Time to Taper

Well this blog is late, but better late than never, right!?  I feel like most people who run late (which is commonly me) say that to make themselves feel better, meaning more or less like "bitch I could have not come at all".  haha BUT I do have good reasoning behind it so let me jump right into what has been going on in my neck of the woods.

So Easter came and went and I decided to cook and bake and all that good stuff and there went my fingers.  They were completely blown up more than I have ever seen before to the point where I couldn't make a fist or wear my rings.  And it just went to shit from there honestly. Joint pain on another level, had to take off of work, and then the side of my face started to swell and throb.  That I believe is the Sjogren's coming out to play.  So all in all I had a bout of a mini flare. I could have called the doctor and did a small round of steroids but I am a trooper (or I am trying to be) and the less of the roids the better. I got through it and then I had to fly out to San Diego for a week for work. Thankfully no flaring there and I was able to get through a really good work week with just the regular fatigue.

Now I am home and had my second meeting with my doctor today who was able to go through my blood work with me in person. Today he said after looking through it, I really lean more towards Lupus than anything else. Apparently the CCP IgG test came back normal and for someone who has Rheumatoid Arthritis, that level is usually positive.  However all Lupus tests came back positive and with high numbers, which more or less means either I still have MCTD leaning more towards Lupus or just full blown Lupus.  WHO THE HELL KNOWS. Regardless, he said it doesn't look bad, we already know that there's autoimmune issues within me - lets figure out what the steps are to get off the methotrexate.

Now the last doctor I had was having me go cold turkey - just STOP the medication and lets see. Which after reading, this may work for some people though not the recommended way. This new doctor is having me taper.  I usually take 10 tablets a week (spread between two days), which is the highest amount anyone can take for metho. So next week we go to 8 tablets. I'll do that for some time and then take blood work.  More or less I will be tapering and getting blood work and tapering and getting blood work.. and keep doing this until I am completely off.  He also gave me a steroid script just in case I start to flare but we are crossing our fingers and hoping for the best that I will never have to use it.

Note: the methotrexate comes out of the body quickly maybe like 3-4 weeks he said.. the reason you wait 3-6 months is for you to develop healthy eggs without any trace of the medication. Good to know. Makes sense.  I wouldn't want to even remotely try till I am back from my honeymoon which is in November and make sure I don't get the Zika. Then we can hopefully have some fun trying for a mini me baby.

I also showed him my knee which I feel has been acting up here and there and now has been sort of clicking and you know what he told me? I need to strengthen my knees, try some squats.  Like TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW.  My ass has been asking for that for years. Pshhh...

So on the to do list for next week? 8 pills, and the gym.  😩  In all seriousness, I do need to up the yoga and stuff now that I am tapering.  I have been using an acupressure mat that my girlfriend got me and I lay it on the floor and lay down on it for like 30 minutes.  It helps.  I also started to sleep on a heating pad which has more or less changed my life.  Heat therapy = THE BEST. At least for me it is.  Don't knock it till ya try it.

I will keep writing weekly now.. let the tapering begin. yey!