New Year's Eve / RA Update

I must be a pretty dull old bugger to some, but I feel no desire for revelry. I'm Alcohol Free today and am pleased to be not drinking on New Year's Eve, a first in decades. I would be in bed now were it not for this post. I feel no inspiration to write, but am doing so because it seems appropriate, the last evening of 2014, to record my state of mind and physical health.

It was January this year when first exhibited the Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms which presented and were diagnosed as polymyalgia by my GP in late February I think. Treatment with cortisone got me fairly pain free but my inflammation readings from my blood tests remained high and when we reduced the cortisone dose the pain returned. GP sent me to specialist who diagnosed the RA, this now was September. He prescribed an immune system suppressant drug, methotrexate (MT), which had little initial impact for the first six weeks, in fact I was worse with severe pain in the foot after taking the tablet each week (once a week dose). The MT is supposed to prevent the RA escalating and reduce the inflammation and prevent the joints degenerating. Initially I had to take increased cortisone to reduce this pain which I was not happy about as long term cortisone use has definite adverse side effects which is why I was prescribed MT, that is, it is safer with less side effects over the long term.

The specialist at the mid October consultation increased my MT dose, and told me to keep taking the cortisone as well, until the MT began to work properly which can take months. At my mid December appointment my blood tests showed reduced inflammation levels at last and doctor reduced my cortisone dose, to be further reduced in mid January, then my next appointment is mid Feb. It looks like things are moving in the right direction and I have some optimism that I will be able to function well through 2015 and into the future. Along the way in 2014 the stiffness and pain was first in my legs and buttocks but shifted to my shoulders where it has been worst, but also neck and ribs and back. The MT has a number of possible side effects which are not common such as nausea and vomiting and hair loss, none of which I have had, and long term increased potential for damage to the liver especially with heavy alcohol use, and increased risk of melanoma and lung cancer so the advice is to wear a hat, long sleeves, and sunscreen, and to give up smoking if one does, which I don't having given up in 1990.

I have followed the advice to reduce my alcohol intake, and therefore have 4 AF days a week as a rule. My liver function tests which are standard procedure when on MT have been normal, so I have relaxed a bit Fri- Sun and drink quite normally rather than just a couple of glasses a night as I did for the first six weeks. I'm hoping liver will still be fine at next Feb appointment.

The good thing is that I have started my morning walks again these last few days, not early as I would like but I'll start earlier as I feel better first thing. The weather has been kind with mild temperatures and we've had fairly regular rain and the world looks beautiful to me. Everything looks more beautiful when I walk because the mind focuses in the present without distraction and you can look around and up to the clouds and down to the earth and be alert to all the noises of nature like the birds and the breeze in the leaves and the branches and all the scents that are there if we are open to them.

Five minutes to midnight, no fireworks to scare Pip yet. I'll close before midnight and wish you all a safe and prosperous 2015. I'm full of optimism and hope. There they go, bang bang whoosh. Bye.