ouch, lupus hurts!

so, these past few weeks have basically s*cked. I have been in pretty intense pain much of the time, most severe in the morning and the evening.

I've been taking 3 ibuprophen 3 times a day, and it really hasn't been doing much...though I guess it's doing something, because when it's wearing off I can really tell.

The pain has gradually been getting worse and worse, in my fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders and back...and my ankles are starting to join in the fun as well.

Rolling over in bed at night, especially with my sweet son in the mix, is a big challenge. Lifting 30 lb Simon is getting to be a challenge, I sortof have to lift him with my wrists rather than my hands...

BUT do not despair...hope is on the way in the form of...

acupuncture!

I had lower back pain for years - from the time I was in high school until my 30's. I'd tried chiropracty, physical therapy, exercise...but nothing worked until the acupuncture. And it wasn't a mind over matter thing, either, I really didn't think it was going to work until one day I woke up and it dawned on me that I was pain free - for the first time in YEARS.

So I started up with acupuncture again. I had been getting acupuncture a few months ago, but stopped because it didn't seem to be doing anything and it was a burden financially.

Now that we're in a better place money-wise, and my pain was getting so bad, I decided to give it another try. I figured it was a better path than the "adding more and more drugs" path.

I went to a session on Wed night, and didn't notice much relief, though I may have had a little more energy the next day or so. I went again on Friday morning.

Friday afternoon, I looked at the clock and noticed it was 4pm...and I hadn't taken my afternoon does of ibuprophen yet, hadn't even noticed that I needed it. Recently, I'd started looking at the clock around 1pm or so, waiting for 2pm so I could take my pills. But the pain had diminished so 2pm came and went without me even noticing.

So that's where I stand now. I still have painful joints, but at least it's moving in a feeling better direction rather than the worse-and-worse direction. And the acupuncture worked fairly quickly, so hopefully with additional treatments, it will continue to make me feel better.

I have any appointment with Dr. W (rheumatologist) on Wednesday, we'll see what she thinks.