A few days ago, my elbow blew up. It swelled like a balloon for no particular reason. I then took something from the freezer and my fingertips turned bright red. I didn’t hold the thing for long. I was surprised. Where does this come from? Change of seasons? I’ve not been particularly stressed.
Various symptoms flared up. I became exhausted and last night I figured out why. I was taking my meds and noticed there was no Plaquenil. I take Plaquenil (and a Naproxen) twice a day. Apparently, I left the pill out of the evening slot in the pill case. I just wasn’t thinking.
It’s good news, really. It’s clear what this drug does and what happens if I go off it. After years of medical confusion, it’s quite a gift. I also appreciate that I was on half-dose while I found this out. I was spared me seeing the dogs come off the leash, fully.
To update, my body temperature is pretty much normal at this point. It’s close enough. I still have to wear sunscreen on my face – lots of it. One day without and I get sores on my face.
I also have to pay mind to any breach in my body that causes my immune system to kick into gear. Because that’s what Lupus is. I have antinuclear antibodies in my blood. When they activate, they attack healthy tissue from inside my body.
I have not had a serious illness so I don’t know how the ana will behave when I do. I understand that people like me should not run around having surgery for minor aliments because the healing process is bound to be fraught. But I can tell you what it’s like on a day to day basis.
If I have a cut…just a tiny cut on my hand or something, it will not heal on it’s own. I have to put some kind antibiotic cream on it and even more important, I have to COVER it. If I expose a cut to the sun, it does not dry up and heal. It’s does the exact opposite. It literally gapes open further and perverts, for lack of a better word. It’s bizarre. I can watch my body consume itself. Luckily, this can be addressed with a bandaid.
I tie this whole business to Pluto in Capricorn transiting my 12th house. Mysterious rotted skin…comes and goes on the tide.
Also, I’ve heard that some people are able to lower their dose of Plaquenil once they’ve been on it awhile…and it still works. I take this as an indication, I won’t be one of them.
Please find a first class Homoeopath , these remedies can be taken with conventional meds , both being effective, if taken correctly. This may give you another layer of protection. Remember, Homoeopaths vary like plumbers, so persevere till you find a really great practitioner of this ancient powerful form of treatment. Hope very much this helps you
But maybe you haven’t been on it long enough in order to get to that point. I wouldn’t give up hope that someday you would be able to do this!
I don’t know. I have been on it about 10 months. I have been told a person is established on it after 6 months.
The next hurdle is the eye doc, who’ll I’ll see after a year. Plaquenil jacks the eyes of an unlucky few. Hopefully I’ll dodge this otherwise it will be quite bad.
To keep it all in perspective, gaping wounds happen to normal healthy people every day in my Peace Corps country, especially kids. These wounds take months to heal, and sun exposure does not help. Chronic malnutrition is the cause, but there are a whole host of factors, and one of them is access to airconditioning – these wounds don’t heal unless the skin is free of sweat a certain number of hours a day. The more I read about your situation, Elsa, the more convinced I am that a lot of the answers are hiding in Africa, but the modern world has not learned how to access what Africa offers in terms of cures without potentially destroying its unique environments. The Romans said it best, “Ex Africa semper aliquid novi” -Out of Africa always something new.
I have known others with Lupus it is not only an adventure but it has things it puts you through that are just out and out bizarre. You might want to look into taking some vitamins for your eye sight. Apparently Plaquenil is a serious anti-inflammatory medication. You might consider getting some cookbooks on anti-inflammatory foods that might help you at least reduce your dosage of Plaquenil. Many Blessings!
((Elsa)) Disclosing your experiences over time, as I witness via this blog, I relate to the upside-downness of your lupus update. Pluto transits my 12th House as well and in my world the up is down and the only way through is to use words and story to transform.
I live in the wilds, the woods, the Bracken Fern they rot and fall too. Moss appearing desiccated and lifeless in draught needs only one drop of water to regenerate.I find peace with my rot, my desiccation and write my way through.
Do what it takes Elsa! xo M.
that was beautiful, Mokihana…
A 26 year old family member has Lupus and Plaquenil did affect his vision and he had to go off it. Glad it’s working for you Elsa. All the best!
I think I’d be devastated if this happens to me. I would have to transcend, obviously. But boy what a fate. I am so sorry for your family member.
His vision is fine. They caught it in time thankfully and just switched his meds. So so sorry if I gave the wrong impression, Elsa. 🙁
You didn’t. It’s just I’m attached to this medication. It’s done wonders for me with no side effects of any kind. So if I have to switch, it’s back into the unknown.
Prevalence of retinopathy w/ taking plaquenil over 5 years is only 7 %. That’s pretty darn low.
Exactly. That’s why I’d be devastated if I were one of the unlucky ones. 🙁
Hi Elsa
Lupus is a horrible thing, the Body threatens itself (homo homini lupus)
I have the same transit, after some time from now Pluto will oppose my Saturn 29 degrees in 6th house in Cancer… And some time later Pluto will oppose my DC and Mars in Leo. That may hurt.
Now it opposes exactly my progressed Sun. I am not sick, the only thing is recurrent spine problem and feeling very weak while i have to take care of many people profesionally.
I wish you all the best
It is horrible. But considering I have it, I’m extremely lucky to have this managed at this point.
I also caught it pretty early which allowed me to knock it back before it took over and did a lot of damage. The hand ultrasound doc told me just how lucky I was. I’m grateful and hope it stays that way.
Plaquenil really is a miracle drug in my case. They call it “disease-altering”, meaning it slows/quells/stops the ana in your blood from ripping you to pieces. So in my case, I was put on it early in the course of the disease process. Consequently, I’m doing quite well now.
This can be compared to the kudzu that I’ve been fighting. It’s on our property, but it’s not over run our property. This makes a difference.
The land next to us is for sale. It’s quickly turning into a kudzu forest. That stuff will kill all the trees and wreck the land. Same with the ana in my body, but it’s been opposed with a drug that’s effective against it.
Oh I just forgot or represse one thing. I have over sensitive skin that cant tolerate too much Sun and I have recurrent Rosacea and redness on my cheeks. Rosacea hates sunlight just like Lupus. A bit similar but less dangerous -my pluto is trine my natal Moon and Jupiter in Taurus.
Mayes we just have to hide deep inside Earth element of existence or travel to Hades like Persephone metaphorically..
Well, I walked around with sores on my face for several years. Thought it was hormonal / related to menopause. So I got as kick out of that because when this transit started…in 2007, I think, I wrote about lepers. And it’s very similar.
Oh my God, you have no idea what happened to my facial skin. I have boils…boy, I don’t know what they were. Open, seeping sores.
I was put on antibiotics for 8 months to address it. Puked my guts out, daily, until they put me on something milder. It’s been an awful ride…but as Pluto clears the degrees of my Mars and Mercury, hopefully this is the new normal.
I will send you my best vibrations when I will be meditating on Medicine Buddha. You may also like to listen to the mantras of one Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleven-Faced_Avalokitesvara_Heart_Dharani_Sutra) whose meditation was used for ages in Tibet to cure leprosy.
Next time I’ll know, too. As with my husband. Because I was telling him, my toe is numb, look at my elbow, I have to go to sleep…
This is no longer normal for me so if happens again, I’ll immediately check the meds.
For the record, I was on half-dose for three days…had symptoms the first night. It’s pretty interesting (to me).
I will see my new rheumy next month.
((((Elsa))))
Researchers are thinking that maybe there is an autoimmune component to one of my maladies (alpha and beta adrenergic antibodies). If so, there might be a drug treatment in the next few years. 🙂
http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/blog/wordpress/new-evidence-of-autoimmunity-in-pots/
That was an interesting read. Thanks for the link. I really hope the research develops a useful therapy.
Glad you are on the mend. I don’t know anything about Lupus – I know quite a bit about Rosacea. Just glad you found a way to manage
Thanks for the update. I wondered how you were doing with the heat and sun of the south.
I hope you like the new rheumy.
The hot humidity is blissful!
I have a friend with lupus who went through a years-long clinical trial through our local university. She claims it allowed her to really feel fully human again. I will ask her what the drug is and when it will be available to patients. I would love to see you attain her level of satisfaction with dealing with the condition.
You’re scaring me to death Elsa! Transiting Pluto has recently moved into my 12th house. I have Saturn (farther down the road at 28,33° Cap, exactly quincunx my Sun to the minute) in that house and already suffer from several chronic and life-threatening diseases. I believe it’s highly unlikely I’ll live beyond that point, when Pluto reaches my natal Saturn. For now, I’ve just been suffering from sores in my mouth and on my tongue for 2 or 3 months straight. It’s no big thing but it is very painful. Doctors say it’s auto-immune and they can’t do anything about it. It’s as if I’d become reactive to most foods.
Now here is something from err… left field. Get some worms in your stomach – seriously. They have been living with humans for thousands of years, just like mitrocrondial dna, and all the bacteria that lives in the stomach/guts. The worms will suppress your immune system. This modern fad for not having worms in the stomach and the link to increased imuno-diesease such as eczma, hay-fever etc is linked.
No thanks, I have Libra. 🙂
But… But… But… jupiter is in Virgo.
Ha ha ha! True. But some things are too gross to consider. You may as well tell me to put a turd on my head. I’d be more comfortable dying. 🙂
But… But… But… Neptune is in Pisces – you could escape somehow from the knowledge.
Elsa, manuka honey and pure aloe gel mixed with cold-pressed lemon crystals (pure vitC). Get a small container and mix 20% m.honey to 70% aloe gel to 10% pure vitC. Ingest a spoon of this once in the morning and night, PLUS rub some directly on the skin affected anytime.
I’ve done this for 8 years for both a cystic adult/hormonal acne (which is now eradicated) issue and a moderate autoimmune allergic hive reaction to gluten/dairy/allergies. I used to have massive hyper-pigmentation, 8 years ago, due to the severe cystic acne and skin scratches. I now have even toned skin using no foundation after 8 years of this treatment. This homeopathic stuff was 14 years of research and using myself and a few close others as guinea pigs with success. Just try it. It is all natural and cleanses from the inside/out. Nothing works overnight. One should see/feel improvement in two weeks. The manuka honey is expensive, just fyi.
Also, Elsa, I take a teeny pinch of both raw Tumeric and Cumin in the morning OR evening before bed. Both are strong natural anti-inflammatories.