Nonetheless...I can't stand being in limbo. I saw an LLMD a week and a half ago, had blood taken and the whole 9 yards and started on some supplements to boost my immune system.
I go back for the results october 21st. I don't feel any better from the supplements yet...but its hard to say if its because they aren't working or because I was on VIOXX and had to stop taking it, as we've all experienced/heard about.

My aches and pains are stronger than I remember...you never seem to know how well a medication is working until you stop taking it...
My headaches are worse, I'm having trouble staying alert, regulating my moods, coping with the whole situation.

I'm also looking into transfering colleges because I can't stand the area around Rutgers and the disjointed nature of the campus. Its so bureaucratic in an attempt to deal with the massive size of the student body that its difficult to take the courses I need. But I chose this school because it is only 40 minutes from my home and I can commute until my health is under control.

Unfortunately, it seems like that could be indefinitely. I can't go through the transfer process until I at least have a treatment plan that I can work around...

I'm so sick of slaving to illness.

After dropping a few courses, I have my workload to a manageable level as long as I come home and rest right after class, so I can manage at least being in college at this point. But I'm so miserable...between being unhappy with my school, my social life, and feeling sick all the time....how do you cope?

As I understand it, it has to get worse before it gets better as well...

Again I ask...how do you cope?

I've heard celebrex is a good alternative to vioxx...will GP's prescribe this? My rheumatologist is very hard to get in touch with, so I was going to try to go through my GP...

I feel horrible complaining because so many people on this board are doing much worse than I am.

I think its just that between college, the usual anxiety of waiting for bloodwork results, and the Vioxx recall, I'm completely thrown off track.

I know this is redundant to my other posts, and within its own writing but I just had to vent.

I have a saying - "A perpetually full plate is good cause to invest in a pottery wheel"

Me, personally, am thinking of moving near a clay bed as well.

Venting is good. Venting is always good.

As far as coping goes...take it one day at a time. Know that you'll have bad days...look forward to the good.

When it comes down to it in the end...

"The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief. ~William Shakespeare, Othello"

I don't know what you're taking the Celebrex for but I'd like to recommend some type of Double or Triple Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin compound,(also Advil occasionally).

I've had many broken bones and soft tissue injuries and have been on Vioxx, Celebrex and Mobic for long periods of time.

Taking the Glu/Cho has helped me the most. Even seems to lessen the several ligament and tendon problems from Lyme.

It took about a month for me to notice a slight difference but now if I don't take it for a few days, bam! boy, I can tell!!

That's one of my coping stategies for chronic ligament, tendon and joint pain.

When I'm really down and sick I just think that I'll get better one day. That helps me to cope too because I realize I won't be like this forever. Also coming to this site has been another successful coping stategy for me.