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Experience with rheumatoid arthritis
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<blockquote data-quote="susiestar" data-source="post: 200436" data-attributes="member: 1233"><p>RA can be a tough diagnosis to live with. there are a LOT more things to help us than there were to help our parents. </p><p> </p><p>NSAIDS (aleve, ibuprofen, orudis are OTC, there are rx ones also) are very helpful because they target the swelling that is causing the pain.</p><p> </p><p>It is important to find a DMARD (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug) because these actually change the progression of the disease. Plaquenil and methotrexate have been around for a long time. The newer ones are TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors. These target a certain special protein that causes a lot of the problems. TNF medications can be self-injected (Enbrel, Humira), IV medications - remicade and maybe one more (you go and the medication is given through an IV with saline, or that is how my mom was first given remicade. (PLEASE try as MANY of teh other DMARD medications as poss before trying remicade. Lupus is often caused as a "side effect" of remicade. I know MANY people who have had this happen. NOT all lupus is caused by remicade, but if you take remicade and it causes Lupus, stopping the remicade does NOT stop the lupus - you will have lupus for life, which stinks.)</p><p> </p><p>There are oral medications that I THINK are TNF medications, but they may not be. they are the NEWEST medications to treat RA. Arava, Orencia, and I am sure I am forgetting some. My experiences with Arava are atypical, but my arthritis is atypical also. Please do not assume that you will have the problems that I had 2 weeks ago. That is very rare.</p><p> </p><p>My mom has taken Arava for several years with no problems. Her hands were mis-shapen and incredibly painful and with the arava the major lumps went away and stayed away.</p><p> </p><p>prednisone is often given for RA. I forget what kind of medication (DMARD or not) it is. It is often helpful with the pain.</p><p> </p><p>There are other medications, But that is all I can remember right now.</p><p> </p><p>I am sorry you are diagnosed with RA. There is a LOT of info, including things to print and take to the doctor to help you talk to the doctor about your symptoms, online. A simple google of RA or RA help will get a lot of great info.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="susiestar, post: 200436, member: 1233"] RA can be a tough diagnosis to live with. there are a LOT more things to help us than there were to help our parents. NSAIDS (aleve, ibuprofen, orudis are OTC, there are rx ones also) are very helpful because they target the swelling that is causing the pain. It is important to find a DMARD (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug) because these actually change the progression of the disease. Plaquenil and methotrexate have been around for a long time. The newer ones are TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors. These target a certain special protein that causes a lot of the problems. TNF medications can be self-injected (Enbrel, Humira), IV medications - remicade and maybe one more (you go and the medication is given through an IV with saline, or that is how my mom was first given remicade. (PLEASE try as MANY of teh other DMARD medications as poss before trying remicade. Lupus is often caused as a "side effect" of remicade. I know MANY people who have had this happen. NOT all lupus is caused by remicade, but if you take remicade and it causes Lupus, stopping the remicade does NOT stop the lupus - you will have lupus for life, which stinks.) There are oral medications that I THINK are TNF medications, but they may not be. they are the NEWEST medications to treat RA. Arava, Orencia, and I am sure I am forgetting some. My experiences with Arava are atypical, but my arthritis is atypical also. Please do not assume that you will have the problems that I had 2 weeks ago. That is very rare. My mom has taken Arava for several years with no problems. Her hands were mis-shapen and incredibly painful and with the arava the major lumps went away and stayed away. prednisone is often given for RA. I forget what kind of medication (DMARD or not) it is. It is often helpful with the pain. There are other medications, But that is all I can remember right now. I am sorry you are diagnosed with RA. There is a LOT of info, including things to print and take to the doctor to help you talk to the doctor about your symptoms, online. A simple google of RA or RA help will get a lot of great info. [/QUOTE]
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