meds? | Arthritis Information

I posted this under the meds section but the RA forum gets more traffic so am also posting this here.

I've been diagnosed with RA for a little more than a year now. I've been on multiple medications. I have so-so days and sometimes I have TERRIBLE days but none where I feel like I am normal again. I know you guys know what I mean. Here's my question... for those of you who have gone into remission for any length of time, what meds were/are you on? I know we all respond differently to medications but I need some sorta hope and I want something I can take to the rheumatologist and be able to say look at this, this combination worked for them, can we see if it'll work for me.

I did really good with Arava and twice a week Enbrel with a little flaring in

the fall time.Which I would take a small dose of predizone (about 7 mg )

and that worked good for about 8 years. Looking for my next good

drug or drugs. Good luck to you!!

Doing well on MTX and prednisonewhat have you been on? how have you reacted to them?Hi Wendy

I'm doing pretty well on enbrel and mtx. I'm not what you would consider in remission as it's too early, but it seems to keep things pretty well under control. I also have days when I'm not feeling all that great, but they tend to happen I overbook myself and don't get the rest I should. What have you been on and how long?

I tried Enbrel. I've been on prednisone several times. Started out on Plaquenil. Currently I am on Humira, Sulfalazine and Mobic. When I first started going to the rheumy he wanted to put me on methotrexate but I didn't want that because you have to have labs drawn a lot and I have NO veins. Last time Iwent to see him he stopped the Mobic and put me on Celebrex. I took it for a few days till I started having dark stools (bleeding) and switched back to Mobic. Right now I am taking tylenol #4, it helps my pain tremendously even better than Lortab although I don't know why it works better. I took my Humira injection on Monday, I hadn't been able to take it in a month because I kept having this upper respiratory crap. I do feel better than when I started this ordeal (why is suddenly typing in italics?). Thank you all for responding. I think I may have to bite the bullet and take methotrexate.Hi Wendy, I started on antibiotic treatment and after 6 months RD took me off it because I had no response. Put me on MXT with no response. Was prescribed Pred. 40 mg. daily and started to feel better. Reached a point where I could function, tapered off Pred. and did just okay for 5 years and then hit by a severe flare from nowhere. Started on Pred. 40 mg., MXT with no response to MXT. Started Enbrel alone with little response, added MXT and had about 40% decrease in symptoms. Enbrel failed and started Humira with no response and then prescribed Remicade and achieved a 60% decrease in symptoms. Both my RD and myself wanted remission so I stopped Remicade and went back to Humira weekly, increased MXT, and started Sulfasalzine and within 2 months I was in clinical remission. All labs normal including RA markers, no inflammation or swelling on exam. MRI showed no inflammation. I've been in remission for about 5 months and I feel great. I have some damage and also psoriatic arthritis which flares sometimes but RA is 100% better. There's hope for you. It took me 10 years. My combo is Humira weekly, 17.5 mg. of MXT weekly, 2000mg. Sulfasalzine daily. Lindy I've had good results with Plaquenil and MTX, but I had to switch to the injectible to get to the level I'm at now, which is the best I've been so far. I'm not 100%, but I'm much better than when I started.

I hope you find a combo that works for you.

Thank you all for giving me some hope. :)The combination of Plaquinel and MTX has worked wonders for me. Since diagnosis I have met many people with RA who think of MTX as a miracle drug.

Initially the blood test were like every 4 weeks now my blood is tested every 8 weeks...not too bad. Good-luck.I have good success with MTX & Humira. I think Humira works best with MTX. Everyone thats been successful on it also take MTX. If I had to choose just one it would be MTX.

I only have to have labs done every three month. That's not that bad....you should be havng labs done that often anyway; even with the meds you're on.