Lyrica...

TracyDawn · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:11 am Post subject: Oluwa

You guys may not remember me but I come and read and sometimes post. Been a while tho. I had to post when I saw this thread on Lyrica. The swelling you are having is from the Lyrica. I am on it and about once a week or so I have to take a diurectic (on top of my 2 bp meds) to get it to go away. When it gets really bad, like it is this week, I have some "spare" prednisone at home that I split and take. It makes it go down. The rheum told me that it was from the Lyrica and it was up to me whether I wanted to stop taking it. The good for me so far outweighs the bad (i.e. swelling being my only side effect so far) so I am staying on it. I like being able to walk and move without all the pain I was in before. Anyway just wanted to pop in and say it is normal but you might want to let your dr know the swelling is there. If you have kidney issues with your lupus it may not be a good idea?! I hope yours goes away. I've been taking Lyrica for about 4 months now and I still get the swelling about every 3 weeks or so, and it doesn't seem to be related to my salt intake or anything either.

Oluwa · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:34 am Post subject:

Hello Jody...

Mitts feeling like boxing gloves, stiff and swollen still...?

Yea, check that book out. It lists most foods and their impact, favorable and not..but it doesn't say no, no. It suggests not to...

It also has a 7 day start up menu. You can mixed it up, you don't have to eat the suggested recipe on that day...

Me, I just eat clean. Less processing the better. Less ingredients the better. Eat fresh and colorful. Sometimes I do like a bit of the greasy foods. Fish and chips...and a Hershey Plain Bar..

I do better without a rigid menu. Some people need a regime to follow.

The Omega Diet is excellent book also...menus...more simplified than the other book. Both follow the same food concept. Check them both out. I think you may find the Omega a better read. All about the Omega 3's...

Happy TGIF...
Love,
Oluwa

Oluwa · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:43 am Post subject:

Hi Tracy Dawn..

Hey thanks for the info...

When I started my new regime of pills, for my stomach too I feel like I took a diuretic the first 6 or so days. But these last 4 days I feel like I ate a watermelon seed.

I do sleep sound, deep... when I do...

I will ask my doctor about a diuretic..or maybe I will get an OTC. You think that will be strong enough. Will tea rid me of the swelling. I just made some tea from bags...

My next appointment with the RheumBA is July 6...

I've been fortunate, no kidney issues. Just once protein showed up, scaryroids took it away. They have been fine every since. Just belly issues, joints and spine. But as a whole I think I am fairing quite well...and you?

I do remember you, I think we chatted up once or twice..

Be well.
Hugs,
Oluwa

TracyDawn · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:08 am Post subject:

Oluwa,
The diuretic I took is OTC. I just popped two and away you go to the bathroom. One of my co-workers swears I live in the bathroom because everytime she comes down the stairs (my office is on the bottom floor near the bathroom thank goodness) I am coming out of it. Laughing

I'm doing ok for the most part. I started back to school last August, which is why I kind of dropped out of sight on here. And I've been fighting flares ever since. I had signed up to finish my bachelors but decided last month that I just don't have it in me to go that long, so I switched to the Associates and will graduate end of this month. Online classes rock!! Smile

Hopefully things will settle down after I graduate cause I am sooooo tired of this constant flaring. Sad

Hey what kind of belly issues are you having? I have them too that is why I ask. I have a permanent Rx for Bentyl, and take Aciphex every morning and still have pain that makes me want to cut myself open. Sad

Glad to hear you are doing well though. Smile

Oluwa · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:45 am Post subject:

TracyDawn...

Oh I know of such pain, where we want to dissemble ourselves. Cut off legs, hands..because of the unbearable pain...

You go girl...A degree...an Associates that is something. I hope you are proud of yourself for that accomplishment. And early congratulation's to you...Bravo.. That is no small feat especially when you have IT...

What OTC brand of diuretic do you use?

My belly issues..Long story, long diagnose..

It start when my food would get lodged in my esophagus for three days or so. Heart attack I thought. Early age heart disease runs in my family tree...made my way to the ER. Filled up with nitroglycerin and patches too for two days. Nuclear tread test.. End diagnose GERD. Discharge with a prescription.. Protonix. Grateful it was my stomach and not my heart..

Months, a year past..food still slow to go down, painful inflammation in the chest, neck and upper back when I stopped the Protonix as advised by my RheumBA. Back on it..the pain stopped a lot.

I was hungry after I ate or bloated after I ate a morsel...belly sloshed about and gurgled for months, like a washing machine..diarrhea, constipation. My body's digestion couldn't decide what it was going to torture me with so it did it all.

I was diagnosed with too fast emptying of the stomach after an ER visit.

One day while having a conversation with my PP, I said isn't my tummy supposed to be healed by now from Gerdie. I have been dosing with Protonix for 18 plus months. He order a blood draw.

Diagnose. H.Pylori. This was causing me all the problems. I dosed with a heavy regime of antibiotics for 2 weeks. Gone...

As of late I had an upper endoscopy, he dilated my esophagus so my food wouldn't get stuck anymore. A Gastric Emptying test was conducted now my food is slow to move from my stomach. Prescribed Reglan so my stomach would contract more. My food would rot in my stomach for 12 hours or more.. and Miralax to keep me moving from end to end...

I have pain at the sphincter connection between the stomach and the esophagus still. It didn't seat properly after the dilation. Will heal I am told. If the sphincter pain doesn't resolve in 4 weeks I am to return around the first week of July. To rule out scleroderma of the esophagus. I have gastritis though....and I am still classified as having Gerdie. Biopsies for cancer, infections all came back negative. I am grateful for that.

H.Pylori infection is very common, maybe you should request a test if it hasn't already been done. It has been studied to cause peptic ulcer...

Follow the links for more info..
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/h-pylori/DS00958/DSECTION=2
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/

I hope you take a mini vacation, a big vacation as a gift to yourself for completing your education. Studying, deadlines does create stress. Maybe a vacation will bring the flair without a red soled stilettos to a rest...

It is the weekend..enjoy...

Love,
Oluwa