If you are on corticoid steroids long-term, have hit menopause, or have osteoporosis chances are your doctor has recommended a yearly dexa-scan.

I had my first one two years ago. My prednisone dose varied over those two years so I never saw the need to get another one. With my most recent flare and spine difficulty my doctor ordered another one. My symptoms were consistent with a regular flare except for the acute spinal pain.

My Dexa came back more or less normal. No osteoporosis!! …yet.

While my bone density levels are still “normal” they have decreased in the last two years. I am no closer to lowering my prednisone dose (crossing my fingers for Spring!) so I have to start osteoporosis prevention.

I started Actonel at the end of December and hopefully will be on a generic alternative starting next month. (Troubles in insurance land – I will follow up with another blog post soon).

This is good news but it makes me laugh. Three years ago, I was that person who refused to take pain relievers or vitamin supplements. Now I am taking 15+ pills a day and because they are eroding every inch of me I have to add more.

Not only was I that person who wouldn’t take pain killers, I couldn’t even swallow them! I was incapable of swallowing a single candy-coated Advil pill. Incapable, as in, I kept gagging it up involuntarily. (TMI??)

Look how far I’ve come! 😛

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.