last mtx

[vdub]

And, yet another new (old) development. My local docs have poo-pooed the mayo finding and believe they simply didn't have enough of the complex 7-yr details. So the majority opinion is that, yes, I do have wegs, but it is in remission. My PCP said regardless of not having a positive ANCA, the other evidence simply can't be ignored. So, hooray for remission and double-hooray for no more mtx. My last single, insignificant mtx pill was taken this morning. It's been 7 years of mtx almost to the day -- I started the regimen in Apr2010.

As for the fibromyalgia.... doc says "bunk". I have to agree with that. I had been trained on how to lessen the pain from fibromyalgia and I've done none of that stuff, yet, the pain is generally subsiding. My only remaining pain is in my legs which is being chaulked up to restless leg syndrome. The symptoms and the way it responds to the proper drugs are spot on.

Everyone, my docs and me, agree that my paralyzed diaphragm was simply the luck of the draw and nothing to do with any other ailment I might have. It just happened. Really a bummer, too! You'd be surprised how nice it is to have to lungs when you want to do some heavy lifting or hard work, especially when the heavy lifting is at 4,700' like my cabin is.

I believe a big part of my problem was simply being over-medicated over the course of 7 years. I'm now cutting the drugs (especially pain drugs) back by about a third. My current count is 15 different drugs/day, which is down from a high of 21.

I believe I am getting things in well enough order such that we will be able to go RV'ing this fall. The goal, of course, is to be able to live life the way we want regardless of this crazy disease that afflicts each of us. And, yes Geoff, that includes coming back to England for a long stay.

[vdub]

Things are still on track to reduce the number of drugs I take. I'm now off the opiates and don't have anymore withdrawal symptoms. I'm still having pain, but I'm refusing to go back to hydrocodone unless its the last possible option. The current pain seems to be from neuropathy, but no one knows for sure yet. I'm now on pregabalin, which is kind of a super gabbapentin. I think its working, but the pain is only partially controlled.

[Pete]

I hope you can find effective pain relief. Are you still on target to go RVing this fall?

[vdub]

I hope you can find effective pain relief. Are you still on target to go RVing this fall?

That's my goal. I guess everyone has to have a goal. The reason I wanted off the hydrocodone so badly was because the gov't has made it darned hard to get and that in and of itself would have prevented us from going around the country this winter. At the moment, we are scheduled to head to CA (bay area) in Oct and then on to El Centro (Blue Angles winter training ground, so watch them every afternoon), then Yuma, and east to TX, LA, etc. I hope it works out.

[Girly3800]

My husband found that Flexeril worked better than gabapentin for his neuropathy. And it has no side effects for him.