$15 Polymyositis Treatment?
So, the original rheumatologist I saw wanted to start me on prednisone and methotrexate. Read up on methotrexate, and you'll see it's a scary drug (side effects can include pneumonia and lymphoma).
Thinking I'd like to look into it a little more, I began taking the prednisone (to control inflammation and hopefully improve fatigue levels), but left the methotrexate in the medicine cabinet. Shortly after beginning the steroid (prednisone=juice), I noticed I began feeling a little better, particularly around 3:30 every afternoon.
After a bad Memorial Day weekend spent mostly flat on the couch and not by choice, I realized I was running a 100-101 fever, like clockwork, until late afternoon every day. Tylenol proved effective in combatting the headaches and fever, and some energy subsequently returned, too. Cool, I thought.
I'd read polymyositis symptoms can include mild fevers. So, I asked the second physician I'm consulting. He specializes in alternative treatments and recommended I try an antiobiotic, as he recalled some polymyositis patients essentially being cured by taking something as simple as a Z-Pack.
Well, I began the Zithromax Tuesday and began having better mornings as soon as Thursday. Now, I have a long way to go. I am not cured. I may have just strung a few good mornings together, but for the first time in five weeks I've had a few days where I didn't feel total utter exhaustion and have to (or want to) lay down in the morning right after getting up.
Why wouldn't a rheumatologist try a $15 antibiotic? Wouldn't that make sense, at least before jumping to prescribing long term use of the chemo (methotrexate) drug? I asked a few physicians that question, and I was told rheumatologists just don't think that way; they're trained to spot a disease and then treat it according to the book.
So far it appears the prednisone and antibiotic are working pretty well together. I've introduced fish oil to the mix, as well, on the recommendation of a respected pharmacist. Supposedly it's a natural anti-inflammatory. If I can get the current cocktail to control the inflammation and fatigue, and it seems to be getting better (albeit very slowly), I may be able to avoid the methotrexate altogether. I'll keep you posted.
Thinking I'd like to look into it a little more, I began taking the prednisone (to control inflammation and hopefully improve fatigue levels), but left the methotrexate in the medicine cabinet. Shortly after beginning the steroid (prednisone=juice), I noticed I began feeling a little better, particularly around 3:30 every afternoon.
After a bad Memorial Day weekend spent mostly flat on the couch and not by choice, I realized I was running a 100-101 fever, like clockwork, until late afternoon every day. Tylenol proved effective in combatting the headaches and fever, and some energy subsequently returned, too. Cool, I thought.
I'd read polymyositis symptoms can include mild fevers. So, I asked the second physician I'm consulting. He specializes in alternative treatments and recommended I try an antiobiotic, as he recalled some polymyositis patients essentially being cured by taking something as simple as a Z-Pack.
Well, I began the Zithromax Tuesday and began having better mornings as soon as Thursday. Now, I have a long way to go. I am not cured. I may have just strung a few good mornings together, but for the first time in five weeks I've had a few days where I didn't feel total utter exhaustion and have to (or want to) lay down in the morning right after getting up.
Why wouldn't a rheumatologist try a $15 antibiotic? Wouldn't that make sense, at least before jumping to prescribing long term use of the chemo (methotrexate) drug? I asked a few physicians that question, and I was told rheumatologists just don't think that way; they're trained to spot a disease and then treat it according to the book.
So far it appears the prednisone and antibiotic are working pretty well together. I've introduced fish oil to the mix, as well, on the recommendation of a respected pharmacist. Supposedly it's a natural anti-inflammatory. If I can get the current cocktail to control the inflammation and fatigue, and it seems to be getting better (albeit very slowly), I may be able to avoid the methotrexate altogether. I'll keep you posted.
posted by Erik Eckel at 9:48 PM
1 Comments:
My husband has been diagnosed with polymyositis. He's been in the hospital since Wednesday (I'm sitting at his bedside on wireless as I type this - trying to research this insidious disease).
I'm hoping his rheumatologist will prescribe an antibiotic. The more I read about antibiotics for these auto-immune diseases the more sense it makes, especially since so many have seemingly experienced improvement.
Thank you for posting this on the internet.
L.R.
Glendale, CA
(I used to live in Louisville)
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