RA & Remission

By LeighAnn Monday, June 14, 2010

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I recently went to see my doctor for my routine check up and blood labs. Upon finishing her examination of me and my various joints she proudly announced that my RA is in Remission. I sat there puzzled and looked at her while she smiled broadly back at me. See this is what was going through my head at that moment - I hear the word REMISSION and I think of the word GONE. For example if I had cancer and my doctor told me that I was in REMISSION I would be safe to think or believe that my cancer is GONE. However as I sat there I knew my RA was NOT GONE, it just wasn't actively kicking my butt at the moment. So as she smiled at me and I pondered the word remission I kinda smirked and said "OK". I mean really who am I to tell a doctor that they are sadly mistaken? She's the one with the fancy piece of paper that says she knows how to fix me - and don't get me wrong, I LOVE my doctor. She is wonderful, without her I wouldn't be able to type this right now. But I just find it ironic that RA can be considered to be in remission. Maybe I am the one in the wrong. Maybe I shouldn't so readily swap remission for the word GONE. I've been thinking about it and I am pretty sure the word remission shouldn't be used. For example, as it is there are far more people who don't know what RA is or understand it than there are people who do. So when you take that and tell them RA can go into remission they can wrongly assume that RA can go away- further muddying the waters in understanding RA. While I am lucky and feel very blessed to have days where I don't hurt as bad as others, it doesn't mean I don't hurt. Just because I am not moaning and groaning about how bad I hurt doesn't mean I am pain free. So when I was asked by my sister how my doctor's appointment went the other day I mentioned that the doctor said I was in remission. She replied That's great! So does that mean you can stop taking all those medications now that its cured?" Hummm - remission huh? So I am thinking that instead of remission we say its asleep, or on vacation, or taking a day off...maybe even dormant. All of which give the impression that its NOT GONE but will be back. My son suggested that doctor say that my RA was taking a break. To which I commented so that it can catch its breath and start kicking my butt again. :)

Really and truly and I am happy to have days where I am not in pain like I have been in the past and am sure i will be again far sooner than I want to be. I know that the pain in my feet and ankles and my hands at the moment assure me that my RA is not sleeping, or gone, just merely taking it easy on me.

Comments (9) | Add comment

ronie

6/15/10 5:11pm

I can understand your confusion. To remit means to give back. A remission of guilt means to pardon or forgive. A remission of debt means to be released from that debt.

Remission has a lot of meaning. In medical terms it means a lessening of the intensity of the symptoms of a disease.

However a remission of cancer simply means the activity and growth of cancer cells have decreased or halted for the time being. It is by this definition that doctors say RA can go into remission. It means tests indicate our immune system is not actively attacking us at the moment.

Marvel at the wonders of the human body in its ability to change and adapt. Enjoy your time of remission by knowing that although you may not be completely pain free, your RA is not charging through your body actively destroying anything like a medival warrior. Relax and sleep for a while. Let your body heal and recover from its recent battle with the beast RA.

Go on vacation without your RA.

Sally

6/15/10 9:46pm

RA remission generally means the absence of disease activity. According to the American College of Rheumatology, this includes:

5 or more of the following present at least two consecutive months:

a. Morning stiffness < 15 minutes
b. No fatigue
c. No joint pain
d. No joint tenderness or pain on motion
e. No soft tissue swelling in joints or tendon sheaths
f. ESR (Westergren methold) < 30 mm/hour for a female or 20 mm/hour for a male

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/physician-corner/education/acr/acr.html#remis_rheum

You should decide for yourself if you do indeed meet these criteria for remission- then discuss with your rheumy.

Ann K.

6/17/10 9:48am

I agree that word can be mis-leading. I tell people that the medications I am taking have my RA symptoms under control. Which is accurate.

Kelly Young

6/17/10 10:20am

Hi LeighAnn, I just had to read this! Someone else thinks remission is a strangely used term w/ RA.

It is a hot button since doctors are so different on how they use the words remission & clinical remission. It has aggravated me how confusing that is to patients. Wish we could have a different word. Some docs will look at the same patient and give a different verdict. It's kind of a mess.

I actually found an article in a magazine in my rheum doc's office that said Remission is about whatever it means to me & my doc. Well, that's "interesting". I searched and found an in depth article on remission in a research journal here. My thoughts on them both are here.

Here's hoping your remission becomes real and lasting.

Kelly :D

RA Warrior.com

LeighAnn

6/17/10 5:48pm

thank you for your comments. I want to make sure that all understand i was merely commenting on what I personally believe/understand remission to mean and how it doesn't quite match up to how i feel. My point was that for my doctor to tell me I am in remission is almost funny considering that I still struggle daily with foot and ankle pain causing me to limp. That I have various other joints that are very painful and yet I am in "remission". i was in no way requesting a definition of the word remission or an explantion of the what the word means to you or webster. Just me using this user friendly site to share my thoughts amoung friends who also have RA and hopefully can understand and share in my thoughts about my pain and ra. again thank you all for your thoughts and if my comments bothered you it was not my desire.

Kelly I read your blog often, thanks for 'getting' what I was trying to say. :)

- LeighAnn :)

Laurie

6/20/10 1:47pm

Thank you LeighAnne for your words. It's the first time I've encountered this subject from others with RA. I'm only 7 months diagnosed and still learning. I have my kayak laying in my living room waiting for "remission" so I can go back to my old life. Doesn't sound like that's going to happen. A friend that lives near me knows this illness from other friends and above all says "don't be a weekend warrior" and try to do everything all at once just cause I feel better. I did go for a 4 mile hike last week, but by evening I was in so much pain. I just can't give up; or give up hoping. I think the word "dormant" is far more accurate than gone. Laurie

Aretha

6/17/10 9:03pm

I always use the term "has calmed down" that way I am able to say not sure why, for how long or when and why it will flare. I am still suffering but this disease is unruly and relentless.

Lene Andersen, Health Guide

6/30/10 10:05am

Lurking. How 'about lurking?

Awesome post!

William Ringo

2/24/12 10:19pm

I have read with interest the articles and would love to comment. I am a W/M and at the age of 35 symptoms began and within three month had full-fleged RA. I believe this to be more miracle than anything else, since I have always had a strong belief in God, I think it only fair that I give him all the power and glory due his name. At first symptoms, I went to my local doctor and was told that he thought it was Arthritis, but didn't know what kind. He sent me to a Specialist and after many test he told me it was R.A. He treated me for more than a year, with no progress, as I could tell. I was really bad, I had a constant fever, I would wake up night drenched with sweat, my shoulders got so hot with fever, the skin would peel of like with a sunburn. Through all this I continued to work, without which, I would have had no Insurance. I would get up in the morning and take a hot shower, just trying to get to the point it didn't hurt so much to move. It got into my Neck and I couldn't turn my head, it even got into my Jaw and it even hurt to chew food. But I was determined to not let it get me down, that I was going to continue to work and move the best I could.

After a little over a year of taking everything the Doctor could find to poke down my throat, he put me on a medication called "Plaqunil" I could tell in a week that I was doing better, and after about three months, I was almost completely without symptoms. When I asked the Doctor if I could come off the Med. or cut back, he told me that I would always have to take this Med. And when I asked about remission, he said not to worry, it wasn't going to happen.

I took this Med. every day for 17 years, my symptoms was something I just didn't think about since I hadn't had any in so long.

One day I came in and sat down at my computer and got this really bad itching and red whelps come up. Again I went to the Doctor and he told me that I was Alergic to something. Over a period I tried everything, nothing helped. When I asked if it could be the Plaqunil, he said probably not since I had been on it so long with no problems, but to be on the safe side, why don't I get off it for awhile. Amazingly, my symptoms disappeared.

That has now been 18 years. You can call it "Remission" you can call it a 'Vacation" you can call it "Temoprary" but in my case it is called "cured" I no longer go to any Doctor, and the last time I did, I no longer had the signs that, well, it doesn't say you have RA, but if you have RA, you do have these signs.

I call it a miracle because "Permanent Remission", or "Cured" just doesn't happen, but it did. And without the Alergy symptoms, I would still be taking Plaqunil. Now that is a Miracle!

RA & Remission

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