Now about a month & 3 weeks taking the Plaquenil (200mg) 2 a day. I'm beginning to feel the side effects. The bad itching, hives, I get hot then really cold. My heart aches and it seems to make me more weak after when that happens. I took two 81 mg aspirins that seemed to help with the chest pain but it takes awhile. I get the red rash on my face when I feel a flare coming then I start to feel better as it goes away. I also notice my vocabulary stumbles on words that I say and come out all wrong. I think the thought but the words I use are incorrect which I hate, it makes me feel like I'm dumb. I forget things, like my bank PIN#, my alarm code at home or sometimes even where I am going. It's not all the time just random times. My vision has gotten a little blurry that now I need to wear my glasses right away when it starts to get dark. I get bruised easier that I don't know how I got them or when. My hands get real cold and hurt, I seem to make fists a lot but it hurts that I have to force my hands to stay open and flat especially when I sleep at night. I have been sleeping a lot more, I could sleep all day if I let myself but I force myself to get up because if I lay down all day my body hurts more and my joints are sore from not moving around. I don't think I am that sensitive to the sun as others. I don't intentionally lay out in the sun but I don't put hats or sunscreen on and I seem to be okay after a little while being in the sun probably because I am brown skinned. When I have a sudden flare I lose my appetite, I find it hard to swallow and I have lost all my energy. I just want to get home and lie down, then after 3-4 hours, I'll feel a little better. I don't seem to have much control of my body with the flares, they control me. The only thing I can control is taking my medications every day morning and night and making myself get up to go to work or make myself breakfast to make sure I ate at least once that day. I give myself the time to rest and sleep as much as I can so I can last the week at work. Right now my hand is starting to hurt from holding this pen to write. (from old journals I wrote with pen on paper)
I feel I have been taken away from things I liked to do but I'm thankful that I got to experience them. It's like going blind not but at least I got to see colors, I got to see my kids, a rainbow. I got to travel to sunny places, I rode my bike for miles on the beach and enjoyed the days in the sun. I have no regrets. My life will need to be at a slower pace now but I am okay with that. I've danced, I've ran around, I've enjoyed the company of my family and friends. Now I just need to slow down and take care of myself. I am not afraid though of whatever is to happen. I have always had a great faith in God and either here on earth or in heaven, I know that he is always by my side.
Next Dr appointment in July with my new Rhemutologist, Dr. M. No bad dreams anymore just really tired.
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