Ok, I am experiencing VERY fast joint disfiguration. I am really starting to worry. it seems like every day I find a new lump starting. I have one finger that is curving out. I have done everything they have told me to do since I was diagnosed a year ago. Am I missing something here? Is the Remicade going to stop this from happening?
the short answer is hopefully, maybe even probably. The Biologics are miracle drugs - when they work, they suppress the RA, stop the damage and help you get back to life. You can expect that it will probably take a couple of months for the Remicade to really kick in and I would suggest talking to your rheumatologist about a prescription for prednisone to help you bridge the gap and hopefully stop your joints from been damaged any further. it's quite possible that the Remicade will do it for you and you will be perfectly happy for a long time on that drug. However, sometimes it can take a while to find a drug that works for you and the good news is that there are a number of other options in the Biologics (Enbrel, Humira, Simponi, Orencia).
Hang in there. It gets easier.
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I'm experiencing the same thing in my hands. It's scary. Hopefully once your medicines have taken full effect they will slow things down. As far as things stopping completely, every RA case is so individualized it's hard to say. I was on methotrexate and it was doing wonders, almost had my RA in full remission but then I started having a severe reaction to it so I had to stop. I don't know how helpful this was to you but I wish you the best of luck with your medicine and know you are definitely not alone.
Thanks for the reply. I don't know which end is up right now. I was approved by the insurance comopany to start the Remicade but I just found out yesterday that my co-pay might be $800 every six weeks. This is getting a little ridiculous. I feel that the Methotrexate worked pretty well for the first yhear and now my options are pretty slim. I just have to figure out what works for me and how to get it paid for.
Hope to hear form you again soon,
Gina