Update!
I've been having a lupus flare for a few weeks now - starting around mid-August. I saw my rheumatologist on Thursday, 9/24/15. We talked about my symptoms, the plaquenil, and other medicine options. She doesn't believe that "overdoing it" or "stress" will cause a lupus flare. Not sure I agree with that!
Rheumatologist recommendations:
Go back to 400mg/day of plaquenil.
Take a cortisone shot to see if it will take the edge off the flare so the plaquenil can do its job.
Take fish oil or eat fish - she said studies have shown that taking fish oil is even more beneficial in reducing inflammation than methotrexate (at least that's what I understood her to say, and no, I didn't ask for the name of the study or studies)
I mentioned that I had tried a dha supplement two years ago and it didn't agree with me (the doctor wasn't impressed since it was a "synthetic").
My actions:
I resumed, as of 9/24/15, taking 400mg/day of plaquenil.
I agreed to a one-time injection of cortisone on 9/24/15.
I still don't want to take fish oil, but I googled "fish oil and Nicoles" (thanks, Nicole!) and found the name of the DHA supplement she found helpful (Nordic Naturals Algae Omega 120 ct.). I made sure it wasn't the one I had tried that didn't agree with me (Deva, Omega-3 DHA, Vegan, Lemon Flavor, 2 fl oz). I'm still apprehensive about taking a DHA supplement because of my experience 2 years ago...
AMAZING NEWS
The doctor said the cortisone shot probably wouldn't kick in for a couple of days. By that evening, I thought I had more energy. 24 hours later, on my 15-minute break from work (I work from home), I loaded the dishwasher, started a load of laundry, fed the cats and cleaned the half bath. I got back to my desk with 3 minutes to spare! OMG! When I got off work, I cooked, I ran errands, I did several more loads of laundry. I felt amazingly good! It is no wonder that people take meds. I am truly hoping that this gets me over the hump and the plaquenil will keep me going!!! How far I've fallen from "NO DRUGS" to "just one drug" and now "one more to help it?".
Going forward:
I'm not sure. Do I start a new elimination diet when I'm not in the midst of a flare? If you'll remember, I reacted to everything I tested. So many people on this forum have given up their meds from eating this way, but I had my major lupus flare years after I started eating this way. At the risk of sounding like Yogi Berra, I was feeling SO good when I was feeling good!
TODAY:
I'm going to take advantage of feeling good!