of your bp and perhaps talk to your pcp about the blood pressure issues. Best wishes to you and sure hope it all sorts itself out soon for you! Try not to get too discouraged!!! Donna G (((((carol))))) with heart and prayers, Vickie B. Thanks Donna,it's probably a little of everything,We'll see how things are tomorrow,if not better I guess I'll as much as I hate to,try to get in to see my PCP,I'm so tired of going to Drs. I read in one of your posts about your little 7wk old niece.Such a sad thing a little one has got to be put through all of what their doing.I sure hope that they will find what the problem is and soon.Your family has gone through so much and I pray better days are ahead for you all. Carol what are they doing about your pinched nerve? are you going to PT for that? if not, please ask for a PT referral. they've done wonderful things for me and my slip-sliding neck the last couple of years. and i LOVE their traction tables that pull out the neck some and help things go back into place. it really eases pressure on the nerves. i know all too well how terrible that pinched nerve pain is and you need some serious, long-term relief from it. i'm sure the pain you are in is a factor in your BP being high, along with the stress and anxiety. please do take the vicodin to help you out some. it sounds like your RD is doing good and reasonable things totry and calm down your arthritis. ((((((((((((((((Carol)))))))))))))  SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare Nann,he didn't say anything about PT,when I asked, what about my neck,he just said,we'll take care of that.He did say that the Trazadone taken at night should help.Maybe he's waiting for me to get straightened out a little before he prescribes PT.Who knows. That traction table sounds good,I can just imagine how the relief from that pressure feeling would be,the pain goes up in the head also. Bet you're glad to have your thumb surgery over with.I hope it was a success and you are doing well. Carol > Nann,he didn't say anything about PT,when I asked, what about my neck,he > just said,we'll take care of that.He did say that the Trazadone taken at [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Bet you're glad to have your thumb surgery over with.I hope it was a > success and you are doing well. Carol Carol, you probably don't feel much like pushing your doc on things now, but i really think you should be getting some kind oof treatment for that bulging disc NOW. the longer the present situation is allowed to continue, the greater your risk of permanent nerve damage. also, the sooner you receive treatment, the greater the likelihood that the disc bulge can be reversed successfully through pt. when my disc bulges were diagnosed, my pcp was an osteopath and she impressed on me the need for prompt treatment. she also refused to try any adjustment on it as she might have done more damage. both she and the two groups of pts i saw (having moved partway through the first treatment) said that pt was the way to god with bulging discs, over chiro or osteopathic adjustments. you might try calling your primary care doc about the neck, rather than your rd. heck, my last pt place had to reassure me when tehy cut me lose. i was so nervous about all that pain coming back when i got away from them! SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare >Been on Humira every other week,since July of last yr.Mtx inj.every >week.Celebrex twice daily,5mg.Prednisone in a.m.and 2 1/2mg.in [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >get better,like the last few months have been a living hell. Thanks for >any suggestions,or answers. Carol My RD takes care of the arthritis and my Primary care Physician takes care of blood pressure and everything else. It works great that way for me. If they need to consult they do. Your blood pressure may not be caused by the meds your RD is giving you. When was your last physical? Thumper Thumper,you know,got me thinking when you mentioned a physical,I am borderline hyperthyroid,I have a multi-nodule goiter and do see an endocrinologist for that.My thyroid is now 3-4 times bigger than normal.The last time I seen the Endo. was this past Aug.and am due now for more bloodwork for that.I know this can cause anxiety and alot of other symptoms,my pulse is up and down etc.But I was fine with the BP before the RD visit. Also due for the yearly pap test mammogram.I had numerous bloodwork 2 months ago when I first seen this new RD.What would you suggest? Carol >Thumper,you know,got me thinking when you mentioned a physical,I am >borderline hyperthyroid,I have a multi-nodule goiter and do see an [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >had numerous bloodwork 2 months ago when I first seen this new RD.What >would you suggest? Carol Go get your work up and then let your primary care physician treat the blood pressure. He/she will tell the RD if he thinks something should be changed. The RD should concentrate of treating your RA. That's what he's good at. He shouldn't be changing your meds just because of high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be triggered by gaining just a few pounds or many other things. Sometimes a very mild diuretic can control the HBP. Sometimes it takes only slight exercise. Thumper Carol, No answers but wanted you to know I was also thinking of you and hoping for a good outcome for you. You sure have your plate full. Take care. SignatureHugs, prayers, good thoughts, Warm fuzzies, TLC, and Love Squirrely Jo > Been on Humira every other week,since July of last yr.Mtx inj.every > week.Celebrex twice daily,5mg.Prednisone in a.m.and 2 1/2mg.in [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > get better,like the last few months have been a living hell. Thanks for > any suggestions,or answers. Carol Thank you for thinking of me Squirrely Jo,I appreciate.Take care. Carol |
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