Hello folks,
Well, I may be in the trial. Had the screening tests today. More blood draw, lots of questions on medical history, physical exam, specialist pressing on each joint recording the pain level, chest xrays (an addition to the hand/foot xrays already done), sign a bunch of forms --- and oh, the pleasure of peeing into a cup Multi-center,
randomized, double-blind, parallel group study of the safety, disease
remission & prevention of structural joint damage during treatment
with tocilizumab as a monotherapy & in combination with methotrexate
versus methotrexate in pts with early moderate to severe rheumatoid
arthritis"
Four groups:
- TCZ + MTX placebo
- TCZ (higher dose) + MTX
- TCZ (lower dose) + MTX
- TCZ placebo + MTX
Randomized, don't know which group I will be in.
2 year study, they will adjust after one year depending on results. I have to go in about every 4 weeks or so. Not sure how the screening will turn out, but the people I met were great, it will be good to work with them. Of course I am not yet sure if I passed the screening, but they said the signs look very good.
Here is more on TCZ:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocilizumab
http://www.actemra.com/
http://arthritis.about.com/od/brms/a/actemra.htm
http://www.rheumatology.org/publications/hotline/2010_02_03_tocilizumab.pdf
Does anyone have experience or knowledge about TCZ?
Roland
I know we have one member, Suzanne, that was supposed to start on Actemra, but haven't heard if she actually did, or how she's doing. My RD has also discussed switching me from Simponi to Actemra, but wants to wait until after I have my knee replacement revised. I hope you get in the study, and that it does good things for you! Keep us posted.
Yep, I'm on Actemra and it's the first biological I've been on that looks like it might actually help. I had my first dose in April (1 hour monthly infusion at local hospital) and had no side effects whatsoever. Right away, my CRP and ESR which have been about 10x normal for 5 years, dropped to normal ranges. Gradually I started feeling less breakthrough pain and the perma-swell on my ankles improved slightly. Then in July my 4th dose was delayed about 10 days due to insurance changes and I had a week's worth of horrible pain while my inflammatory markers popped back up. After I got my dose, it went back to normal again. Today I'm getting my 5th dose and starting on a double-dose my RD hopes will give me better results.
I don't take MTX because it raises my liver enzymes, but take Imuran (azathioprine) instead which is a similar immunosuppressant.