Feeling Soooo low

[winnie27]

I havn't been on the site for a while, i know it may sound weird but i hate to read about how much others are suffering. I have bee trying to think it would all go away, but it doesn't. I've been on Methotrexate for about 15 weeks and was doing well.Then about 6 weeks ago bloods went crasy and i felt ill so started Salfazaline and steroids. I had started to feel better and now i have got a chest infection. My GP prescribed antibiotic but i didn't know i should have stopped Methotrexate whilst on them. I feel so low and i am due to work tomorrow and Saturday night and i honestly don't know how i'm going to do it. I am tryig so hard to keep things normal and carry on but i am so tired and just feel so weepy. I hate feelinng like this. I would really appreciate some advice, do i try and work or do i see GP. I am so scared i will loose my job as i have already lost quite a bit of time. I am scared that if i loose my job no-one else wil employ me. I'm sorry to moan, but nobody understands why i am so tired and pathetic xx

[justlizz]

Sorry you are feeling so low im not much better than you but trying to look forward to summer and I hope a bit of sunshine if your Dr has not said to stop mtx I would continue to take it but if worried phone GP or chemist they should help as for work if Dr signs you off they cannot get rid of you

hope you feel better soon

lizz

[winnie27 in reply to justlizz]

Thank you Liz, I know you are right. It is hard because some days are good and I think I should just carry on as normal and then the bad days come and I can't carry on. I hope you are o.k., have you had RA for long?

[justlizz in reply to winnie27]

hi winnie first told 15/20yrs ago but had no real trouble till 18mnths ago was at the hosp today they increased mtx to 25mg and 5mg steroids to try and get it under control also on hydroxy going back in 4 weeks as i hope to go on holiday mid may for 6 weeks he will give me jab of steroids to help me on my way but when i look back to 18mnths ago i am a lot better but not fully my hands dont work i think it is worse becouse now out of the funk and want to do things BUT cant because of my stupid hands

take care

and start planning for the summer

lizz

[Hidden]

I think this weather idnt helping any of us!!, take Lizzs advice x

[flaxton]

Hi

sorry you are feeling so bad I would see your gp and get signed off from work. You must take care of you, so you don't make yourself worse, Difficult I know when you are so poorly.

Good luck

Hugs and love

Lorraine x

[winnie27]

Hi,

Thank you so much for your kind replies. I'm sorry I moaned, I was having a low moment!

I know it is bad for everyone at the moment, the weather definitely makes the joints click. I just hope that we get the good Summer you are meant to get after a bad Winter.

[Hidden]

I don't see what's wrong with moaning! Better out than in!

Assuming you started mtx soon after diagnosis it looks like you've not had RA long & anything you can do now to allow yourself to rest, adjust to the drugs and shake off the chest infection could pay off further down the line.

It's a lot to take on and to take in whilst working so honestly a bit more time off could be just what you need to keep going more happily - a bit of an investment in a way.

Rest up and try not to worry - I think we are all dreaming of fine weather & hopefully it won't be too long in coming!

Luce xx

[Hidden]

Hello Winnie, sorry to hear you are feeling bad and I agree with Luce, keep complaining, I do all the time and it does make me feel better. Are you taking the anti inflammatories and pain killers as well. I am on both sulpha and metx, same as you but only on the metx about 8 weeks now but I thought it would have kicked in by now. I was going to suggest steroids but i think that would be out of the question til you get rid of the chest infection but do go and see the gp and try and get some relief.

[Hidden]

Winnie sorry you are suffering. I know that it did take ages and got worse before it got better with the MTX for me. But when it works it is amazing - maybe around the 12 week mark for me but not properly for 6 months. I'm having a break just now because of side effects (to see what's causing what) but I am pretty sure that the combination of Hydroxy and injectable MTX got me into remission. If you are finding it's not working then it may be worth asking to switch to injectable MTX because this made a big difference to my ESR and I've been told it's significantly more effecting by a rheumy I saw in January. Hang in there and keep pushing for the right combination of drugs but also be patient and expect them to work for you. I would see your GP about getting more time off work but I'm self employed so not really the best person to advise on this score. Tilda x

[lynn-bel]

Hi and sorry things are getting on top of you! I take 20mg mtx a week and wasnt aware of not taking it if I'm on antibiotics, double check that with your GP. Get him to sign you off, you cant be fired for being sick. If you are still worried about the job, can you take holiday days off so that they cant come back at you for being sick? Where i worked we had a Union so were protected against this, but how about you? As far as I know it is illegal to fire someone for being sick!

I could moan for England so dont feel bad about a bit of a winge! AsTilda says, better out than in.

I will be upbeat now and say that we have some sunshine today, cold but sunny. Hubby is off to cut the grass and I will be out soon taking daughter and grandson on a "Bunny Hunt" at one of our local garden centres! The walk round will do me good,I keep telling myself.

Some meds dont work for everyone! Sulfazal. didnt suit me at all - bad reaction to it, but mtx suits me. Definitly go see your GP and write down allyour concerns and questions beforehand so you dont forget anything. Wherever you work should understand but get signed off, then you are covered.

Stay positive (easier said than doen i know) and ALWAYS come to us if you need to winge - of everyone, we are the ones who understand.

Lynn xxx

[nottsexsportfanatic]

Hi Winnie

So sorry you feel so low, I can sympathise as I felt exactly the same when I was first diagnosed. Everyone says stay positive but when you hear us all whinging it can sometimes be hard to stay positive. My daughter used to try to keep me off here in the early days - but she didnt understand how comforting it was to know I was not alone in what I was going through. So keep blogging - it really does help to get things off your chest and realise others understand you.

Re your chest infection and time off I would follow the advice from those above and go see your GP for sick note. I had a throat infection at Christmas and folk on here suggested I go gp - I ignored it and just kept going (just using difflam from chemist) - it resulted in a really bad flare, so now if I feel ill and have signs of an infection I think of myself and give myself time off work so I can get better far quicker than if I end up fully flared. I have learnt my lesson the hard way, now I will listen to advice of those on here who have often had this illness for longer so have more experience than I do.

Hope you feel better soon - gentle hugs

Tina

[Nantucket]

I can sympathize so much, I have started with a chest infection last Thursday and got antibiotics. I am on humari and the doctor said not to take it till i have finished the antibiotics. I feel so ill probably my immune system was low so it makes it harder to fight off, also the antibiotics make you feel rough. It feels good to know you are not on your own that is why this is a great site, hope you feel better soon, Carole

[Hidden]

Hi Winnie,

I'm so sorry you are feeling so poorly at the moment. I agree with the advice you already have which is to go back to your GP as you are clearly not yet ready to return to work.

If it's any consolation at all, there is a particularly nasty bug going around at the moment and I know of several people who have thought they were over it and then gone down with it again and had to take another course of antibiotics.

The trouble is that when we get these infections we are more apologetic about them because we already view ourselves as being less employable than others because of our RA.

What you have to remember, however, is that, in this particular case, you are just the same as so many other, non-RA people who wouldn't think twice about taking the time off that they need to recover from this nasty infection.

Treat yourself as kindly as they would. Take care, hope you feel better soon.

Judy xx

[winnie27]

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I am truely overwhelmed by your kind words. It has definately helped me, just knowing you are not on your own makes such a difference. I have not gone to work tonight and have said i won't be in on Saturday either. I feel bad letting work down but i have got no energy and i would really struggle working the 12 hour night shift. I am beginning to think that nights are not a good idea. I go to work then spend 2 days in bed recovering and then back to work and on it goes. My family life is non existent and i have no energy to go out. My Husband and daughter are brilliant but i think they are getting fed up with me always being tired. I hope with the Methotrexate, Sulfasaline (can't remember spelling) and oral steroids i should start to get over this. I send all my love and appreciation to you all x

[Hidden in reply to winnie27]

Nights really take it out of you Winnie. I know this because my husband is a night social care worker and he only works 2 or 3 nights a week but it gives him sinus problems and he's always on the back foot with his sleep and his health. Last night he worked and today he had to deal with a builder and a plumber while I was out when he was meant to be sleeping. Maybe just because he's a man but he couldn't bring himself to say that he was off a nightshift so I came home and found he'd got himself into all sorts of scrapes - saying the wrong thing and not being able to put two words together right! If you have any choice about your hours then I really would try not to work at night if possible. And definitely take a few nights off while you are getting over this nasty bug. Tilda xx

[sarah1967]

Hi sorry to hear you are so poorly ,i know to well how you feel its just awful, when i used to take the methotrexate if i was on antibiotics my doctor always told me to stop taking them until i had finished the course. But as with RA , doctors , rhuemy ppl treatment they all say different things depending on where you live there bugets. hope you feel better soon.

sarah

x

[dannyt]

Hi Winnie just a quick mail to let you know that rheumatoid arthritis is covered by the disability discrimination act and your employer should be aware of this. If I were you looking forward I would join a trade union who will advise and assist you against any action from your employer. I would echo the advice already given in that your health has to come first and wish you all the best hope this helps a little.