Hello, I've just joined. I've had RA since 1989. I've managed it with no medication. It is time now for me to start medication.
I will start taking Enbrel on Wednesday. I'm very nervous. I had an aunt with RA and she became addicted to her drugs. That's why I resisted for so long. But, it is now time.
I'm excited to be a part of these message boards.
Hey Darlene,
Dont be afraid of getting addicted to these drugs. I have a never ending supply of vicodin and never take it. Once you are controlled with the right RA meds, you will not need to take the addictive types. Now, I told my doc I am a Humira whore. Dont want him to take it away from me because I feel good on it. but I am not addicted to it. Dont notice anything if Idont take it for any length of time. I have had to stop several times due to colds and infections. It is just that my body moves when I take the Humira. Meds now-a-days are not like the ones years ago. You will be fine. I was the ultimate non compliant patient when all this first started. I would suffer in pain and not take any meds. Glad I finally broke down!!!! Good luck and let me know if I can help you in any way.
There is a difference between addiction to meds and dependace on them. Would you say a diabetic is addicted to their insulin? For myself and many people I know, they physically depend on their pain meds to be able to move, but taking their meds (even the strongest of narcotics) gives them no high. Yes, there are cases of true addiciton when treating pain. But from all of the studies I've read they result from misuse of the med or from a doc not properly prescribing and monitoring med use. Or, they occur in people who already have some sort of addictive tendancies. I think the rate of true addiction in people with chronic pain is less than 3%. It may be lower even. I don't have the studies I've read handy or I'd check. And unfortunately, even with RA under control there is still a need for pain meds at times due to damage done before it was controlled. Even when my RA was considered in remission, I had daily pain like I still have to this day, it never lessened. That pain comes from joint damage.
Hiddy ho, it is me RLS, I have oa,ra,ddd,rls,fibro,diabetis,+to many others to list. I have been disabled since 1992 but was sick long before that. I had RLS when I was a yound child. I have a metronic pain pump inserted and take Diladuad,Flexril,Trazadone,insulin dependent,and a bunch of other meds, I can't seem to remember at this time. Hello and thanks for having me. I am known as the busybody on the other board. But I don't really like that, they just gave me that name without asking. Rude I think! Anyway I am glad to be here!
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