Remission | Arthritis Information

 

I found a recent post about remission interesting, so I thought I'd start this topic.

kweenb2008-12-03 09:34:52My blood numbers have said remission since February 2007. 15 mgs. MTX & prednisone. Started at 40- down to 2 mgs. I agree with you WTB.  I probably shouldn't have added that in.  I did because there are people who look closely at test results.  I have felt "pre-RA" with my Enbrel except for that last minor flare.  Not even any achey joints.Ahhh kweenb- everytime I hear you say you feel pre-RA with the Enbrel I try to talk myself out of being a biologic, needle phob....

I'm also in the same boat as WTB and many others here.  My numbers, except for the WBC count show that my disease is not very active as well but I feel like crap.  Stiffness up the wazoo, fatigue-we won't go there, and inflammation is starting to get pretty bad too.  I really haven't felt pre-RA since early spring of 2001. 

[QUOTE=wanttobeRAfree]Ahhh kweenb- everytime I hear you say you feel pre-RA with the Enbrel I try to talk myself out of being a biologic, needle phob....[/QUOTE] My blood work is good.  The last time I had a high sed rate was about a year ago.  I still have flares pretty frequently, the longest I go without something swelling up is 6 weeks or so.  Still, since Enbrel the flares are nowhere near as bad as at the onset.  That hit almost all my joints and lasted for months.  Now it's only a few joints and lasts no more than a week usually.  But in between I feel good.  Maybe a little stiffness, especially after being still for a while.  But that could easily be attributed to the fact that I'm 45.  RA WTB, I'm not a fan of shots either.  I mean, before RA I always refused them.  I really hate them.  But for me the choice came down to taking a shot every week or not being able to walk.  15 seconds of mild stinging is more than worth it.  My RD always asks me if I want to add Arava to see if it will control these flares I have.  I always say no because even with the flares, I'm good enough.  But if I ever come to feel that these flares are affecting the overall quality of my life I will reconsider.  Hopefully you will always feel at least as good as you do now.  Hopefully you will never come to that point where doing something you don't want to do (take the shots) will look better than not doing it.  But if you do I think you'll find that it's not as bad as you imagine it to be.  In fact it's something you end up being very thankful for.I'm curious- do you know what your blood work looks like when you are in a flare? I am surprised at how many have good blood work but feel crappy like me. I guess this is RA? This is to be expected? I always wonder if I should add meds but as much as I complain I am not wanting to add more toxins to my system because I then seem to think I feel "good enough" After all I am not flaring nor do I have pain or symptoms like a lot of people here have. I just don't want to be doing myself any damage. To me I think symptoms mean damage is being done. My doctor hasn't done a new xray- it's been 1 year but he looks at me real good and he says based on the numbers and my exam he doesn't think so. I don't know if it's my imagination but I think I see my pointer & middle fingers bending towards my pinkies somewhat.
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