Biologics - how long before prescribed? | Arthritis Information

 

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with RA a year ago.  I started with sulfazine, hydrochorxyquine, and prednisone.  Still on all of those and MTX was added in Oct. last year.  I went up to 25mg, but the side effects were fairly difficult, so my Rhuemy backed it down to 15mg and added leflunomide (arava) 3x a week with it.  I also take adderal to keep me awake or I couldn't work. 

I have had anemia for the last two months and my doc doesn't want to change anything until that gets better.  I am down to 5mg of pred. a day. 

I am doing better than last year.  I was in a wheelchair, couldn't even walk.  But I am in pain daily and find myself sitting in my armchair when I get home from work too fatigued and in pain to do much else.  I did start 5mg of hydrocodone a couple of months ago and that helps some. 

How long did most of you wait before biologics were used?  How long did it take to see any improvement? 

thanks

They were prescribed to me the same day I got my diagnosis. I was a pretty severe case, though. My doctor actually let me decide if I wanted to start with Enbrel, Humira or Remicade. I filled my prescription, it came into the doctors office (Enbrel), but I never went to have the first injection. I haven't been back to that doc since. I am on antibiotics and doing well now. I was diagnosed 18 months ago.

 

Take care, Karin

I had RA more than 10 years before I started biologics. I've responded real well to various DMARD treatments over the years and back then there wasn't even such a thing as biologics. (Least I don't think so)

Your case is obviously worse than mine. Although I had a horrible time at first; I certainly wasn't in a wheel chair. If you aren't getting good results with the medications you are on I see no reason for the wait.

Have you mentioned to your doctor you'd like to consider these?

10 Years for me too, i was allergic to most other meds, it was just trial and error until I went on the HUmira

Seems like one RD started mentioning "injections" after a year and half of being on Arava, and it not helping much. Then the other RD, started mentioning "injections" just before he mentioned MTX and said if MTX did not work on its own I was going to be put on "injections" along with it. I was like NO THANK YOU! And stopped going to RD's, for fear of "injections".

It as about 6 months after I was "officially" dx. Was diagnosed in 1999, put on AP for a year with no results, then MXT with no results, stopped all meds and finally after a year or so with no meds I slowly got better.  Stayed relatively pain free for 8 years or so (my denial years) then had horrible flare and started on Enbrel alone, then put on MXT with Enbrel, and just in the last year I started Remicade along with MXT and have finally achieved a pretty pain free, inflammation free existence.  Lindy

When I came out of remission I was put on mtx and biologics immediately.  They are finding the harder and faster we treat ra the less damage there is done.

It took me 3 shots with the humira to notice a difference. 

Thanks all,
I am going back to the Dr. in July, hopefully with my anemia under control.  Does anyone else have problems with anemia and does that interfere with taking RA meds?

thanks!
I was put on Humira (my choice between that or enbril) about 13 months after my dx. I tried several drugs that I was allergic to or couldn't tolerate>humira makes me itch and break out but I take benedryl with it and it helps. I had surgery Feb. 1 and went off and restarted in late April. I have had I think 4 shots and I have noticed a difference in the swelling in my hand but not my feet. My energy level has went up. Still have pains especially weather related. Hopefully this stuff will build up and kick some ra ass!I was on Enbrel about  6 weeks after my first visit with my rheumy. we started on MTX and nothing happened so we added Enbrel.I had been on 'very little' mtx 20mgs a week (for years), then the heart operation and my RA went through the roof!, after months of agony (Dec-March), I was finally given prednisone 15mgs, Remicade - a small amt , 300 increased now to 900, and 40mgs of MTX!! This feels like a huge amount of medication to me, but it is currently working. (off of the prednisone)!! Rah!!, I was offered enbrel, humira or remicade but the doctor for some reason  chose remicade? I'm still not sure why.Good luck with all this, LyndaI started Enbrel about a year after my first rhuemy visit.  Two months after my first visit, my rhuemy put me on MTX.  I started at 10mgs/week--that was upped to 15mg/week after about two months.  Then 10 months later, my doc felt I wasn't doing good enough on just MTX alone, so he convinced me to start Enbrel.

dordale :)
i have had ra for about 8 years and have slowly increased the mtx to 15mg but will be adding a biologic soon.  anna I was put on Humira 6 months after dx.  I believe I had to wait the 6 months to prove to the insurance company other methods did not work.  Then he prescribed the stuff and then the insurance company had to approve it.  I have a letter where they approved it a couple of years.  Then at that point, I guess, I will have to have it approved again if I stay on it.  i was dx at 8 and didnt go on mtx and enbrel till a year ago now im on mtx and humira sooo it was 10 years for me of nsaids and plaquenel and prednisone. was on antibiotics for about a year that helped a lot...Littlemermaid - I've been doing some research on AP therapy, and haven't made up my mind yet, so I'm wondering why you went off the antibiotics if they helped a lot...
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com