It's so hard to figure out, isn't it? I can never see the forest for the trees. I mean that you can't tell if a new symptom is just a passing phase, or if it's a sign of things getting worse--or if a good spell is just a fluke or a sign of things getting better. I used to have trouble with the muscles in my sides, but that's been way better for a long time now--close to a year. If I say, "I think I'm starting to get better," I remember how last week I collapsed, etc. But then I think, yes, but that was just one day, and not a whole week of weakness, like I would have had months ago.

I have been on Imuran for over a year, but I was on a dose that was much too low for a long time. My doctor bumped up my dose again a few months ago, and I really do think I see an improvement. I am going to see if we can increase it still further.

I have not had any breathing or vision troubles, so I elected to give the Imuran a really long trial, since it doesn't give me bad side-effects. I've been avoiding Prednisone, choosing instead the risk of not getting better at all, or not for a long time. My doctor has been encouraging me to give the Imuran a chance, even though it's taking so long, because he's had such success with other patients on it. I've been less optimistic, because I don't think I have ever heard of anyone here going into remission on Imuran alone, but I'm willing to keep trying.

Abby