Farmall Cub

I wanted to give everyone an update on my health, as many have been asking.

I had the Left Hip replaced in Nov. and it has healed great. Just a tight tendon if I bend and "stoop" too long.

The other issue I have fought for years is my Psoriatic Arthritis. It is an auto immune type and is a sister to Rheumatoid, only with the added joy of psoriasis. (skin breaks out where the arthritis is attacking.

I was on one inject able drug that was old school, and was helping some, but, was in short supply because they have all the "new" drugs. I could not get it when I needed it, so they switched me to Humera. Well, I don't know if that worked, because after the initial dose, with my insurance, my monthly share was over $750. I required 2 shots a month at $1000 a shot before insurance. And the side effects could be worse than the disease.

Anyhow, I decided to quit taking the stuff and went a few months without. With a lot of research and family experience, I asked MY Dr. about the possibility of a simply taking low dose prednisone.

It is working great. My aches are almost gone, still have the pain, but I am thinking clearer, and have more energy and feel good. Depression is better with the improvements also.

What a change. Only problem now is I feel good, so I have been over doing my heart, but have been learning to pace myself and take breaks and naps when needed.

Thanks to all of you that have thought of me and prayed for this stuff.

Good luck Dale, sounds like you are moving in the right direction.

Glad to know you are coming around.
Berlin

Dale, best of luck to you on healing and feeling better. I know when I met you while you were on you California trip, you spoke of the hard life you had given your body in the past! I know from much experience of feeling pain and dealing with insurance companies....neither or which is usually a good deal.
Get well and make another trip out here to bring me the "Fresno" wheel weights!

Hope things continue to improve for you.

Bobbi lynn and I are pulling for you Dale. I know about pacing oneself lately, want to do more but know better, at least for a while longer.
Best Regards, Bill

Dale,

Great that you are doing better. Like you said, pace yourself. I know it is hard, my mind is constantly writing checks my body can't cash.

Bill

Glad you are feeling better Dale. Butttttttttttttttttttttt please read up on predisone. It helps on thing and damages others.

Mike, I am fully aware, my Dr. is keeping close watch.

My Mom had (in remission) a rare auto immune disease, starting in the mid 70's. She required high doses of it then.

As most well know, most all drugs have severe possible side effects. But, when you have an aggressive disease, you need aggressive medicine.

I guess it comes down to quantity vs quality of life.

I do very much appreciate your concern.

Dale

glad to hear its better dale, i'll sure be praying for you and your wife . see ya at boss's , take care and pace yourself for sure ! coppersmythe...................

Glad to hear you are moving in the right direction.

The hip will get better with time, and reasonable activity. It may take nearly a year before you do not notice it. That is of course assuming you do not commit any "random acts of stupidity" as I did.

My specialty is not rheumatology but occasionally see patients with psoriatic arthritis or what I call the B-27 diseases. Some of the newer biologics such as Remicade do well but are very expensive. When I was an administrator, the largest expense per patient was, by far, remicade infusions. Other older steroid sparing agents such as methotrexate seem to work well. Long track record and generic, methotrexate is a once a week pill. Need to monitor liver enzymes, but you may want to mention to your doc. Some want to go to the expensive biologics as a first line treatment because they work very well but you may get good control with methotrexate if cost is a limiting factor in the choice of treatments.

Landreo wrote:My specialty is not rheumatology but occasionally see patients with psoriatic arthritis or what I call the B-27 diseases. Some of the newer biologics such as Remicade do well but are very expensive. When I was an administrator, the largest expense per patient was, by far, remicade infusions. Other older steroid sparing agents such as methotrexate seem to work well. Long track record and generic, methotrexate is a once a week pill. Need to monitor liver enzymes, but you may want to mention to your doc. Some want to go to the expensive biologics as a first line treatment because they work very well but you may get good control with methotrexate if cost is a limiting factor in the choice of treatments.

I had gastric bypass surgery 10 years ago. I am very "careful" what i put in my "pouch", when it comes to meds. The alternative was the Methotrexate injections, which were once a week also, worked well and was inexpensive.

The downside, it is nearly impossible to get outside a hospital setting, and worse in individual vials. It was constantly back ordered and finally became impossible to get here.

I am still doing great and feeling better every day. I am aware of but try not to dwell on the possible side effects of the meds I am on.