Showing posts with label Plaquenil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plaquenil. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

BEFORE anyone with LUPUS, RA & other Illnesses that require Plaquenil Daily!




BEFORE anyone with LUPUS, RA & other Illnesses that require Plaquenil Daily!

Article from Arthritis Foundation






Please read & pass along!!


Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) Shortage Causing Concern

Possible use of arthritis drug for COVID-19 symptoms causes access challenges for people with arthritis.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Hand X-Rays Show the severe damage of Long Term Inflammation, Pseudo-gout & Chondrocalcinosis & More...,

After weeks of waiting due to mostly the COVID-19 Virus pandemic, I FINALLY got the copies of my Radiology Reports on the X-rays of my Left and Right Hands...


                                      So Here is the "NOT SO GREAT NEWS...


Well after (not very patiently awaiting) my Radiology reports on my hands.. as I figured the news is NOT great on my left hand...much like "gout" and "pseudo-gout" (which the pseudo-gout is one thing wrong".. I have chondrocalcinosis (calcification within cartilage) found which indicate long term inflammation..( I suspected for years I almost constantly had inflammation in the left hand especially between my joints in most of my fingers) from the RA and probably osteoarthritis also. That calcification is caused also by a build up of crystallization from certain minerals in the synovial fluid between the joints and I have a narrowing between most of them but the base of my thumb and my wrist under my thumb is moderate to severe from the X-rays and Exams by my PCP, Rheumy and Orthopedic surgeon. My Right hand also has much of the same, but it is not as bad as the left one is. Same thing the crystals that are causing the cartilage to calcify rather than be "like softer cartilage like your outer ear for example)" as it should be. There is no "treatment" really. I cannot take NSAID's other than aspirin, and Motrin, etc... the prescription doses is what would possibly help is anything. I am on all of the medications they use, unless we change and go over to another biologic.. I am on Enbrel right now.. along with Plaquenil, prednisone small daily dose, the Enbrel, Methotrexate (which if I do not get ill with an infection they can increase my dose on this), the BC Powder, Colcrys (which I found out can be increased also but it's the latest one so I am sure they are making sure I do not have any side effects first).. what concerns me, is that this may be also what is effecting my lower back and hips also. It does tend to go to those as well as the feet.. About the only thing that would possibly be the answer would be hand surgery..especially on the thumb, and where this cartilage is getting hard... This of course is chronic and will not get better, only worse as time goes by.. unless we have a miracle.. Right now the miracle needs to be for the COVID-19 virus. It was honestly a bit better than I expected.. I felt with the way my fingers are bending and trying to twist on my left hand it would show to be worse. Going to and already does.. make very hard for me to don anything with my hands and fingers..type, open anything, zip anything, you name it, it either is impossible for me to do or hurts like hell to do it. Until this Pandemic is cleared where I can see my PCP, Rheumy etc.. I will not have any answers, but at least now I DO know (THANKS TO MY PCP for sending me the reports and explaining them)  HE is my lifeline... so all I can do is read more on this & pray all of this Pandemic clears up and PEOPLE can get well, stay well, and try to get back to some type of "good new normal".. although my stuff is certainly not good, right now at this moment, I am not ill with the other and praying I don't and everyone in our town, county, nation and world gets well.. I have to admit I was quite upset when I read these reports.. even though I knew what they would probably say... but life goes on and so shall I. My prayers to EVERYONE!!! Stay In, Stay Well, & let's keep HOPE ALIVE!!!


Sunday, March 22, 2020

Coronavirus, Climate Change, and the Environment - Harvard C-Change

03/20/2020 | Harvard C-CHANGEA Conversation on COVID-19 with Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Director of Harvard C-CHANGE


https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/news/coronavirus-climate-change-and-the-environment/

Below are some of the most common questions we have been receiving in relation to the environment and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
"This page will continue to be updated as new information arises. If you would like to talk to someone at our center about coronavirus, please email us at cchange-media@hsph.harvard.edu..."

(Lots of great information in this article.) And for further articles and information see my Daily Newspaper...

An Autoimmune Arthritic Systemic Life    by Rhia Steele

Life Chronic Pain & Autoimmune Systemic Diseases & Dementia®

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

FIRST YOU AND DIRECT SUN! My Week has been NUTS!!!! Between bill pay day, the heat, errands, and trying to get the #2 house painted... I thought I would say hello...and tell you a couple of things.

Our "fortunate" temps BELOW that 3 digit mark are about over... the next 15 days or more show 100 plus degrees... so since it is just the 3rd of August, I can say I feel lucky, it could have been a month ago, BUT I HATE this kind of heat! My skin feels like hot burning coals are on it, just having my arm in this type of weather. Between the Lupus, and then the Prednisone, and other meds that effect my skin, I cannot take over a moment or two in direct sunlight.... again though we are fortunate :)




http://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/today/Ennis,TX,United-States/we-city-32.329,-96.624?iso=US


And SPEAKING OF SKIN, AND HOT SUNNY WEATHER - You Guys and gals out there with ANY OF THESE SKIN ISSUES, ILLNESSES, MEDICATIONS (Lots of meds can make you very vunerable to a burn within moments - many of your "tetracycline antibiotics", many of our blood pressure meds, and if you read your labels and look your meds up, they will give you a huge warning about sun!!!!!


So, be safe! I know I "try" to do anything outside, either before the sun arises, or after it is down below my tree lines, BUT today, I went over to house#2 and had to water some of the plants I've put out... and I could not avoid the sun TOTALLY... and it honestly felt as if my skin was on fire, just letting my arms be in and out within seconds!!! So, sunblock!!! and/or all ways you can protect yourself... my years of going out to the lake and tanning when my kids were little, or mowing my lawn in my bathing suit top and shorts, are long gone.....

 

Here is a partial list of the many medications and lots of information about medications, sun, and what you should do and NOT do!

http://www.medicinenet.com/sun-sensitive_drugs_photosensitivity_to_drugs/page3.htm