RA’s Under Control...What does that mean? | Arthritis Information

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I am curious to know what it means to have your RA under control. I'm starting to think this disease contols us. I'm starting into a flare. I wish I
would have never said knock on wood in a recent post. Have a bad
headache tonight, always the first sign and I feel sick. I'm tired of this. I
think if your pain is in control and you can function on the meds and other
therapies you are doing and you can have a "normal" life, that is control.
Inflamatory markers being near normal are a good sign too. That is always
the impression I have gotten."under control" I wish.  Not sure that it's possible for any length of time.  I've come to the conclusion for me that maybe I'll achieve "under control" at some point but never remission.  I'll settle for under control.  Wish I could be more positive about it but I can't.  I've just had my Remicade increased and now every 5 weeks.  I'm hoping, as we all are.

Under control can mean remission whether it is medication induced or not.  Usually when I think under control I think about the disease process slowing down and damage not being done.  Here are remission guidelines by the American College of Rheumatology:

  • morning stiffness less than or equal to 15 minutes
  • no fatigue
  • no joint pain
  • no joint tenderness or pain on motion
  • no soft tissue swelling in joints or tendon sheaths
  •  erythrocyte sedimentation rate-(a blood test which measures infalmmation) less than or equal to 30 in females and 20 in males

    • The question is the disease controls you or you control the disease?

    If the disease controls you during flare, there is going to have continuous excruciating/intermitent pain and suffering even though you have taken meds/super meds.

    When you control the disease there is no pain nor suffering except there are swells and inconvenient in movements.

    In my experience, correct herbs can 'tame' the disease in a friendly manner as such there is no pain and signs of side effects like fatigue, fever, drowsiness, restless, chill, and sleepy that often associated with drugs are not apparent.

    The disease can resist bombardment of drugs and emerge more aggressive.

    [QUOTE=lorster]I'm starting to think this disease contols us. I'm starting into a flare. I wish I
    would have never said knock on wood in a recent post. Have a bad
    headache tonight, always the first sign and I feel sick. I'm tired of this. I
    think if your pain is in control and you can function on the meds and other
    therapies you are doing and you can have a "normal" life, that is control.
    Inflamatory markers being near normal are a good sign too. That is always
    the impression I have gotten.[/QUOTE]

    Wow Lorster...Did you send me you headache and sick feeling? I awoke with a headache. Sure made for a lond day with potty-training. I've been aching in my hands, feet and ankles since getting off the Prednisone. Even as I type, my head pounds with each key stroke on my laptop.

    I hope you're wrong about this being the beginning of a flare for you. I will keep you in my prayers. [QUOTE=LinB]"under control" I wish.  Not sure that it's possible for any length of time.  I've come to the conclusion for me that maybe I'll achieve "under control" at some point but never remission.  I'll settle for under control.  Wish I could be more positive about it but I can't.  I've just had my Remicade increased and now every 5 weeks.  I'm hoping, as we all are.[/QUOTE]

    LinB...how long have you had RA.
    I'm not sure about getting ra 'under control' but when I was first ill my gp spoke of getting 'this flare under control' which is/was attainable.Tinker- that is what i was told.There is no cure, we know that but a lot of people live with RA symptom free for a long time due to meds or due to non severity.When i was first diagnosed i was really ill with it but my symptoms went away for at least 2 years and with no medication, it came back mildly but got worse about 8 years ago and fluctuated on and off until I had a major flare and its been severe since that flare.My not being able to tolerate the meds havent helped, the humira has been hit and miss due to infections but it is my last hope with medication as there is nothing else my Rheumy can give me.

    Hi Pin

    I'm sorry you have been hit so badly. After two years I still don't understand (for want of the correct word) this disease. If you are up to it please could you describe your mild and major? I'm sure it's different for everyone, but as a ball park.

    I've had RA for 12 years now. The first 3 years it was very difficult to get the RA under control and I suffered some significant damage. For almost the last 9 years, I have used the combo of MTX and Enbrel. It worked wonders for me. I very rarely flare and I have had very little damage occur. I believe my RA is now very well controlled. I may not have a total remission, but I live a very normal life with very little pain and inflammation. I've had no side effects from the meds except for some thinning of the hair in the very beginning with the MTX. The best part is that I feel good almost all of the time. RA doesn't control my life at all.

    Sarahclarky1439226.1789699074Tinker- My mild symptoms would be: morning stiffness that lets me out of bed in an hour of waking, pain that i can tolerate only using paracetomol and my tens machine( oh yes and warm baths

    I'm seeing my rheumy next week so I'm debating whether to use my precious 10 minutes unloading the last 4 months and going through my questions or letting her tell me how it is.

    Remission can be attainable.  I was there for almost 6 years.  Without meds.  But I believe that to be a change in climate.  When I came back to the midwest so did my ra. This is climate thing is not true for everyone.  Just my experience. 

    I do a humira/mtx combo that has worked pretty well for me.  Last summer you never would have known that I have ra.  My problem is when I have to go off the meds due to illness.  Then I go way out control and it takes forever for me to catch up and be well again.  After being steady back on the humira since the end of January, I am finally getting better and feeling better.  I had one oops where I let a weather flare that was worse than normal go without getting a pred pack.  Now I am reaedy to stop supplementing my meds with pred and go off of that entirely and hopefully be back to my new "normal".  I'm still fighting and shaking the fatigue but from what I have heard and understand that is the last thing to go.  

    I think under control means you are responding well to the meds and it's slowing the disease process and HELPING to releive the pain. I still have pain but it's not as bad as I know it can be. I have to stay on medication or my symptoms will return. I have been able to manage pretty well without Humira which I was on for two years with MTX. I now am only on MTX and that has gone pretty well for a while. I have had to increase it to make up the difference and that is helping but not as well as it was before.

    In my opinion "RA under control" means you have found the right mix of meds and you are doing about as well as can be expected. How well is "As well as can be expected" can only be determined by you and your doctor. After many years with this illness I think you get to a point where you accept a certain amount of discomfort.....but how much is different for everyone I think.

    That's just my opinion.

    [QUOTE=Blessed]
    [QUOTE=lorster]I'm starting to think this disease contols us. I'm starting
    into a flare. I wish I
    would have never said knock on wood in a recent post. Have a bad
    headache tonight, always the first sign and I feel sick. I'm tired of this. I
    think if your pain is in control and you can function on the meds and
    other
    therapies you are doing and you can have a "normal" life, that is control.
    Inflamatory markers being near normal are a good sign too. That is
    always
    the impression I have gotten.[/QUOTE]<span style="color: rgb(0, 0,
    255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-
    family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wow
    Lorster...Did you send me you headache and sick feeling? I awoke with a
    headache. Sure made for a lond day with potty-training. I've been
    aching in my hands, feet and ankles since getting off the Prednisone.
    Even as I type, my head pounds with each key stroke on my laptop.

    I hope you're wrong about this being the beginning of a flare for you. I
    will keep you in my prayers. </span></span>[/
    QUOTE]

    Lisa, do your flares start with a headache? That is always my first sign. It
    is a weird frontal headache and upset stomach. And I feel fluish. Got into
    the jet tub last night which did help but then I get heated up so bad that I
    cannot stand it. I bought a pedometer and have started walking trying to
    get my 10,000 steps in a day. I think this increase in my activity put me
    over the edge. I try to do something healthy for myself, and this is what
    happens. I'm gonna decrease to 5000 steps and build from there. I just
    feel I over did it.Hi, I agree undercontrol is no pain, no s
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