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The Joints are Doing Great (Cause Something Has to Be)!

Two blog post in one week, what is this craziness? I thought since my joints are why I started this blog I should give an update.

It's funny how this past month I have been sicker than I have ever been. I even spent a week in the hospital and added the possibility of a new diagnosis. I can not tell you the last time I ran but I am pretty sure it was the week I got home from school, like two months ago. I had actually been running about tree times a week for a while (thats something I certainly never thought I would say). Between not getting even half my caloric needs and increasing dizzy spells I am pretty sure running and any form of cardio would only lead to me fainting. I am getting side track but I will circle back around I promise!

So where I last left off I believe was off Sulfasalazine to see if that would help my stomach, but it didn't. I was off is for about a month. Shortly after starting it again my joints flared (including my neck to add in a new one). I called my Rheumy and she decided to do a trial of steroids to see if the pain was Enthesitis or AMPS. So I did a 12 day burst of prednisone and it was amazing. As I dwindled my dose down the pain crept back up on me. My Rheumy ordered an MRI of my left knee to see if there was inflammation, but it kept getting pushed off in favor of my pressing GI issues.

A month after the prednisone burst (and about two months after restarting sulfasalazine) was when I was in the hospital and noticed I had no joint pain. Ironically this is also when I finally managed to get an MRI done. Mind you I have not ran in months so I really have to chalk this all up to sulfasalazine! My joints feel better than they have in my memory, probably since I was ten. I really never thought I would be at this point. I am excited for my next rheumatology appointment and not because I am in so much pain that I want a change in treatment, I am excited to let my doctor know how great I feel! I am also thinking about asking to try and wean off celebrex! (That would mean no more regular blood test!!!)
Top is my knees last summer and the bottom is my knees now!



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