Can Medications Stop Working? | Arthritis Information

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone had the medications they've been prescribed by their RA doctor stop working, or just not work as well as they used to? Have you had to increase dosages or change medications?

Thanks!

Luckily I've not had that problem with RA meds, but I have had that problem with beta-blockers and also with antihistamines. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist about it. Most likely you will be able to find a different medication that will work for you. It might even work better than the old one! I've had RA for 14 years and yes. It's happened to me over and over again. It's like my system gets use to something for too long and then I've had to increase the dosage and after a while either add another med or change to something else all together.

I however started out on weaker DMARDS like Sulfersalizine it worked great at first then we had to increase it. Then I switched to plaquinel....increase.....Mtx.......Increase.........Humira & MTX........increase on MTX a few months later double the dose of Humira.

At first they all worked great and I have gotten as much as 4 years worth of relief from things. But for me it's been like climbing the medication ladder. I've hesitate to jump ahead with anything stronger than I had to because I have learned from experience that you'll need something to take when these dont' work any more. Maybe some people just build a tolerance to medications? I don't know. Everyones different I've lerned here.

Long story short: Yes.

Yes, they do stop working. It just happens. To make a long story short, I've been through countless medications and to date they've all stopped working. Am now back on Humira and an increase in MXT and in clinical remission. Don't know for how long, so I'm enjoying it as long as I can. LindyI know now that this is just the way it goes. I'm not surprised by it like I use to be in the earlier days. When I would be doing so well for so long and then all the sudden it started all over again I use to get so discouraged. Now; not so much. Once you know what to expect it's not so hard to take I think.

That's not to say sit around waiting on the other show to drop. You'll waist valuable time with an attitude like that. Always enjoy the good times when you can. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.