Hi All..good to find this forum.
I was diagnosed with RA in April. X-rays of feet, hands, wrists were neg for bone loss but I did have a chest CT which indicated some mild, early stage rheumatoid lung disease.
I was given the pitch to take the methotrexate or the plaquenil but after studying up on these meds, I wasn't too thrilled with many of the side effects, so I decided to see if I could tough it out with just the NSAID/IA Pred regimen, which was OK with my Rheumy and Pulmonologist, both at a major university teaching hospital in my area.
I have thus far had IA injections in several finger joints and twice now on both sides of wrists. I also have RA symptoms in my ankles, knees & elbows-not pleasant, but I can deal with those, so far. It was the pain in my wrists and hands that was killin' me.
The problem with both of these modes of treatment (for me anyway) was that these meds drastically elevated my blood pressure in spite of years of anti-hypertensive treatment. Even increasing my BP med dosage didn't help until the pred that had entered my systen via the IA injection had cleared. Had the rheumy told me that these so called "site specific injections" can migrate into the general system, I would not have gone that route. Same thing with the NSAIDS. I now know that large, daily doses of these drugs can cause spiking in blood pressure.
Now that I'm finished with that ramble
I'm beginning to dread bedtime for fear that I'll wake up in the morning with a few more joints that are painful, swollen and/or won't work.
Thanks for your time.
Hi Katalina,
Welcome to our group. (Well sort of
I loved your last sentence. I have felt that way since my diagnosis about 1.5 yrs ago.
Jay
Welcome to the board Katalina
Sorry about the RA lung, doesn't sound very encouraging. I don't blame you for not taking the MTX!
I have Osteo in my fingers and you've described mine to a tee
The majority of people on this site take some sort of D-MARD or BIOLOGIC medication or are on Antibiotic Protocol. These are all systemic meds and all have their problems. They also all have reasonably good success rates where it comes to controlling RA.They are not fun things to take but you need to weigh the alternatives. The further you RA spreads and the more damage that is done while it is spreading, the more permanant damage you will have that is not reversable. Turning this disease around requires a systemic approach and whether or not we like it that means some nasty drugs. Many of us have found that taking the nasty drugs has meant that we have had a quality of life that would otherwise have been nigh on impossible.
I would urge you to do some further research and talk to others regarding meds. Read some of the threads on this site to get some idea how the drugs are making life different for some of us.
Good Luck with your searching
Frankly the side effects of Plaquenil and MTX entry level disease modifyers are easier to control and are less permanat than those of the prednisone and NSAIDS
Pain is not the enemy in RA its the inflammaiton that is going on. Controlling and living with the pain is ignoring the disease process. You can still be having active disease with no pain.
The fact that you are requiring multiple injections in a very short time ( a single joint should not be injected more than 4 times in 12 months) and that the disease is in your lungs indicates seriously active disesase that is not in control with your current meds. You will find yourself with serious joint damage should you continue down this path
RA is a systemic diesease and not treating it as such is avoiding the issue. You don't avoid meds for your BP. No one likes taking meds but we do so because we have learned that it is hell living with joint damage. Talk realistically with your doctor about your options. MTX, Plaquenil, minocycline, arava are among your options. You can also adjust your diet...eliminate "white" foods, red meat etc. Add fish oils.
Just make sure you make these treatment decisions understanding what will happen if you let the disease continue unchecked