What a humbling story! My Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and how Plexus has kicked its Ass! I think every person has their “cross to bear”… I got dealt mine when I was 6 years old. Symptoms started out with high unexplainable fevers (that no amount of Tylenol or Motrin would break) and aches and pains (mainly in my wrists and hands). The doctors weren’t quite sure what it could be. Finally after a lot of tests and being sent to specialists they discovered I had Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Back then (almost 25 years ago) the options for medications weren’t anything close to what they are now… From what I can remember the first course of treatment involved a lot of aspirin, so much in fact I was vomiting from it. At that point I started seeing a Rheumatologist on a regular basis. In first grade I started having to go in for weekly blood tests and Solganol injections (Gold Shots). Not exactly much fun for a 7 year old. I was also going to physical therapy twice a week to try to help with my range of motion and strength and wearing braces on my wrists on a daily basis. The disease got progressively worse and it wasn’t long after the wrist braces that I also had shoe inserts. Along with my Gold Shots I started taking Plaquenil. Due to the major problems Plaquenil causes I then had to start getting yearly field vision tests. The doctors also decided Naproxen would be good to add to the mix for my inflammation. So I was 7 years old getting poked twice by nurses every week and having to learn to swallow pills. This medication regimen continued until about 10th grade. Due to the arthritis doing so much damage to my joints I had to have foot surgeries when I was 13 and 14. The orthopedic surgeon had to break the metatarsal heads and reset my toes with temporary pins. Recovery wasn’t easy. When I was in tenth grade I got a new Rheumatologist. He then decided that my meds weren’t doing enough for me. My fingers were showing major signs of deformation and active arthritis. He then did cortisone injections into my knuckles (yes that hurt like hell). He also took me off of my Gold Shots. And about a year later he put me on Enbrel. Talk about a struggle. I had finally gotten used to being poked on a fairly regular basis and now he wanted me to start giving myself injections. That was a major adjustment. The Enbrel and I got along for a little while and then one day I totally blacked out and my mother caught me as I fell. She said my eyes were so dilated that the pupils were covering the iris. From then on out I got dizzy a lot. Talked to my Rheumatologist and it was decided I needed to go off the Enbrel. Meanwhile I was back in therapy, this time occupational and being fitted for finger and ankle braces. Then at age 17 I was due for yet another foot surgery, this time inpatient and not a quick outpatient procedure. They did a subtalar fusion. This took away the possibility for me to do some of the things I loved, like downhill skiing. It also involved 3 months in a cast and a walking boot after that. Of course more physical therapy followed once again to help with the major atrophy. Then at age 19 I had a bunionectomy and more metatarsal work done. At age 21 I was living in Hawaii and had a new Rheumatologist. My meds were then switched up a bit again. I then started Humira and Methotrexate along with the Plaquenil and Naproxen. Methotrexate is a form of chemotherapy so I also had to start taking folic acid. This regimen continued for a few years and then my doctors realized that the Naproxen just didn’t seem to be cutting it anymore. So they put me on a different anti-inflammatory called Meloxicam. And for any associated pain I was given Darvocet till it was taken off the market, at which time they switched me to Tramadol. At age 24 I had my first cortisone injection into my left hip. What a delight that was. At age 26 I then had two more foot surgeries to correct further damage to my left foot that my Arthritis had caused. This was all just exhausting! None of these meds seemed to be doing much for me. When I moved back to Michigan I went back to my Rheumatologist I had through high school and he urged me to try a vegan/gluten free diet. At that point what did I have to lose? He also set me up to get a new custom ankle brace and more cortisone injections into my subtalar joint on my right foot. So I put forth my best effort to abide by the diet, all the while craving a steak lol. After nearly a year I gave up. I didn’t feel like the vegan diet was doing much for me and I was still on the Methotrexate and back on Humira. March 2014 I had a horrible reaction to Humira. Shortness of breath trouble swallowing and all the lovely allergic reaction stuff that can scare the pants off anyone. Luckily I had sense enough that as soon as I felt strange (about 3 min post injection) I grabbed the Benadryl. I then went back to my Rheumatologist completely frustrated and in a lot of pain. He gave me the info packet on Orencia and a referral to a Pain Management Doctor. The Tramadol wasn’t cutting it anymore for my pain. I was miserable. Not to mention the night sweats I was dealing with due to the Methotrexate. I wasn’t resting well at all. My fatigue levels were through the roof. Everything was just a mess and I was at my breaking point. Not to mention I was gaining a lot of weight cause I felt miserable and working out hurt. I like to think of myself as a pretty strong girl… All things considered. But I was to the point where I was breaking down crying about my Arthritis. I really try not to throw myself a pity party too often. So I went to the Pain Management doctor with high hopes. He said he wouldn’t give me anything stronger than Tramadol because a “30 year old female shouldn’t be on anything too strong” however he would prescribe me Voltaren Gel and he wanted to do a Hip Bursa Injection (which is actually a series of 3 shots into the joint). So I proceeded with what he recommended. The Voltaren Gel really did seem to be helping and I was very pleased with that. However a week after my second Hip Bursa Injection my face swelled up like a damn puffer fish (just like the one in Finding Nemo). I asked all my doctors what could be causing the facial edema and they said they weren’t sure, but it shouldn’t be the Hip Bursa... I was to the point of avoiding mirrors at all costs! I didn’t look like myself from the neck up. I was devastated. Besides you try dating when your face looks like it belongs on a 500lb + person. It wasn’t good and I was still dealing with a lot of pain, night sweats, fatigue and more weight gain. All the while this was happening my boss/friend at the winery I work at was quietly learning more and more about Plexus. It wasn’t long before Sherry approached me on the subject. I was nervous, anxious and excited. The what if’s were too great to not give this a shot. What did I have to lose at this point? I have been on disability since 2008 with a pretty limited income and I decided no matter what I was going to find a way to be able to afford to give Plexus a try and if it didn’t work for me then at least I would be able to rule out another option. I decided to become an ambassador to be able to get the best prices I could, even though I didn’t know if it would work for me. Talk about a leap of faith. So I placed my order the first week of July and it came in the mail on July 8th. I started taking it immediately. Sherry had recommended the Plexus Slim, ProBio and the Bio Cleanse (now known as the Triplex). Within the first week of taking it I noticed immediately that I was sleeping through the night. It was the biggest shock of my life! I can’t remember a restful night’s sleep. Since I was 6 sleep consisted of a lot of tossing and turning and adjusting to get comfortable and re adjusting so my joints didn’t lock up. And during the day I wasn’t totally fatigued. I couldn’t believe it. My bad food cravings were being curbed and I wasn’t craving huge portions anymore. After that it seemed like every week I noticed more and more improvement with my health. It got to the point that I was forgetting to take my Meloxicam (anti-inflammatory) and my Plaquenil because I was feeling so well. So then I decided I wanted to quit my Methotrexate. I didn’t tell my doctor or even my mother who has been super involved with my health because she has Lupus and a bit of a glimpse of what I’ve been dealing with all these years. And so I took myself off everything. Everything, but Plexus! Before I knew it the night sweats were gone and I was feeling great. I had energy to walk my dogs, to go kayaking and biking again. The pain levels were so minimal compared to the life of chronic pain that I knew. Pre Plexus I was taking two Tramadol a day and it was hardly taking the edge off. Now I take maybe 5 Tramadol a month. That is huge for me! To top off all the improvements with my arthritis, I’m down 22lbs. And I’m telling you now even if I hadn’t lost an ounce I would continue to take Plexus daily, because it has completely changed my quality of life. When I started taking Plexus I didn’t tell anyone, Sherry was the only one that knew. I was worried my friends and family would think I was nuts. However it didn’t take long for that secret to come out. When people started noticing my improved energy, health and weight the questions rolled in. They all wanted to know what I was doing. The answer was PLEXUS! And the proof was in my lab results on September 22nd. They took 12 tubes of blood and everything came back within range. Only exception was my CRP which was borderline elevated indicating mild inflammation. Which my doctor wasn’t too worried about and she said see you in 3 months. Plexus has changed my life completely and I can’t imagine ever living without it at this point. I can’t thank Sherry Coste enough for bringing it into my life. I’ve totally become a walking “Product of the Product”. And I love sharing my story with others that might be in a similar situation. There is hope; you just have to take the leap of faith.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 23:55:00 +0000
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