I'm in pain and I need to whine....

I'm in pain from my waist down.  It's my lower back, my hips, thighs mostly.  I'm about to break down and take some ibuprofen (I'm pre-op).

A little over a week ago, I went to my PCP for my 6th monthly pre-op visit and asked him to do blood glucose and cholesterol for the insurance.  He did a routine panel that included liver enzymes.  He calls me up the following day, my liver enzymes are elevated more than normal.  Part of my lupus involved mildly elevated liver enzymes.  So, he called my rheumie (who's out of town for 3 weeks) and spoke to the partner - who after looking at my chart, was also concerned.  So, my PCP said to stop the sulfasalazine as that could be causing it (the sulfasalazine is often used in rheumatoid arthritis patients...so my rhuemie tried it on me because I can't take the lupus drug that I took for 10 years anymore).  The PCP also consulted with a hepatologist and I have an appt Monday.

Right now, I don't care about my elevated liver enzymes, I care that I hurt

Thanks for listening...back to your regularly scheduled program.

This is one forum where whining is always allowed, we've earned it! I do hope you feel better and they get all your tests worked out. Here's a big (((((HUG))))) for you!

This forum here your ALWAYS welcomed to whine and noone will EVER tell you to stop!
with that said
I am so sorry your hurting. I understand it though because I often am in a flare that is unstoppable! Even though I am on medication that helps the pain I still have allot of breakthrough pain.
What medication are you taking for your fibro pain now?

Thank you ladies for listening.  I feel better this morning.  I took 800mgs of ibuprofen after posting and a Lortab 10mg (from my mom's stash) before I went to sleep around 10:30pm.  Had a little difficulty with sleep because of the pain, but I was able to sleep (with a few interruptions from the dogs****il 9:30am.  That's big for me!  Today, I've got laundry to finish, folding, and chemistry work. 

I don't have Fibro, just lupus (or "unspecified connective tissue disease" depending which doc you talk to) and Sjogren's syndrome.  Currently, I'm not on any meds because of the problems.  Plaquenil is a very innocuous drug, commonly given to lupus and Sjogren's patients.  Takes a while to kick in, but works well.  After 10 years, I had to stop.  The only potential side effect of Plaquenil is retina/eye damage.  It's rare and my doc has only seen 3 cases of this in the 28 years he's been practicing medicine.  Guess what?  I was case #3!

So, we tried the sulfasalizine.  Started in December.  It seemed to be working okay (not perfect but way better than nothing).  I've been getting monthly blood draws, and things have been fine...until last week. 

So, I'm no sure if the elevated liver enzymes are because of the new drug or because the old drug is finally out of my system or because some new and exciting thing is happening (ha!).

I don't know what the rheumie is going to do next about drugs.  Both the drugs I've been on are relatively innocuous.  Next step is probably injectible methotrexate.  That's like going from a single asprin for pain to a morphine drip.  I probably don't need something that drastic, but there are few other choices.  

Again, thanks for listening, I knew you guys would understand.
  -Elli

Elli I have a question. Can you take Ibrophen? I was told I could not. Just wondering because I am hurting so bad right now too.

Currently, yes.  I'm pre-op.  I will hopefully have my surgery in a few months.

When I met with the bariatric surgeon, he said no ibuprofen EXCEPT under special cir****tances for a very short period of time with a proton pump inhibitor.  So, really, the answer is no. 

Hope you get to feeling better soon!
-Elli