I keep reading where people are taking several types of drugs. I'd like to read about the different drugs people take (only for RA,please).
I take Prednisone 15mgs per day (trying to reduce by 1/4 to 1/2 a day)....tough. Methotrexate 6 x 2.5 up from 2 x 2.5 two weeks ago., and Remicade third treatment in the last month, due for another infusion in 8 weeks.
I'm really starting to feel better, no pain, some stiffness and swelling still.
Oh I've had this disease for 15 years, was down to almost no meds when I had an operation and the RA went crazy starting in December. My doctor has tried everything! Injections of prednisone, prednisone by pill 15, and infusions of remicade and now 6 x 2.5 methotrexate a week.
I've had Ra for 13 years. Right now I'm down to 25mg MTX a week and managing quite nicely with pain medication as needed. Mainly at night and some IUB during the day.
Over the years I've taken many different DMARDS and recently spent two years on Humira. I think the combination of MTX & Humira sent me into a remission of sorts. Of course it has to be maitained with MTX; but I'm closer than I've ever been in my opinion.
I tried to reduce my MTX slowly; but eventually had to be taken off of Humira so we had to increase the MTX to compensate. I hope that later this summer I'll be able to give that another try. I really would like to reduce that greatly. I'm beginning to notice more hair loss. It's not dramatic; but it's definately thinner than it was years ago.
I am taking 15 mg of Prednisone, 3 cc's (7.5 mg i think?) of Mtx, and 40 mg of Humira weekly. This past friday was my 5th injection of Mtx so im not sure if it is helping me yet. We'll find out i guessHumira, arava, clinoril, effexor, and protonix currently. I'm including the protonix because my nsaid use for the last 30 years took it toll on my stomach - I get heartburn. I may have to add blood pressure medicine because the arava increase from 10mg to 20mg seems to have triggered an increase in BP. (Couldn't possibly be my weight or age
Sometimes tramadol for pain.
I have been on remicade, enbrel, MTX, plaquinil, pred, fossamax, and probably 30 different nsaids.
I have JRA, I'm 18. I'm taking 25 mg MTX subcutaneous once a week, 200mg plaquinel once a day, and 375 mg Naproxen twice daily. They are considering putting me on a biologic on my next appt. I think switching to sub-q and upping the MTX dose helped me alot but not enough for my crazy university lifestyle.
Kadi
I've had the JRA for all my 23 years now (wow that sounds like old person speak....) I've been REALLY lucky in only taking the NSAIDs so far - Asprin, Ibu, Aleve, Mobic, and then Vioxx and Celebrex. I think this is the first time that it's not working for me. :( Wah. I suppose I can't complain! All in all, I'm really lucky I suppose. RD appt is on April 16th, and we shall see what she thinks!I take 50mg Enbrel and 20mg MTX by injection per week.
1mg Folic acid, 50mg Minocin daily.
7.5/325mg Norco (Hydrocodone) as needed.
I take 15mg MTX once per week, 200mg Plaquenil daily, and Folic Acid daily (except on MTX day). I've been on these meds since Oct/Nov of last year. While I am definitely better than I was, I was hoping for more relief than I've had. I have good days, but I also have some pretty crappy ones and I'm still having an issue with the fatigue (I find that the hardest of all to deal with). I see the rheumy in May and I'm hoping he has some suggestions to get me more relief than I've had.I take 25mg mtx, 400 mg plaquenil, 2000 mg sulfasalazine, 400 mg celebrex, flexeril and duragesic(fentanyl) pain patch.
7.5 mgs mtx, 50 cc's Enbrel (once a week).Practically no meds for almost 20 years. Wild lingzhi formula to effectively control and reverse the disease. No flares for many years.
Presently I drink wild lingzhi tea or take a few capsules/time occassionally and eat selective natural foods daily. I also develope awareness of foods. My policy is to abstain from chemical, med, canned foods, dairy products etc..
Besides genetics and other causes, what we eat daily can affect the disease like gabage in gabage out.
I am one of them if there are, that completely do not depend on med/drug for the disease. Yet I can overcome the disease!!!!
Humira fortnightly and pain meds. tried and failed with mtx, sulfazalazine, gold etc.Had RA (diagnosed) for 6 months, drs think it started over a year ago.
I've just come off Humira, will be starting Remicade the end of the month. I also take Sulfasalazine but haven't noticed any improvment. I was diagnosed last June, I think, and I've been on different drugs ever since. First MTX, had to stop because my hair was majorly falling out and I was sick almost entire week, plaquenil, prednisone, and a medrol pack, all of which did nothing for my pain. A couple of weeks ago a had some kind of a steroid shot which took my pain for one day only. At my last appointment my dr. said my arthritis is definitely not under control,(no kidding???)and that my hands looked worse than the month before! I've been taking .8 ml MTX injectable (equal to 20 mg pills), 200/400 mg Plaquenil (alternating daily) and 2mg Folic Acid since October of last year. I also take 75 mg diclofenac twice daily and codeine for pain as needed. I do have some good days, a little less stiffness than before I started these meds; I still have a lot of bad days though.For the raLet's see...I have had RA for 12 years. Wow, I can't believe it has been that long. Treatments certainly have changed in all this time.
For the RA I take Humira every 2 weeks, .6ml (or 15mg) mtx injected into the muscle, 2mg of folic acid, morphine, percocet when needed for breakthru pain, 5mg of pred, Miralax, fiber, and Lidoderm Patches when needed.
I was dx in Sept 05 but I think I have had it for years before. I currently am taking :
750 mg relafen (twice a day)
90 mg cymbalta (once a day)
.25 mg xanax (once a day)
750 mg vicodin (supposed to be twice a day but I take it 3 times lately)
Was on 40mg Humira bi weekly ...but had an cyst removed Feb.1st and haven't had a shot since Jan.5. Doc says I can take it on Monday. WOOOOOHOOOOO! Counting the days!
I was just diagnosed with RA in January, but believe it started March 06.
Specifically for the RA, I'm taking:
Enbrel, 50 mg/ml, 1x/wk
Mtx, 3x2.5 mg, 1x/wk
Folic acid
Having FMS and DDD for about 7 years, I was already taking (and continue to take):
Relafen, 500 mg, 2x/day
Skelaxin, 800 mg, 2x/day
Lyrica, 150 mg, 2x/day
For the combined pain management I take either Ultracet (tramadol) or Vicodin ES (hydrocodone).
And just for the record, I'm also taking:
Avalide (hypertension)
Zyrtec (allergies)
Singulair (allergies)
Zetia (cholesterol)
Protonix (acid reflux)
Glucosamine Chondroitin (joint supplement)
SAM-e (joint, liver and mood supplement)
Multi-vitamin
As my husband says, when the pharmacy sees me coming, they all start clapping. LOL...the pharmacy starts clapping. I like that. How many of us are on a first name basis with our pharmicists and pharmacy techs? I know we are lol.
Pharmaceutical cos hate me, doc & phamarcist never see me
I only love my wild lingzhi without this god's created plant I do not know what become of me. It stays supreme to the disease. Nature is there to provide an equilibrium.
For minor illnesses like flu, sore throat, cough etc.. natural foods like fruits' & vege juices and wild lingzhi work.
Life is great to take care independently on health matters. I identify the problem, I know my body best and I only need appropriate natural foods to treat the problem. There are natural ways to solve a problem.
Does anyone take Remicade? If, yes please let me know, if you have but don't anymore could you tell me why? I'm amazed that no one else takes it (maybe one person who has responded)?
Here I am!
Been off and on Remicade 3 times for the last 5 years and only got off of it for insurance purposes. (Or lack of)
Remicade, Imuran, MTX, Folic Acid, Fosomax, Prednisone, Calcium Plus D.
dear bingethinker, how long have you taken prednisone? I'm thinking of taking 2-1/2 the 3 on alternate days, so I'll reduce over time, but not say...7 days in a row. Whattya thing, sarah
I've been on Prednisone for 15+ yrs. It has taken me this long to be dx'd with osteoporosis so the really long-term usage is what you should be concerned about. If your doc wants you to take 3 and it makes you more comfortable, then take 3. Right now, you should be concerned about being as pain-free as possible and in the meantime, give your stronger meds such as the Remicade a little time to get going. Most people I know who've been on prednisone for less than 2-3 yrs. have been weaned off with the minimum amount of side effects. Some even longer. Sure, get off the prednisone asap, but for now, if it makes you feel better, use it.
BTW, has your doc mentioned anything about taking calcium supplements while on the prednisone? No one told me, but I should have been taking them all along. This not from my RD or my PCP, but from my orthopedic surgeon while he was putting my leg in a cast.
After falling out of the golf cart I'm adding Norgesic Forte, a muscle relaxant to my chemical cocktail!!
sarah
LOL Sarah, don't shoot me - I hope you see the humor in this...
If you fell OUT of the golf cart, should you really be adding something that's gonna relax you EVEN MORE?
My husband had his head down chipping while I was busy falling, trying to 'save' myself and the cart, and keep from getting run over, my legs were sort of up in the 'thing', my golf club in my hand was sticking into the cart, the 'thing' was moving backwards down the steep hill, at that point I said to myself, 'hey, let it go where ever it has to go' I didn't even scream. I was rolling out and down the hill 'the other way'!! My husband saw the cart go past him, before he saw me on the ground. Oh my, I did annoy my tail-bone, not really what I need right now 'trying' to survive this dang RA. Just loved the sunny, golf course, with the baby deer running around, and the birds singing until the 16th hole!!.
Lucky to be alive!! Thanks for writing.
sarah
I have always wanted to get drunk and drive the golf cart around the course yelling FORE!!! at the top of my lungs.I was on remicade for over 2 years with my final dose being 10mg/kg at 4 week intervals. We switched because it wasn't working and we couldn't tweak the dose any higher. But, I'm a medication failure so I wouldn't give up on remicade too soon.
I'm now on rituxan, celebrex, arava and pain medications
Is there anyone not on any meds/drugs yet able to control effectively the disease?
I have not been on any single drug/med for almost twenty (20) years
Herbs and natural foods that's all
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