A routine, follow-up appointment. But it turns out that the recent swelling in my right (my only ‘good’ foot left!) may be auto-immune related. It is unrelieved with either elevation, rest (I am in a wheel chair for heavens sake!), or a mild diuretic. I have actually had this before, but not nearly this bad or for this long.
And the fatigue, muscle and joint pain, has gradually been returning. I sure do not feel as well as I did; it is all returning, in fact I spent half of yesterday in bed (but last week my Hemoglobin was up to 15.8, which does not help!). I left her office with a prescription for Plaquenil, and Prednisone, and orders for more lab work that will be done next Tuesday.
The lab work is still more ‘specialized’ stuff, and it is interesting really. She ordered a C-Reactive Protein (which has remained elevated for months), some other routine ‘rheumy’ stuff AND two tests that have something to do with my foot swelling from MORE complications of Sjogren’s Syndrome: Cryofibrinogen and Cryoglobulin (I have never heard of these!). I have to be fasting, and have to be in the lab, (Scripps Mercy) for them to draw the blood for these tests, which is why it has to wait until next Tuesday. (I will ‘piggyback’ the lab visit with still another doc appointment I have that day.)
I started the Plaquenil, but it can take 6 weeks to ‘cut’ in. The Prednisone I cannot start until I have the blood drawn Tuesday. I plan to take 3 tablets with me (as well as something to eat), and take them as soon as the blood has been drawn!
Prednisone – This time, I am starting at 15mg a day for a week, then down by half a tablet per week, until I am off it. I am not looking forward to the ‘jitters’ it gives me, but AM looking forward to feeling better.
My deep dark fear is that all this stuff is from malignancy not autoimmune, though I have had autoimmune problems all my life. (My yearly CT scans are due shortly.) Still, you cannot reason with fear...
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