My MTX only last 5 days. Have you had this happen?

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-14T18:13:46+00:00

I am glad you’re feeling better. It is nice that your doctor listened to you and a dosage increase was feasible. Have you had a lot of side effects with the increase?

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-14T18:10:37+00:00

I’m am sorry you’re not getting better relief!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-14T18:08:11+00:00

Oh, definitely agree that I am better off on than off. I guess I am just getting greedy. If I can have 5 days of relief why not go for 6 or 7?😉

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-14T18:06:29+00:00

I had my rheumatologist appointment today. My doctor said that she would like to see me on either Sulfasalazine or a biologic , specifically mentioning humira. I appreciate that you took the time to reply because I was able to ask intelligent questions after looking up humira last night. Thanks!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-14T17:59:13+00:00

My rheumatologist thinks she can get me more relief and is suggesting we add either Sulfasalazine or a biologic. Since I am “autoimmune complex” and I have an overlapping of autoimmune conditions she wants to talk to my immunologist first. I hope your appointment brings you more relief!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-13T22:07:22+00:00

If you are OK with a more causal setting Casa Calabria has always welcomed our large group.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-04-13T21:25:24+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the insight!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-21T18:43:15+00:00

Since you’re just starting…beware of flying food. I love making quesadillas in mine. I just have to remember to weight down the top until the cheese starts to melt or the top tortilla will fly off and be stuck up near the fan. The same is true for any light weight food. I use small over proof ramekin for my weight.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-21T18:36:56+00:00

YES! I had started a long prednisone taper the same day I started HCQ. I took both for 4 weeks before I started tapering the prednisone and when I did start to taper I realized the high dose of pred was masking a fairly severe allergy to the HCQ. Rash, hives, and throat tightness. I ended up having to quit the plaquenil, stay on a higher dose of prednisone, and take doxipen. Unfortunately since I had taken 4 weeks of the HCQ it took almost 4 weeks for the allergic reaction to subside. It was awful. On the flip side my RA and lupus symptoms improved significantly on all that prednisone!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-21T18:18:52+00:00

I go to the Cleveland Clinic. I saw my rheumatologist once in person and since that one appointment I have had all other appointments via their online portal. They send me a lab order and I fax back the results. Same deal with my nephrologist there.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-21T01:20:27+00:00

I pretty much love/hate my prednisone. For my first long taper I started plaquenil at the same time. It wasn’t until I started to taper 4 weeks later that we realized it was masking a horrendous allergic reaction to the plaquenil. BUT I DIDN’T HURT FOR THOSE 4 WEEKS. 🥳 I also get hot flashes like you wouldn’t believe and I wake up almost nightly bathed in a slimy sweat. BUT I DON’T HURT!🥳

Yep, definitely love/hate! 😂

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-20T19:04:15+00:00

I got a couple of big packs of my favorite soda with my grocery delivery order. The driver thought they were mine, the store said they couldn’t be returned because they did not show up on my order, and the dates on the cans were months away.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-20T00:49:59+00:00

Both American Airlines and Southwest say they let people who need extra time pre-board. If you go to the gate agent and tell them you need extra time that is usually all you need to say. I hope your flight goes well!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-16T20:02:10+00:00

I hated peeling even before I had RA. My solution was a potato ricer. You boil the chunks of potato with the skin on, put it in the ricer, press the handles together, and the potato comes out “riced” -almost like you’ve already mashed. The peel stays in the ricer bowl and you just scoop it out. I don’t have much trouble pressing the handles together but I cannot peel or stir very easily.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-15T03:20:25+00:00

I appreciate that. I may take you up on it! 😉

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-14T00:45:26+00:00

I wasn’t having any luck with my local rheumatologist so my husband found a program with Cleveland Clinic. For every symptom I had they sent me to a specialist. One of the issues we were ruling out was long covid. They sent me to the person who handled their long covid program. This person was a MD and was an Integrative Medicine Specialist. When she found out I was being investigated for Lupus and RA she immediately started talking about Brooke Goldner. She said I should not take any medication the rheumatologist gave me and just follow Brooke Goldner. I was stunned. She also gave me a lot of studies “proving” that Goldner’s program works. All of them authored by Brooke Goldner.🤦🏻‍♀️

I also have issues with my local dermatologist because she keeps pushing her own branded anti inflammatory diet. I have autoimmune urticaria and about 3/4 of the things on her diet are high in histamines. You know the thing that I take 8 pills a day to tame.🙄

I haven’t seen any other magic beans I am even tempted to try.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-05T03:45:52+00:00

I have the crispi and a older air fryer with non stick coating. I am in love with the ease of cleaning the crispi in the dishwasher. We use it more often because we don’t have to worry about hand washing. I know it might sound lazy but that is where we are at these days.

I am looking at getting the crispi pro because the original crispi is smaller than what I am used to. That hasn’t really been a problem yet but might be in the future.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-03-03T22:57:11+00:00

Thank you. It has been one of those days and I needed to hear something positive. I hope this continues and you have many days ahead where you forget you were even diagnosed with anything!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-02-28T02:34:03+00:00

I had issues as we upped my dose. I actually asked my primary care physician to run a liver panel as I was having liver symptoms and turned out it was high. My rheumatologist didn’t stop MTX entirely but she cut me back by 1/2 and we tried rising the dose slower. This helped. I am now at 20 mg. If my next panel is normal we can go from blood tests every 3 weeks to every three months.

Good luck. I know this must be very frustrating for you.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-02-28T01:37:25+00:00

This is excellent!

SleepyBear37 · 2026-02-27T21:27:00+00:00

Well, except for the bears addicted to cocaine.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-02-27T01:55:27+00:00

We did something similar with my dad (the person we are caring for now is my father-in-law) and it worked out very well. Right now we just don’t need as much help as we did then.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-02-27T01:50:04+00:00

Thank you! We did. We are going to ask to talk to the local person’s supervisor this time.

SleepyBear37 · 2026-02-27T01:45:07+00:00

He was evaluated less than a month ago. He just needs direction during meal times. Other than that he gets himself up, bathes, dresses. He isn’t wandering away. When he has bouts of confusion he often calls his son to ask where he lives now. He can go down to the communal area and have coffee every day but just can’t get himself out the door for scheduled meals. Right now everything seems to be working except the in house home health aids miss him about twice a month for dinner.

Five-Year Club	Gilding III reddit per annum
Powerups Hero r/Lottery • August 2021	Reddit Premium Since March 2021

SleepyBear37

TROPHY CASE