No News is Good News!

I know it's been a long time since I've updated, and it is because I have been busy living life! My hemoglobin levels over the past month have been just above 11. That means that I don't qualify for the Procrit shot because according to the insurance companies, I'm "too healthy." I'm still not in the normal range (which for women would be 12-15), but I do feel a whole lot better than when I was in the 9-10 range. I have energy to get through a full day of work and go out for dinner or run errands afterwards. I no longer go to bed at 8. I'm able to do things on the weekend other than recuperate from the work week. I'm finally beginning to feel "normal"! I just need to be careful to not over-extend myself.

I have also stopped taking the azathioprine in hopes of having the option of getting pregnant in the next few years. In order to aid with me getting off the medication, we've increased my Prednisone dose to 5 mg, which is still considered a low dosage. This may be why my hemoglobin levels, red blood cell, and white blood cell counts have all improved -- they are all at the highest levels since my lupus diagnosis. Hopefully they will remain where they are as I ween off the Prednisone. Technically, I could continue taking Prednisone while pregnant, but of course, the less medication the better.

Rheumy is running a few additional lab tests on me this week to check for antibodies that may affect me and/or baby if I get pregnant. I see him next week for the results, and I hope I have more good news to share!

- a little lupie

P.S. For those who read my last couple of posts and thought I was pregnant, sorry! I forgot about the backwards chronological aspect of blog posts and now realize that I should have put my "not pregnant!" disclaimer on all the pregnancy series posts! I'm not done with the series yet, but I have been slacking because the next post in the series ( how lupus affects pregnancy) is the most complex aspect and will require more research. It will be coming, though!

P.P.S. Sorry for any typos or inadvertent auto-corrects! I am trying to become more mobile-saavy and typed this whole thing out on my phone! Okay, maybe it has less to do with becoming mobile-savvy and more to do with me being too lazy to go get my computer :)