How is Miesha, @Prushanks? Still have her in my thoughts, daily.
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My girl is sick... again.
- Thread starter Prushanks
- Start date
Honest to God, I was just gonna ask the same thing!!
Prushanks
Hot Topics Subscriber
Hey all!! Im sorry i didn't update sooner... i just cant get my 
together! But man... Miesha is taking care of that for me... the girl lays piles of them for me outside all day long! Good ones though that make me smile! [omg... what is wrong with me that my dogs poop makes me happy 
!
Sooooo the update! BTW, i just want to thank all you wonderful friends that have checked in on us, you guys warm my heart!!
And yes.. i have an Emoji quota to hit in this post!
So on to the update:
Miesha's relapse lasted about two thirds of that day and about an hour before the specialist called back she started moving somewhat better and having a perkier attitude. I discussed all the happenings from her lack of weight gain/loss to her relapse and he said he wanted to add an additional immunosuppressant to her regimen. He discussed four different drugs.. two of which were crossed off the list right away due to ridiculous cost and of the other two which are inexpensive, one would take 3 weeks to take effect and the other he really likes but can be harsh on the GI. At that point i was more concerned with her relapse situation so i opted for the latter.
As far as her lack of weight gain, i forgot to mention above that she is filling out nicely in some of her previously bony areas in spite of her lack of gain- her ribs are about what they were at her very best body condition and her hips are no longer sharp and pointy. She has burgeoning muscle cushioning over her hips and femurs, and has filled in over her front sternum where once was this sharp protrusion. The muscles along her spine however are still very wasted and reminds me of a Klingon Warrior uniform! He said that he thinks this is due to the muscle wasting properties of the steroid but continue to keep an eye on her weight and body condition. She is filling out and eating and pooping.. [oh man is she pooping] so we'll see how it goes.
I don't know if i mentioned before but when Miesha went on prednisone, my regular vet was gonna charge $58 for 90tabs 20mg Pred. I called Walgreens and it would cost $28.
WTF. $30 markup seems excessive.. so i filled it at Walgreens! The specialist called the new Rx into Walgreens and when i went to pay for it it came to $212 for a 1 month supply!!! OMFG. Needless to say, i didn't take the meds! I called them back to tell them i cannot afford this and that we'd have to go on the other one. Next day i get a message from a Tech or Client Care Specialist [their term for receptionist] and they said that the cheapest they could find the drug [the $212 one] was for $46. UM YES PLEASE!! Turns out, it was from them! I had taken a picture of the walgreens RX sheet as proof i'm not some crazy dog owner and showed it to them! They were confused as to why it was so expensive there too! This drug [mycophenolate 250mg 1c po bid] requires gloves to touch!? YIKES.
Miesha was pretty much back to her pre-relapse normal the next day so i haven't start the new meds. She occasionally gets sore and is slow to get up and around after sleeping but most of the time is ok after a bit. I've been reading up on these meds and I'm afraid to give it to her and I'm embarrassed to call up again about it.
I'm still up several times a night with her - last night it i zonked out early and Hubs didn't hear her quiet cues so accident on the floor. After that i was up at 2:30, 4, 5 and 6 [breakfast/meds]. Luckily we slept after breakfast til 8am.. ive been trying to go to bed on the early side [even before my 8yr old goes to bed!] as long as Hubs is there to let her out before he goes to bed. It's harder when he's on nights though. I've also been sleeping downstairs on the guest room futon with her because it cuts down on waking him up, my constant waking up due to being worried i missed her cue [coming up the stairs] and me having to go up and down the stairs in a half-sleep daze. She sleeps right next to me so i am fully aware of when she gets up. I just feel bad for Hubs having to sleep alone. Though, the bonus to it is, he has to deal with my Little getting up in the middle of the night which i think is totally fair given the fact that it's once a night if that!
Well. That's where we are as of now. I have gotten her out on some very short walks around the block with Tank which she seems to enjoy, so hopefully its not hurting her in any way... she runs a bit in the yard so i cant see how a slow walk could do too much.
Thanks all, and will keep you UTD. Xoxoxo
together! But man... Miesha is taking care of that for me... the girl lays piles of them for me outside all day long! Good ones though that make me smile! [omg... what is wrong with me that my dogs poop makes me happy !Sooooo the update! BTW, i just want to thank all you wonderful friends that have checked in on us, you guys warm my heart!!
And yes.. i have an Emoji quota to hit in this post!
So on to the update:Miesha's relapse lasted about two thirds of that day and about an hour before the specialist called back she started moving somewhat better and having a perkier attitude. I discussed all the happenings from her lack of weight gain/loss to her relapse and he said he wanted to add an additional immunosuppressant to her regimen. He discussed four different drugs.. two of which were crossed off the list right away due to ridiculous cost and of the other two which are inexpensive, one would take 3 weeks to take effect and the other he really likes but can be harsh on the GI. At that point i was more concerned with her relapse situation so i opted for the latter.
As far as her lack of weight gain, i forgot to mention above that she is filling out nicely in some of her previously bony areas in spite of her lack of gain- her ribs are about what they were at her very best body condition and her hips are no longer sharp and pointy. She has burgeoning muscle cushioning over her hips and femurs, and has filled in over her front sternum where once was this sharp protrusion. The muscles along her spine however are still very wasted and reminds me of a Klingon Warrior uniform! He said that he thinks this is due to the muscle wasting properties of the steroid but continue to keep an eye on her weight and body condition. She is filling out and eating and pooping.. [oh man is she pooping] so we'll see how it goes.
I don't know if i mentioned before but when Miesha went on prednisone, my regular vet was gonna charge $58 for 90tabs 20mg Pred. I called Walgreens and it would cost $28.
WTF. $30 markup seems excessive.. so i filled it at Walgreens! The specialist called the new Rx into Walgreens and when i went to pay for it it came to $212 for a 1 month supply!!! OMFG. Needless to say, i didn't take the meds! I called them back to tell them i cannot afford this and that we'd have to go on the other one. Next day i get a message from a Tech or Client Care Specialist [their term for receptionist] and they said that the cheapest they could find the drug [the $212 one] was for $46. UM YES PLEASE!! Turns out, it was from them! I had taken a picture of the walgreens RX sheet as proof i'm not some crazy dog owner and showed it to them! They were confused as to why it was so expensive there too! This drug [mycophenolate 250mg 1c po bid] requires gloves to touch!? YIKES. Miesha was pretty much back to her pre-relapse normal the next day so i haven't start the new meds. She occasionally gets sore and is slow to get up and around after sleeping but most of the time is ok after a bit. I've been reading up on these meds and I'm afraid to give it to her and I'm embarrassed to call up again about it.
I'm still up several times a night with her - last night it i zonked out early and Hubs didn't hear her quiet cues so accident on the floor. After that i was up at 2:30, 4, 5 and 6 [breakfast/meds]. Luckily we slept after breakfast til 8am.. ive been trying to go to bed on the early side [even before my 8yr old goes to bed!] as long as Hubs is there to let her out before he goes to bed. It's harder when he's on nights though. I've also been sleeping downstairs on the guest room futon with her because it cuts down on waking him up, my constant waking up due to being worried i missed her cue [coming up the stairs] and me having to go up and down the stairs in a half-sleep daze. She sleeps right next to me so i am fully aware of when she gets up. I just feel bad for Hubs having to sleep alone. Though, the bonus to it is, he has to deal with my Little getting up in the middle of the night which i think is totally fair given the fact that it's once a night if that!
Well. That's where we are as of now. I have gotten her out on some very short walks around the block with Tank which she seems to enjoy, so hopefully its not hurting her in any way... she runs a bit in the yard so i cant see how a slow walk could do too much.
Thanks all, and will keep you UTD. Xoxoxo
Man, I don't know why they are so expensive! At first when Walgreens was cheaper, I was like, Oh yea! There is supposed to be a list of ones that Walgreens was super cheap on. (anyone find that list?? It was on here somewhere!) So I don't know why it changed when your Vet called it in. Maybe being a Vet? IDK. But its crazy.I don't know if i mentioned before but when Miesha went on prednisone, my regular vet was gonna charge $58 for 90tabs 20mg Pred. I called Walgreens and it would cost $28.
And the glove bit would make me a bit crazy too.
I know I have a salve for wounds on my horses that says it should be applied with gloves too and it always worried me a bit but at least its not something they were eating! @Archer @Tropicalbri's ? Please comment. You're our go to medics! 
I'm glad to hear of her improvements in weight and movement!
And I would be downstairs sleeping with Miesha too. 
Makes sense to me! lol
Great to hear that she's more sprightly. Such good news. I'm so pleased 
And on the poop side of things....yay, that's awesome. Some good solid poops are a real booster. It's okay....we totally get it. Lol
Sounds like she's having some up and down days, I guess to be expected. Bless her heart!
You really couldn't do anymore for your sweet girl, Wendy. You are the sweetest Mum....ever!
Thinking of you....lots x
And on the poop side of things....yay, that's awesome. Some good solid poops are a real booster. It's okay....we totally get it. Lol
Sounds like she's having some up and down days, I guess to be expected. Bless her heart!
You really couldn't do anymore for your sweet girl, Wendy. You are the sweetest Mum....ever!
Thinking of you....lots x
Archer
Hot Topics Subscriber
Cellcept or Myphortic is a potent immunosuppressant. It is one of the drugs I take for Lupus. It is also commonly used on organ transplant patients to prevent rejection. It is such a potent drug, that they advise you to wear gloves when handling it because the effects it can have on the immune system. It can also cause serious birth defects if touched while pregnant.Man, I don't know why they are so expensive! At first when Walgreens was cheaper, I was like, Oh yea! There is supposed to be a list of ones that Walgreens was super cheap on. (anyone find that list?? It was on here somewhere!) So I don't know why it changed when your Vet called it in. Maybe being a Vet? IDK. But its crazy.
And the glove bit would make me a bit crazy too.
I'm glad to hear of her improvements in weight and movement!
Glad Miesha is getting better!! Hardy poo is definitely something to celebrate.
Marinegeekswife
Hot Topics Subscriber
We never really had it confirmed that Spock's Addison's had anything to do with his digestive issues. He wasn't diagnosed with Addison's until last year but he's had digestive issues since he was an adolescent. I think he's just sensitive to some things like grains. As long as he doesn't get into anything he shouldn't have he does just fine.
@Prushanks I don't know if anyone warned you but Pred makes them very very thirsty. High doses can sometimes cause incontinence issues because of this need to intake more water. Just wanted you to be aware because we struggled for a while with Spock having accidents until we were able to wean him down to his maintenance dose.
@Prushanks I don't know if anyone warned you but Pred makes them very very thirsty. High doses can sometimes cause incontinence issues because of this need to intake more water. Just wanted you to be aware because we struggled for a while with Spock having accidents until we were able to wean him down to his maintenance dose.
Any updates on Miesha, @Prushanks? Was wondering how that beautiful little lady was getting on?
bomary
Hot Topics Subscriber
I just got off the phone with Wendy, and she has been really busy and a bit sick herself...she feels guilty for not updating here (which I told her is silly...we are a pretty understanding group!)
Miesha continues to have her ups and downs. Sometimes she will have a few "good" days in a row, and that is promising, but then it seems like it just takes it out of her and she is exhausted.
Wendy is going to try to get on with an update today or tomorrow...
She is definitely thankful for everyone keeping Miesha in their thoughts and praying for her.
Aw, bless her heart! She's had a lot to deal with and we all fully appreciate and understand the reasons.
Thanks for letting us know, Brandee. Miesha is always in my thoughts x
Thanks for letting us know, Brandee. Miesha is always in my thoughts x
Prushanks
Hot Topics Subscriber
Hey all-
Sorry i haven't been on... i just don't have the energy for it. I even procrastinated in my email update to the specialist that was supposed to happen tuesday. I finally got to it today as i am emotionally drained. Below is the copy& pasted email with the update in all it's rawness.
I want to thank you all for continuing to keep us in your thoughts and a special thanks to my girl Brandee @bomary for overcoming her hatred of the telephone to keep me sane on a daily basis!!!! [hahah don't laugh B, i look forward to our daily crazy-tangented phone conversations!!] as well as Sarah @MischasMomma for the heartwarming messages and phone convos! Both of you have kept me off the ledge!
----------------
Hey Doc,
We are a couple days past the two week mark on the tapered dose of Pred [30mg SID - dosed in the AM] and adding the Mycophenolate. We finished 6th dose of B12 this week. When you would like us to come in for a follow up?
Since my last check-in little over two weeks ago after starting new regimen, she continued to have fevers [~104s] and show the physical signs of IMPA for a full week. Following that period she had 3-4 good days [2/2-2/6], where she was better able to move for longer periods, even run around more than i've seen her do since before getting sick, though it was maybe at 30% max of her "healthy" self in physical ability and amount of time active. Then Monday this week she dipped back down into slow and stiff again. Her pattern from the beginning has pretty much been 2-3 mediocre to bad days for every "good" day. These "good" days are pretty much what an arthritic geriatric dog is like with small bursts of energy where her drive outweighs her physical awareness. Its to the point where when she has a "good" day, my husband and I immediately think "Oh, she's gonna pay for that tomorrow." Which she usually does.
The initial diarrhea from when we started the mycophenolate, cleared up pretty fast and she maintained consistent acceptable stools up until 3 days ago when she started having a decent about of cranberry colored blood and mucus covering her stools [solid at that point] and now it has progressed to pudding consistency diarrhea. Her diet has been monitored and isolated to the Potato&Duck. Her weight also has maintained at 59#.
Another concern i have is that she has developed in the last couple weeks nearly dozen pea to quarter sized hard lumps all over her body - couple that have ended up oozing and getting raw - calcinosis cutis?
At this point we have been questioning her quality of life and wonder if and when we would see progress past the plateau point that she has been stuck in since early on? She sleeps most of the day, has small burst in the evening but her day essentially revolves around sleep, meal time and going to the bathroom. I hoped this last set of good days in a row was maybe a turning point but then it reverted back to her previous pattern. Her life seems to be one step forward, one to two steps back. With our financially limited treatment ability, how long do we ride this out to get her better before making any final decisions?
Thanks Again,
Wendy
Sorry i haven't been on... i just don't have the energy for it. I even procrastinated in my email update to the specialist that was supposed to happen tuesday. I finally got to it today as i am emotionally drained. Below is the copy& pasted email with the update in all it's rawness.
I want to thank you all for continuing to keep us in your thoughts and a special thanks to my girl Brandee @bomary for overcoming her hatred of the telephone to keep me sane on a daily basis!!!! [hahah don't laugh B, i look forward to our daily crazy-tangented phone conversations!!] as well as Sarah @MischasMomma for the heartwarming messages and phone convos! Both of you have kept me off the ledge!
----------------
Hey Doc,
We are a couple days past the two week mark on the tapered dose of Pred [30mg SID - dosed in the AM] and adding the Mycophenolate. We finished 6th dose of B12 this week. When you would like us to come in for a follow up?
Since my last check-in little over two weeks ago after starting new regimen, she continued to have fevers [~104s] and show the physical signs of IMPA for a full week. Following that period she had 3-4 good days [2/2-2/6], where she was better able to move for longer periods, even run around more than i've seen her do since before getting sick, though it was maybe at 30% max of her "healthy" self in physical ability and amount of time active. Then Monday this week she dipped back down into slow and stiff again. Her pattern from the beginning has pretty much been 2-3 mediocre to bad days for every "good" day. These "good" days are pretty much what an arthritic geriatric dog is like with small bursts of energy where her drive outweighs her physical awareness. Its to the point where when she has a "good" day, my husband and I immediately think "Oh, she's gonna pay for that tomorrow." Which she usually does.
The initial diarrhea from when we started the mycophenolate, cleared up pretty fast and she maintained consistent acceptable stools up until 3 days ago when she started having a decent about of cranberry colored blood and mucus covering her stools [solid at that point] and now it has progressed to pudding consistency diarrhea. Her diet has been monitored and isolated to the Potato&Duck. Her weight also has maintained at 59#.
Another concern i have is that she has developed in the last couple weeks nearly dozen pea to quarter sized hard lumps all over her body - couple that have ended up oozing and getting raw - calcinosis cutis?
At this point we have been questioning her quality of life and wonder if and when we would see progress past the plateau point that she has been stuck in since early on? She sleeps most of the day, has small burst in the evening but her day essentially revolves around sleep, meal time and going to the bathroom. I hoped this last set of good days in a row was maybe a turning point but then it reverted back to her previous pattern. Her life seems to be one step forward, one to two steps back. With our financially limited treatment ability, how long do we ride this out to get her better before making any final decisions?
Thanks Again,
Wendy
I'm so sorry for you and your sweet baby girl 
this must be so hard I wish I had more words, this is truly heartbreaking. I wish they could figure out what is going on with her and make her better. We're all here for you no matter what. Sending more prayers
this must be so hard I wish I had more words, this is truly heartbreaking. I wish they could figure out what is going on with her and make her better. We're all here for you no matter what. Sending more prayers 
We will always be here for you!!
Some tough decisions and my heart and prayers go out to you and Miesha.
I know just the emotions alone are daunting and exhausting!!
Some tough decisions and my heart and prayers go out to you and Miesha.
I know just the emotions alone are daunting and exhausting!!
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