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Brenda - 21 Dec 2005 14:46 GMT

I had my first Rheumy appointment yesterday , i had all the blood
special blood tests taken and a urinalysis, because my doctor knows i
have the skin form of lupus and checking to see if i have SLE, results
won"t be back for a week, he put me on 2 medicines i know nothing about
can anyone help? The first is PLaqentil 200 mg 2x daily and etodolac 200
mg 3x daily. My question is are these safe ? how bad are the side
affects going to be? Thanks for helping me., Brenda

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J - 21 Dec 2005 17:44 GMT

> I had my first Rheumy appointment yesterday , i had all the blood
> special blood tests taken and a urinalysis, because my doctor knows i
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> mg 3x daily. My question is are these safe ? how bad are the side
> affects going to be? Thanks for helping me., Brenda

etodolac is lodine - NSAID - probably for your knee pain? take with food?
hard on the stomach?
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a692015.html

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) are examples of antimalarial medications -
have a baseline eye exam by opthamologist
side effects and what it's used for mentioned here
<http://www.arthritis.ca/types%20of%20arthritis/lupus/default.asp?s=1>
or here http://www.rheumatology.org.nz/nz09008.htm

also note: Indigestion remedies should not be taken at the same time as
hydroxychloroquine. Try to allow 4 hours to pass between taking one and the
other.

Must be hard standing on cement floor all day, for years.
Is there a different job, at the same place, you can do?
We ain't getting any younger, but 40 is the time to look at extra
nightclasses (if you're well enough) so that the job isn't as hard on the
body, as we age.

Hope to see your test results after you receive them.
Maybe if it's not systemic they'll lower the dose some?
J

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Brenda - 21 Dec 2005 20:12 GMT

Thanks for your help, my doctor said the same thing about getting out of
the factory work, it is long hard hours., Time sure does pass slowly
waiting for test results., Happy Holidays., Brenda

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J - 23 Dec 2005 11:45 GMT

> Thanks for your help, my doctor said the same thing about getting out of
> the factory work, it is long hard hours., Time sure does pass slowly
> waiting for test results., Happy Holidays., Brenda

Happy holidays to you as well, Brenda.
Maybe we can talk about the pros and cons of jobs.
You could also get a big notepaid at an office supply and pencil a T shape
One side (of the T) is to list the pros of a job and the other side is to
list the cons of a job.

Then another page the potential pros and cons of switching careers or tasks.

For instance, if you're in a warehouse or factory, maybe there's not lots of
sunlight? vs maybe switching to an office job (there could be more windows
and sunlight).
Switching jobs can be stressful, at least for a while, until we get used to
and know that we like the job, the poeple and they like our work and want us
to stay..
If you've got seniority, benefits, medical insurance, disability insurance,
and well paid for your current job, those are pros of your current job.
Maybe if you get a chance and start a list, it helps to step back and see
what you might gain by switching and what you might lose. we have to be
careful not to make hasty decisions, right?

Meantime, if you stand a lot, in the same place, would some type of loor
covering help your knees?
Would it be allowed/ Would you or someone else be tripping over it?
Let's work on this in the new year, ok?
Hugs
J

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Nicole H - 21 Dec 2005 20:55 GMT

FWIW, you can have SLE and all the bloodwork show otherwise. Lupus is very
difficult to diagnose at times.
Plaquenil can take several months before it starts working so you'll have to
be patient.
Good luck
BTW, where do you live? I'm in Central CA.
Nicole
Here's some info that'll help
please go to the Lupus Foundation of America site www.lupus.org and read all
the information they have. It is the most current information available and
you will learn a lot!

Also, either buy or go to the library and get Dr Daniel Wallace's "The Lupus
Book" 3rd Edition and read it cover to cover.

Dr Wallace explains in layman's terms everything you need to know.... just
as the LFA does. The LFA also offers a magazine called Lupus Now which is
full of great info.

The Arthritis Foundation www.arthritis.org also has a lot of helpful
information, a magazine Arthritis Today. There are over 100 forms of
arthritis so there's a lot to learn.

The National Institue of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
offers FREE publications. Take advantage. http://catalog.niams.nih.gov/

There is a wonderful lupus booklet which is completely free. There are many
other pieces of great info also.

Medline: Lupus

offers links to news and resources about the chronic autoimmune disease in
which the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive and
attacks normal tissue.

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lupus.html

Glean your information from reliable sites such as those listed above.

I only quote from the above sites but even on this list, there can be
incorrect information and has been.

You have to be your own health care advocate. Your doctor is not going to
sit down and educate you in regards to lupus, fibro, etc. He/she doesn't
have time and most likely doesn't even know where to begin.

>I had my first Rheumy appointment yesterday , i had all the blood
> special blood tests taken and a urinalysis, because my doctor knows i
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> mg 3x daily. My question is are these safe ? how bad are the side
> affects going to be? Thanks for helping me., Brenda

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Brenda - 21 Dec 2005 21:16 GMT

I live in central PA., these cold winters really make the joints ache
more., happy holidays., Brenda

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