Good rheumy appointment today

slomo

Had my rheumy appointment today so it's been a long busy day - we hit the road at 8am this morning as the appt was at 10.15 rather than an hour later which has been the case for the last few appts. That gave us time for a quick pitstop for a cuppa.
Rheumy is very pleased with me, I've not hit the hiccup (as he calls it) yet but he assures me it will happen and not to get disheartened when it does. He's kept me on 10mg daily until he sees me again in March.
I've been taking alendronic acid since mid December but stopped it last week as I was having so many stomach upsets and heartburn it was really having a negative impact on my daily life. Each night when I went to bed I was wondering if I'd sleep through OK or have to jump up and rush to the loo. He still feels I need something as he thinks if I fall its my hips that will take the brunt of it. He's going to put me on risedronate as its not as bad on the stomach. I'll see how it goes.
Hopefully, staying on 10mg will mean my body and brain can concentrate on being bright eyed and bushy tailed at work. Now on week three of the phased return and will do my first full day this week. I do have concerns that my body and brain can stay the course, we'll see.
I've just joined the union as I know I will need time off again in the future and I've already had the first formal absence meeting so I may be glad of their support in the future.

I think that's all the news at the moment.
All the best to everyone, look after yourselves
slomo

Megrose2

Pleased the appointment all went so well, Slomo. I hope your first full week back at work goes smoothly and I think you made a good decision to join the union. Take care.

Meg

dreamdaisy

I presume you are talking about 10mgs of methotrexate? I know I should remember but, as I'm not too bonny at the moment, I don't. I've never had such a low dose - let alone on its own - but I do recall the challenge of alendronic acid, I was put on it after three months of tablet steroids when I was off everything else and stuck in bed. It was only once a week but the whole sitting-up thing and the resulting nausea was a complete nuisance. Once I weaned myself off the steroids I was able to stop it - and after a couple of years my bone density increased by 3.4%, which was pleasing.

Good appointments are always pleasing and I'm pleased that today's was one of them for you. I think joining the Union is a good idea because you well may need them to fight your corner in the future. DD

slomo

Hi DD, sorry, I should have been clearer, shows where my head is. It's the prednisolone I was talking about. I started on 60mg daily in September and am now down to 10mg daily. That's the hiccup we're expecting - when I get just a little bit too low and have a flare. But not reached that point, yet!
I'm on 20mg MTX weekly with my folic acid of course and my oprezamole for taking with the steroids.
Hope that explains it better.

dreamdaisy

Ah, that makes sense and it's triggered my wonky memory! I took pred daily for three years (never at such high doses as you've experienced) and when I made the decision to come off it I took a year to reduce. For the first few months I reduced by 1mg every three weeks, then at the sharp end of things it was by 1 every six weeks and 1/2 every six weeks so the reduction would alternate. I stopped at 1.5 (I think) and had no hiccups whatsoever . I know the thinking has now altered so they hit, hit hard and stop hard - I hope you too will be hiccup-free!

How's work going, are you back in the flow of it all? Don't forget to rest whenever you can. DD

stickywicket

I'm glad it was a good appointment. They do help. I like the fact that your rheumatologist has warned you about 'the hiccup' and prepared you in advance. I tend to see it as 'the wall' and, for me, it has come around 7mgs but, as DD has shown, it's not invincible just tricky to negotiate.

I refused alendronic acid as I have enough stomach and oesophageal problems without it. I just take Calceos for my osteoporosis.

I think joining the union was an excellent bit of forethought

I hope all keeps going well.

daffy2

Re: risedronate. Have you had your VitD levels checked? When I took this the leaflet highlighted the need to be VitD replete. I did find that the heartburn was much less and other gastric effects were different and certainly didn't have the major limitations on my daily life that alendronic acid did, so I hope you find it is OK for you.

slomo

Hi daffy, not sure about my vit d levels. I'll have to check if I've been checked!
I hope the risedronate works better for me too - fingers crossed. I've not collected the prescription yet, I've a GP appt next week so any queries I'll check things out then.
Feeling knackered tonight and have only worked this afternoon, tomorrow is a full day,. Luckily OH had day off today and is in charge of food tonight.