As some of you know - I am due to have my third baby son at any moment !
I am on 5mg Pred - long story but now been back on it now for about a week after been weaned off it after being on it for two months. I have never been on any other medication for the arthritis as my RA came on literally the day i became pregnant.
I have an appointment with my Rheumy 4-6 weeks after the birth of the baby and he is SO UNHELPFUL and a waste of space - hasn't seen me through the pregnancy only the once at the beginning when diagnosed.
I am curious as to what he will start me on to be honest and was wondering if any of you through experience know of something that it FAST working and I could suggest to him ? When off the pred my swelling and stiffness in hands and fingers returned quickly and hence the reason had to go back on - ready to cope with a newborn without hands and fingers that are no good.
Look forward to hearing your comments
Chelybel
Cheybel;
I started 11 years ago on Sulfersalazine. Did that for a little while alone and it loss it's effect. Then we added plaquinel with it. All this time I also tried too numerous antianflamatory drugs to remember. I did ok for years. Flairs here and there with several pick me up doses of predisone and shot after shot of cortizone.
Three years ago I started MTX. Over the coarse of that time we increased the dosage to 22.5mg. In December I started bi-weekly Humira injections. I was feeling fantastic. I think better than I have since before 1994 but after 6 months it was no long working as well. We increased the Humira injections to weekly and I've been doing that up till this very day in fact.
I'm taking what I hope will be a one to two week break from both medications due to a slight infection. Hopefully I'll be back on coarse soon. I will miss my medication because I suppose if you look at my track record here I'm pretty use to keeping every thing at bay with my medication.
I think my point with my long drawn out explanation to your original question: I'm not sure any of us can recommend anything. We've all been on such different coarses of treatment. The thing that will be interesting about this post is that we can compair treatment options.
Should be interesting. I encourage everyone that reads this to jump in here. Let's get lots of answers to this one so we can compair ideas on whats worked best.
Wish someone new how to make one of those polls where we vote on things.
Anyway...Good Luck with your appointment. One piece of advice I do have for you: If you are not happy with your RD find one you do like asap. It's my opinion that this is a very important relationship you'll have with this person. Find someone you'll like and will work with you to control this thing, becuase it can be controlled. It's in your best interest to find a doctor that you will comtinue seeing for years and years so that he/she will get to know you and how this thing effects you personally. It's different in lots of ways for all of us.
Lovie
Lovie
Hello,
When I went to my second RD she put me on Arava, 5mg prednisone, and celebrex. It done good foe me, but I got fed up with her attitude I stopped going to her. So, I stopped taking all the meds as well since I had to have labs done and did not have a back up doctor before I stopped going to her...lol.
C-----if your Rheumy hasn't been there for you now, find another one and get as many references as you can. You need a Rheumy who cares and is there for you during all the ups and downs of this disease. I pray you have a safe delivery and a wonderful, beautiful healthy baby. Maybe your hormones will put this disease in remission for you. My friend had Lupus and that happened to her. She has been symptom free for 5 years!! Keep us all posted and sending you many hugs!! Good luck and have a safe and restful weekend!The best thing you can do for yourself is to find a Rheumatologist that you like and can work with. There is nothing more important. Write down a record of any symptoms of RA and also a list of questions to take with you when you see the Dr. Do you have insurance that pays for drugs? That can make a difference. The biologics are very,very expensive if you have to pay the cost yourself. There are other drugs that have worked and don't cost nearly as much. Often they will start with one of those.
Barb
THANK YOU for your help and advice. I agree about the Rheumy but believe it or not this man is the only man in the area in Wales (UK) where i am living. He is a NHS Rheumy and should you pay to go private he is the one you get to see - bloody typical! I am making the most of the weather today as in the 80's which is fantastic for this part of the world ! In my bikini with a massive bump ready to burst ! Hoping the heat will help out with the RA too! Hope you all have had a lovely weekend Hiya Chelybel! Hope your feeling ok and all excited about your 'soon to be' new arrival. I agree with all of the other posts in this thread. Its a shame that your rheumatoligist is the only one in your area. How far is another one from you? Having the support and expertise of a good specialist certainly helps. I'm so thankful that I can trust mine completly and I know that he knows his stuff 100%. Sure hope you sort it out eventually. As far as first medication goes I wouldn't know what to suggest but all I can say is that MTX so far seems to be working fantastically for me. I finished the Preds on Thurs and normally the pain would come straight back the next morning but I have felt nothin except for a little stiffness in my little finger on my left hand. However, it does take at least 7 weeks to kick in properly but I was on Preds for the first 9 weeks to ensure that it had started working. Definatly would reccommend MTX if you get the option. x
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