Poor Doctor!!!

[allanah]

Hi all

Well if you remember in my quest to e my own "champion " of my own illness!! I sat outside my poor Rheumies door until he finished a meeting and demanded i see him when i got that awful flare two weeks ago. Well the steroid jab he gave me has been amazing and I managed to get away for the half term and had a lovely time, used sticks and a motorised scooter at one point cos i WAS TIRED BUT STILL did IT!!

Anyway he said he would see me at10 am on his first day back after his holiday, his wife must hate me as I din't know his holiday started after this meeting and he's faced with me outside the door in floods of tears !!

So I was a little embarrassed to see him yesterday all my brave "championess" had gone by then!!! However I needn't have worried. I got the best 10 mins of advice I have had since I got this illness 18 month ago! He swapped my Enbrel to Humira, he increased my arava and said something strange but lovely and reassuring. He said I had a really difficult to treat type of RA and said " this disease does not only affect the joints, it affect your whole body and your soul" looking me straight in the eye, and for that moment I knew he really understood everything. He promised me he would not give up until I was comfortable and that i would not be allowed to end up crippled like the other members of the family had in the past as the treatments are so much better now. wow!!

I know these are big statements but it seemed they were heartfelt and I am now reassured that they are trying everything for me to help with this disease.

So I trust him more but I will still telephone and stand outside the door if I ever need to again cos the results of that have been so good!!!

Hope u all keeping warm and out of the rain. Lots of love

Axxx

[sylvi]

Oh Allanah, i am so pleased for you. It takes a strong woman to do what you did,well done girl. sylvi.xxx

[allanah in reply to sylvi]

Thanks Sylvie, I think it was more desperation than strength but thanks!! Axx

[Hidden]

Well done Allanah,

Nice that you seem to have a doctor that cares.

Glad you managed to enjoy half term too.

Mary x

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

Ye all seems good at the moment Mary, Just hope this lot of treatment will be the stuff to get the pain sorted. Thanks Axx

[sciqueen]

Hi

Well done you, you little fighter! I think you can soldier on if you know that your rheumy consultant is on board with you. Really proud of you.

Hopefully with the changes to your regime, you will notice a difference and get on better i.e have better management of your disease.

Hopefully more good times ahead in your retirement!!!

Take care,

Jx

[allanah]

AArtgh, do you think for a change the doctor might sue me for harassment !!! lol Axx

[allanah]

Ye, Sci, well i suppose thats why I was so fed up, cos after 15 month of no relief from this pain I got ready for a fight! I am so hoping when I start the new biological it has an effect on my stubborn RA.

But for all of you starting on your RA journey its not always like that!! Lots of people just need the first drug that they get and it really helps....I just have to be awkward!!!! Just ask my hubby !

Lots of love Axx

[helixhelix]

Oh that's so good! And what a good result frmom beng brave too. Really hope that the change of drugs does it for you, and controls your stubborn RA v quickly. Pollyx

[allanah in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks Polly

I do feel I need a holiday from it all! so a bit of REAL relief now would be good, what have you heard about Humira? I know you are good on research items, Axx

[helixhelix in reply to allanah]

From what I've read there's not a huge difference as both are anti-TNF, but as ever it comes down to which suits you better. Humira is a bit newer, and I think you take it less often which could be nice for you, and lots of people seems to think particularly useful if you have iritis as well. The biggest difference the way they're made as I think Enbrel is derived from mice, and Humira isn't. But by the time it's all synthesised into chemicals there's not much between them. Px

[allanah in reply to helixhelix]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Well thats reassuring especially if it tackles the eye problems more as well. I'm gonna go on the links here and read up about it now.

And cross fingers (if u can!!!) that this is the one for me..sigh. Axx

[Hidden]

You really are an inspiration to all of us Allanah! I am going to write a blog about me being brave today too - it is necessary and it gets things achieved but I have to say your rheumy sounds amazing! Tilda x

[allanah in reply to Hidden]

ooooh I'm going to your blog now, but yes I think i'm lucky with my rheumy nurses and the Doc, Axx

[Gina_K]

Alannah,

So pleased for you, I am doing extremely well on humira, so I hope it will be the same for you. Remember to get injection to body temp half hour out of fridge. Painless generally do not inject straight from fridge!

Your rheumy sounds great, affects the soul is so true.

Anyway good luck, and as the ad says ' rediscover life'.

Xx Gina.

[allanah]

Thanks Gina, I really really hope this is the one after so long, but just have to see how it goes, thanks for the thoughts (())) Axx