I am new to this group and am glad I found it. I don't know of many that have RA other than one co-worker and she just got diagnosed so I hope you all don't mind me chewing your heads off.
I was diagnosed back in March of this year and have been on Methotrexate since. First I was taking it in pill form, but that made me so sick to my stomach. I am now on the injections. My dose is currently 22.5mg a week. It makes me super ass sleepy (I mean I am out cold for hours after taking my shot). My dr has mentioned about going on Embrel, but because of my family history of cancer, I have to talk to an Oncologist first to see if my risks go up even more for cancer if I go on it.
My hands, wrists and toes are the most swollen, so I have a hard time walking and doing pretty much anything with my hands.
Work has been getting harder to do. I work on the computer and phone doing orders and customer service so my typing skills have slowed down a ton. I have called out of work many times due to not being able to move without being in extreme pain. (I had two kids without drugs and this pain is much worse than that). Thankfully I work for a great company who understands.
So that is a little history of me and my RA. Hope to get to know you all.
HI there. I have had RA for a while and take methotrexate, plaquenil, aleve and remicade therapy. I was on enbrel. That may help you alot in conjunction with the methotrexate. Do you take any anti inflammatories? Try also hot or cold compresses, whatever helps you. heat was better for me personally but everyone is different. If you ahve any questions and I can help, feel free to friend me so we can go more in depth about RA than I can get here.
I had thought that the methotrexate helped with the inflamation? At least that is what my dr keeps telling me. All I know is my fingers and toes are getting more swollen, not less, and now my wrists and shoulders are hurting all the time too. I do live off Advil. Aleve didn't help much at all. Not that the Advil helps that much either, but it does help with the pain enough to make it through my 6 hour shift at work.
Quoting NJMOMOF2:HI there. I have had RA for a while and take methotrexate, plaquenil, aleve and remicade therapy. I was on enbrel. That may help you alot in conjunction with the methotrexate. Do you take any anti inflammatories? Try also hot or cold compresses, whatever helps you. heat was better for me personally but everyone is different. If you ahve any questions and I can help, feel free to friend me so we can go more in depth about RA than I can get here.
I am not sure but if your RA is severe and you are having swelling and no relief from methotrexate then they go directly to inject-ables which should really help in conjunction with the metho. You are right the advil, aleve really just takes the edge off so you can move a bit and function. I have had success with enbrel and humira but it was short lived so I go for infusion therapy of remicade. Not bad at all. After a week, I am good for about 5 weeks and need to redo it. RA stinks. I never thought I would be one with it but here I am. Sorry you are in the "club"
Quoting Monifoxx:
I had thought that the methotrexate helped with the inflamation? At least that is what my dr keeps telling me. All I know is my fingers and toes are getting more swollen, not less, and now my wrists and shoulders are hurting all the time too. I do live off Advil. Aleve didn't help much at all. Not that the Advil helps that much either, but it does help with the pain enough to make it through my 6 hour shift at work.
Quoting NJMOMOF2:
HI there. I have had RA for a while and take methotrexate, plaquenil, aleve and remicade therapy. I was on enbrel. That may help you alot in conjunction with the methotrexate. Do you take any anti inflammatories? Try also hot or cold compresses, whatever helps you. heat was better for me personally but everyone is different. If you ahve any questions and I can help, feel free to friend me so we can go more in depth about RA than I can get here.
Wishing everyone peace health and happiness. Above all the world should be filled with tolerance for all kinds of differences! After all, differences are what makes us all unique and wonderful!
I believe that Remicade is done by IV. I remember reading a little on it once that said it was done in a dr's office and takes 2 hours or so.
Preednisone made a big difference in my inflamation and wish I could be on it more often, but I can't. I have been on it so much in my life because of my asthma that I have to take a ton of calcium daily and am at big risk for Osteoperosis (sp?). Not to mention that I already take a steroid inhaler twice a day to keep my asthma under control.
Hi Ive been dignosed with RA for 8 yrs. I have been on enbrel for about a yr it was working really well untill latley. Im lucky that it has worked that long.
Welcome to the group. I am also worried about the cancer risks with TNF blockers. Everyone in my family dies of some type of cancer, but I don't think anyone had lymphoma. Their cancers were mainly do to their lifestyles. I am still worried, but I feel that I have to chose between being able to function and suffering a side effect. I wasn't able to trim my toenails or zip up my pants. So I don't take as much as is prescribed. My first rheumy agreed with me that why take a drug if you don't need it. This current doctor wants me to take it regardless.
This is the point that I am at. I am so tired of not being able to do pretty much everything involving my hands, which is like everything. Just reading the side effects of these drugs (even the common side effects) freaks me out, but I want to be back to my normal self, even if it is not for a long time.
Quoting sillymoo:Welcome to the group. I am also worried about the cancer risks with TNF blockers. Everyone in my family dies of some type of cancer, but I don't think anyone had lymphoma. Their cancers were mainly do to their lifestyles. I am still worried, but I feel that I have to chose between being able to function and suffering a side effect. I wasn't able to trim my toenails or zip up my pants. So I don't take as much as is prescribed. My first rheumy agreed with me that why take a drug if you don't need it. This current doctor wants me to take it regardless.
Videos
Sometimes Single Parenting
The Kristen Chase Show
When your spouse is gone for days or even weeks at a time for work, how do you manage everything you need to do for your kids, your house and yourself? How do you prepare for your spouse's return so that the transition is as easy as possible for the whole family? Kristen is joined by Tracie Montgomery, working mother of two, to discuss some ideas to survive sometimes single parenting.
Watch More Videos from CafeMom Studios ››
Humira/Enbrel/other self injectors
- Monifoxx
on Oct. 28, 2011 at 12:57 AM