Well I just can't take it anymore! This weekend I dragged myself to the parking lot from working 12 hours. It's been worse from there. Actually I've been hurting for a couple of weeks. My pains migrate from one joint to another (Palindromic Rheumatoid Arthritis). I started a prednisone pak today. I called my Rheumy and they want to see me tomorrow. I don't feel he can help much. I had to stop Arava because of stomach pain. I think he wants to start Plaquenil. He says it will take a long time to work! Oh goody! I'm feeling kind of pissed right now. I'm fat, sad, sweaty, and feeling sorry for myself. I haven't got time for this. Sorry to vent.
When you discuss all this with the doctor, you need him to suggest a plan of how you are going to cope with all this until Plaquenil works. Has he tried you on any of the other biologics like Enbrel, Humira or Remicade. There also Orencia and Rituxan. Different people find relief from each of these. And, they work faster than Plaquenil.
And, did he do anything to really determine that it is the Arava that's causing the stomach pain. There are so many things that can cause stomach pain, pain pills for instance, ordinary problems that other people have.
I would ask questions, questions, questions.
Saw Rheumy yesterday. He says the RA is progressing and if I don't do something now I could end up in a wheelchair. So I'm going back on Arava (had to quit because it tore my gut up) and he started me on protonix for my stomach. Hopefully, I'll be able to tolerate the Arava now. If not, he wants me to go on MTX. I started this morning and I think my stomach is already bugging me- I'm going to try to forget about it-maybe it's just in my head. Thanks for listening.I've had good results with the MTX. Has he done anything to investigate your stomach further? Maybe you should talk to your GP too. You could easily have a stomach ulcer or something that they could treat and then you'd be able to tolerate the medicine.
If you go on the MTX, ask for the injectable kind. A lot of people take it that way to avoid problems with their stomach.
I wish you good luck and good results.