Ok so today is October 19, 2017. I have been thinking of starting a pen and paper thingy of my journey with Sjogrens, however, I keep hearing my daughter tell me to write in on here, so here I go again, attempting this word press site. I am thinking I’ll learn it if I spend more time with it.
Today, I feel great, my throat is a little dry, I have to get my humidifier out soon as the air is getting cooler, and more dry. I also only have electric heat so that’s not a good thing either.
Yesterday I took my 8 pill of methotrexate (2.5mg each) which I take once a week and is given a 30 day supply then do a blood test to check my levels, so far so good on the tests. Also every morning I take1 Folic Acid (1mg) along with 1 Hydroxychlor (200mg) and every evening I take 1 Hydroxychlor (200 mg). That’s a lot of darn pills for someone who thought she’d never be on any type of medicine and mindful that she never thought she’d be on pills for the rest of her life (yes me). It was tramatizing for me when I learned this but still have going to see about weaning myself off this and look at more natural remedies, but hey, breathing is a necessity to me 🙂 Prior to being on pills, which I”ve been on now since February 2016. Since taking these pills, I can breathe easier, I haven’t really had any mucus build up and not having to wake up fearing if I was going to die due to not being able to breath @ 3AM.It was pretty scarey for me a few times, being awake at 3AM feeling a tightness in my throat, then having to get up and steam the mucus free. I also have dry eyes, my throat gets dry and every now and then my body used to ache, but all symptoms I could handle. yesterday and the few days prior, my body was hurting, I was waking up a few times a night hurting but I refused to take anything for the hurt. I’ve always been a believer that my body can fix itself without the help of pills and have always refused Tylenol, Ibuprofin and all that other stuff they say will help, instead I try the mind over matter Path and get myself in a quiet place even for 15 minutes or whatever I can get and work on myself that way, meditation along with mind over matter techniques to help get beyond the issue is something I’ve done for a while. When my son Michael was about 5 (he is now 32)and he had a migraine, my baby was sick! I talked with him, he was on the couch and I told him of mind over matter and how I do it. I asked him to try. I also had my hand on his head (little did I know I was doing Reiki on him as well- I never even heard of the word at that time). My son, by the next day after sleeping said he felt better. That afternoon, he was feeling a little sick again, so he laid on the couch and he tried the mind over matter again and he said “MOM IT WORKS!” I”ll remember that day always. As far as I know my son has not had a migraine since that day and I’m assuming he still does the mind over matter. I”ll have to ask him.
Anyway back to my Sjogren’s blog. Since I’ve been on pills (February 2016) my activity level has gone to minus zero! I fear I’ve turned into a couch potato or a chair potato and a workaholic! So being I’m home for a few days, I’ve decided to watch my food intake and start walking. I have been trying to walk at least half a mile this week, I missed a day or 2 but onward I go!. I have gained about 30 pounds since February 2016 so its’ time to back on some kind of fitness journey as well.
Info on my pills are the plaquinel and folic acid run me about 75 every 3 months and the methotrexate costs me about 11 bux every month, this is with my blue cross and blue shield plan from work. I’m getting close to retiring within 10 years or so at least, then I’ll have to move my health care to IHS on the Rez as there won’t be a way for me to pay 500 + every 3 months and 100 a month for my other meds for sjogrens..
One thing I’ve read was that people with sjogren’s are supposed to take it easy and not tire themselves out, that is something I’m going to have to work on as I don’t know how to relax for too long 😀
Today I feel pretty good, I have my daughter Chele, my grandbaby Cal and Deztiny home, the sun is shining and it feels good to just rest and relax.
Have a good day Everyone!
Gwen's Sjogren's Journey 