I Summoned the Devil

I summoned the devil. And I knew I was about to! But, I’m desperate. And have no clue what exactly I’m waiting for from the rheumatologist’s office . Are they going to appeal? Are they done with helping me? And the last time I asked for info a month after the original request for change in meds, I was reprimanded like I’m some irritating dummy by her nurse. So I won’t be asking.

Back to the devil. This devil is an oral tablet called Sulphasalazine or Salazopyrin. I emailed the rheumatologist asking if I can try it for my fingers and other peripheral joints. See, my first rheumy gave it to me in January and it did nothing. In May, the next rheumy said they didn’t know why I’d been put on it and it alone seeing as my worst symptoms were my spine and SI joints, which Salazopyrin apparently doesn’t work on. It works better on the peripheral joints – fingers, wrists, feet… Given how bad things are, I figured, “Ok, I’m getting worse. I have no clue if the rheumy’s office is appealing nor what the way forward is because they ignored my first email saying I’d be waiting to hear what the way forward is. So, let me try Sulphasalzine as I have some in my house and maybe it can reduce my suffering. “ I was really upset the night my HAND of all things, woke me after a terrible sleep anyway. It is just such a small part of my struggles, so it was a personal affront that it- not my back, shoulder, neck- decided to scream out that night!

This is now war!😅

I emailed the rheumy asking if I can try it, and she said yes, and sent a script. I knew what I was letting myself in for. It’s so horrible a medicine that you have to take it super slow before you get to a therapeutic dose which is four tablets a day. I suffered starting on two tablets last year- headaches and urgent diarrhea -so yesterday and today, I only took one. And even so, the side effects have begun.

I knew I was calling more suffering upon myself. And I know it takes six weeks to kick in once on full dose, so I’m giving it eight weeks before I assess if I should continue.

Send help. 😩😉

ETA: As I was sending the script, I saw that my current rheumy has very different instructions. She actually DOES want her patients to start on one tablet first. Heh heh, I’m not as clever as I thought. The first guy just wanted to overwhelm me too quickly