Information and opinions on health from BerserkeRA at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/666807/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/666807/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/666807/index http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/152046/ra Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:05:33 -0400 BerserkeRA Long story short: My current meds leave a lot to be desired.  A week ago, I was in to see the rheumy, and commented that I didn't think the sulfasalazine was working very well (and neither is the humira, but heck it's only been 3 months on that -- also, I'm currently taking 30 pills per day, and have a topically applied treatment, plus a bi-weekly injection -- 4 pills a day would make a difference).  He calmly said "Let's find... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/152046/ra http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/147013/ex Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:40:33 -0500 BerserkeRA Have you taken more than one anti-TNF?  These drugs include: 1) Infliximab (Remicade) 2) Adalimumab (Humira) 3) Golimumab (Simponi) 4) Etanercept (Enbrel) 5) Certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)   Which order did you take them in?  What were your results?   My first biologic was Enbrel, which didn't seem to do much for me and I did not stay on it very long (1.5-2 months?).  Next, I tried Remicade and it worked very well... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/147013/ex http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/146779/ab Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:27:50 -0500 BerserkeRA I tried actemra today -- literally, I tried to take it and failed.    Today was to be my first infusion of actemra, and it was the first time neither infusion nurse could find a vein.  I had puffs of cotton stuck all over me by the time they found a huge vein in my elbow that would advance.   They gave me the standard "This is your first time on the drug" speech about what to watch out for in terms of adverse reactions,... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/146779/ab http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/145374/ob Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:03:28 -0400 BerserkeRA I've been on Orencia for 13-14 months now.  I can't say that it hasn't worked at all, because I have seen some improvement.  However, I'm definitely not in remission, and worse still, I don't feel like my disease is under control, or even adequately managed.   Orencia is slower getting started than the anti-TNFs (it may take 3-6 months to show signs of improvement according to my rheumy's office), and with my extremely... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/145374/ob http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/145296/hip Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:58:38 -0400 BerserkeRA I've noticed recently that my hips are begining to "pop" deep inside, and along with that feeling comes intense pain.  I've had numerous cartiledge tears over the years, and the pain is much more intense than that.  Ussually this happens after I've been immoble for a while, then get up and take a step.  Most of the time, the pain is enough to make me sit down immediately.   I'm not sure what to think of this.  I also... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/145296/hip http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/144547/fl Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:56:01 -0400 BerserkeRA I'm pretty sure choking a nurse is illegal in most states, but I was sorely tempted today...   I've been having recurrent "micro-flares" (for lack of a better term): flares that span 1-3 days.  My wife called my rheumy today, to see if he wanted me to do a short duration increase of pred again this time.   Another physician's nurse (from the same practice) called me back and asked "How do you know it's a flare?"   Oh,... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/144547/fl http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/140057/le Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:02:20 -0400 BerserkeRA Yes, it does.  The reason arava needs an antidote is that it can cause complete liver failure (e.g. it can be fatal) and if you just stop taking it without doing the antidote, arava can stay in your system for up to 2 years!  It has a strict set of rules (arava) related to how bad your LFT's get (I've forgotten which test is the ticker) -- if you are 2x the "high", you drop to 10mg per day, 3x the "high" you d/c the drug and start the... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/140057/le http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/140047/ac Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:16:52 -0400 BerserkeRA I just found this interesting passage reading a review of Martin Seligman's "Positive Psychology" theory, and this passage struck a chord...   "In her chapter 'Smile or Die: The Bright Side of Cancer,' Barbara Ehrenreich investigates cancer culture from the perspective of a dry-humor cancer survivor herself: "[R]ather than providing emotional sustenance, the sugar coating of cancer can exact a dreadful cost. First, it requires the denial... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/140047/ac http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/139741/me Fri, 10 Jun 2011 16:10:14 -0400 BerserkeRA So... What do you do when the only meds* you respond to are anti-metabolites and you are toxic to both methotrexate and leflunomide?   *I haven't tried all the biologics yet, but have failed off 2 of the TNFs, and Orencia was only marginally beneficial -- maybe a 5-10% reduction.   I'm feeling pretty low today.  I have to start taking the leflunoimide antidote today and have been told to stop taking the drug.  It is so... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/139741/me http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/120936/in Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:28:14 -0400 BerserkeRA As bright and sunny as the out look was for remicade in my treatment, its over and done.  I had serious problems with duration -- the drug was only effective for about 2 weeks after the infusion and then I rapidly decompensated.  We tried shorter durations, down to an infusion every 4 weeks, and tried increasing the dose to 6 mg/kg (almost the max dose), but no dice.  This last infusion didn't work at all.   My rheumy says... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/666807/120936/in