Tag: Medications

Meloxicam/Arthritis/Enthesitis

Mastering The Decline2 Comments

2021

I’m trying Meloxicam.

I’ve actually had it before – the previous rheumatologist prescribed it at half my current dose (15mg/day). I didn’t realize I needed to take it daily. Also the enthesopathies weren’t as numerous or frequent as they are now, so I can’t say whether it made much of a difference.

Here’s the thing: I have “inflammatory polyarthritis.” Like “pneumonia” it’s a synonym for a symptom, not a cause.

The pcp refers me to a specialist. I’ve been to 3 rheumatologists in 15 years. They send me to orthopedists and physical therapy. I see a different doc for every joint: shoulder, ankle, knee, hip, back. The ones who make a connection? “See a rheumatologist.” The rheum says “see an ortho.” Go ask your dad. Go ask your mom.

It’s not my job, man, phrased as, “we don’t handle that here.”

I’m not hellbent on any particular diagnosis. Or any particular drug. DMARDS, biologics, or even industrial strength NSAIDs like Meloxicam. But even though enthesopathies aren’t taken as seriously as arthritic joints, (or even red, warm, inflamed enthesitis-es), there can be just as much damage. The connective tissue can calcify. And some of these drugs prevent or slow damage in enthesopathies.

I’ve been looking for answers for 15 years. I really don’t want to wait to see if the calcification in my hips gets worse. If the tendons in my left hip – that feel like they’re going to rupture like the ones in my right – finally give way.

I’ve actually put in writing to my providers that I am “already on disability, not looking for pain meds, and am not here for attention.” That I need collaboration; help in solving this problem.

So this is where I’m starting, and I’ll see what happens 🙂

Update:

5 weeks after increasing my conditioning exercise, I started taking the Meloxicam. I had been taking it pretty easy, and feeling a little stronger about 3-4 weeks in. I was trying not to inflame any enthesitis. Still had pain in the entheses of the hip (upper hamstring and obturator internus and hip pointer), just below the knees, and several places in the elbows and shoulders.

In the last few days have I been able to intensify exercises to the point of muscle soreness. Without bothering the entheses. This is huge. If I can do this, I might be able to return to running. The limiter on it has always been the upper hamstring insertion (ruptured).

3 months in, I’m running again. Sort of. About 5 one-minute sessions, 3 times a week. But this is as far as I’ve ever gotten. The limiters are my knees (increased weight doesn’t help) and asthma (it’s just that season).

I’m going to gradually increase running and also start some new movement goals over the next few months. As with all meds, I’ll re-evaluate. But so far it’s been fucking great 🙂

Experiments Overview (2019)

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Diet and Nutrition

Hack the diet. I can’t really change all these other variables if my diet is wildly swinging from oreos to broccoli. I’m doing a modified low carb thing that takes less thought than actively trying to measure keto. Or cook. I have enough to think about already.

  • limiting carbs
  • veg – and greens every day for leutein
  • eggs or tuna, but usually not meat (both for the world and my wallet)
  • no weird oils, avoid processed food except..
  • some protein powder?
  • fiber if needed

Exercise and Movement

I have a routine I try to get through every day. I suck at both repetitive exercise and schedules, so I’ve come up with something that is under half an hour and incorporates most of the list below:

  • Meditation / mindful breathing / qigong
  • Juggling / Hackysack (learning)
  • Movement routine a la Ido Portal
  • Qigong Tapping
  • Vibration platforms
  • Yoga
  • Cardio
  • Weights for strength (alternating days)
  • Abs/core (alternating days)
  • Balance training
  • Capoeira/dance

Other Things

  • Light – green and blue and/or sunshine in the morning, red and dimmed screens at night
  • Temperature (neurohackers are going for saunas and cold showers, there’s lots to try that sounds relatively painful, tbh)

Supplements and Medications

First, minimize current supplements and medications

  • Lexapro/Escitalopram (HD) Prescribed for HD for anxiety and irritability.
  • Zyrtec/Cetirizine (seasonal allergies + asthma) Over 10 years of experience with this. After a decade, I finally remembered to start taking it *before* I am dead-ass tired every single day of allergy season.

Experiment with these supplements – do a trial of each while keeping relatively stable diet/exercise/other routines.

  • Melatonin (I need it.)
  • 5-HTP (Helps me control carbs / blood sugar.)
  • Glucosamine (My joints like it.)
  • Creatine (No noticeable effects.)
  • CoQ10 (Improves my HD symptoms a bit on high dosages.)
  • BCAAs (Allowed me to workout longer and harder.)
  • GABA (in progress)
  • Probiotics
  • Leutein (Are increasing vision problems related to the corresponding reduction as I havn’t been able to access my source (diet:greens) in traveling)
  • Thymus and possibly other organ supplements
  • Maybe nicotine, but I was addicted to it for 15 years. So maybe.
  • Other nootropics?

(FYI, I found in doing research for experiments that benadryl may not be a good choice if you have cognitive issues.)

Some of the list items presumably help with cognition and HD symptoms. Others reduce pain, mitigate joint problems, or correct known imbalances in my body that aren’t (directly) related to Huntington Disease.

Your body will have its own things to say about these.