RA Active Question | Arthritis Information

Ok... I was wondering this last night, while trying to go to sleep.

I was thinking you know how the Remicade wears off early and some of the symptoms come back, does that mean RA is still active?

If so, how can RA still be active if Remicade is suppose to make it less active? Is it only suppose to make it less active, kinda like mask the symptoms like prednisone does, or is it suppose to make it go away completely when it is working right?

I am guessing that when Remicade is working it will make you go into a drug induced remission. But how are you suppose to know that you are in remission if you are still taking prednisone along with the Remicade?

I do not know if this is making any sense to anyone else... it was just something I wanted to share. As I am kinda worried about going off the pred, as that is the only thing that is probably making the last 2 weeks before next infussion tolerable.

Hi Joonie
Sort of what I would like to ask too.
My Enbrel works really well, and if I didn't take it I would definitely be restricted to bed and unable to move and would be in agony top to toe, would probably be in a wheelchair.
What I don't understand is that it works so well ... but there's always just a little ache somewhere to remind me..... it's like dropping a piano from the 20th floor of a building and it stopping an inch from the bottom. Why doesn't it go the whole way when its so damn good, what stops it fromthe 100%.
Anna

well Joonie..the remicade is stopping or at least slowing your disease activity for a certani length of time however the med is wearing off before the next infusion time. When the time comes that the remicade is at the right dose and right infusion interval and lasts the entire cycle then you can start reducing the prednisone and then you will start to see if the remicade can control the disease on its own.

IN your case the disease is still pretty active despite the remicade since it doesn't last the entire cycle yet