You are on a lot of medication!

It's so much fun to be on so much medication, really, thanks for pointing that out.

I guess that people really can't help themselves sometimes, and more people have kept their mouths shut when they see the meds that I am on than have blabbed, but there have been a few that just can't keep their mouths' shut. And, it has really aggravated me each time. I am talking about health care professionals. I've had a doctor, an nurse practitioner and a nurse who had a PhD ... whatever that is called say "you're on a lot of medication." What am I supposed to say to that?

It's kind of embarrassing, like I want to be on lots of meds .... I enjoy giving myself injections and swallowing oodles of pills .... great fun! It's the new trend. Well, I guess in a way it is a new trend. I think the US swallows more pills than any other country in the world. So, maybe that's why I get embarrassed --I feel like these people are looking at me like I am part of that epidemic .... that pill popping, primary care provider swapping, druggie. Is this another sick person prejudice that I fear people catergorize me as? I don't know what these health care professionals motivations were, but I know that it upset me, so .... I decided to share my embarrassment.

Yesterday, I filled my sister in on the medication that I am taking right now, and I realized it's a pretty intense list .... I guess I have gotten used to it, but if you step back and think about it I do/have taken a lot of medication.

So here's my med list right now:

• Methotrexate 25mg injection once a week.
• Starting Orencia this Friday .... infusion at Duke.
• Fosamax ..... once a week pill.
• Over-the-counter advil daily

Not too many right now, right?

I am at a transition period right now, I was on humira, but it stoppped working, and I was taking leflunomide but it messed with my liver.

I have been on:

Enbrel ... stopped working .... diclofenac .... messed with my liver ...... placuenil ..... GI issues big time ...... celebrex .... didn't work ...... Prednisone ..... kicked my habit last October Hell Ya! It made me feel better, but it made me gain weight, my cheek bones disappeared, and it sucks the calcium out of your bones (just to name a few drawbacks) ..... I was on another NSAID, but I can't remember the name of it .... it was pulled off the market for causing heart problems. That's all that I can remember right now.

I have managed to avoid pain pills --the ones that make you loopy, because I don't want to be loopy. This is a personal choice ... I am not knocking people who do, I have friends and family that have to and I don't raise my eyebrows and question their judgement. It's their personal choice --if they were loopy all of the time, I would have a conversation with them.

Another reason that I have avoided them involves my bartending years. Customers would abuse prescription drugs and drink and act like FOOLS. I don't want to be that girl .... No Way. So, I have just stayed away, because I think it would be easy for me to fall into 24 hour loopiness.

So, I guess .... well I know that I am sensitive about my prescriptions. I desperately want to kick my RA's ass and throw it out of my life .... then all of these damn medications could go far far away. I haven't even touched upon how much money that I have spent on medication .... that will be for another day.