I was diagnosed with RA in April 2008.

Pain management is surely one of the toughest battles of having RA.  It sounds like you are on quite a bit of medication, though I'm not sure how long you have been on each.  Methotrexate and plaquenil can often take between 3 and 6 months to begin working fully, while for many, humira and prednisone work more quickly.  Clearly, though, you have not yet found the medical cocktail that works for you yet. 

I would recommend going back to your rheumatologist and talking with them about your continued pain and affected joints. Perhaps it's possible for you to change your dosage or how often you take some medications, or which ones you take.  There are many different drugs and combinations out there, and sometimes, it takes some fiddling around to find which one will work.

In the meantime, there are some nonmedical therapies that you could try to help alleviate or lessen the pain. Massage and acupuncture are helpful to many, and you could also try different relaxation techniques such as restorative yoga or meditation and breathing exercises to help when things seem unbearable. It sounds really simple, but sometimes, laying down and focusing on your breath really can help you ride the waves of pain.

If you are interested in shifting your diet, this site has some great articles about diets you could try and different foods that you can try avoiding since they can exacerbate inflammation (sugar, fried foods, and for some, things like eggplant, tomatoes and bell peppers).  You could also try taking fish oil supplements, which have been shown to aid in inflammation and joint pain- just make sure to get some that are mercury-free and high in EPA/DHA (the omega 3 fatty acids that are beneficial).

In terms of dealing with the depression, which is a whole other can of worms in itself, though some of the above pain management tools could also help you with that.  It's important to make sure you have someone to talk to about what you are going through, so if you aren't already, it could be a good time to start therapy.  You could also talk to your doctor to see if treating the depression with medicine could be a good option for you.

Even though there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with all that RA brings with it, there are some things you can do to try and help along the way-including staying connected to others who are in a similar place.  There are some really great people on this site to reach out to while you are in the midst of figuring what will work for you. I do hope you'll talk to your rheumatologist-remember to be your own best advocate! 

Keep us posted on how you are doing, and take care.

Sara

In terms

It took me 8 months to find the right cocktail. I am currently taking Nabumetone 2000 mg a day with enbrel injections once a week and a Leflunomide pill once a day. I also take fish oil, folic acid, omeprazole and rheumatol. But I have been through Humira (worked for 3 months), Methotrexate (caused sores in my mouth), Motrin (doesnt work anymore), Plaquilnil (didnt work), prenisone (didnt like the effects) and I refuse to take a narcotic unless I absolutely have to, to get rest. It took me a long time to find the right combination. So dont give up! I know it hurts and it only seems to get harder, but your good days are coming and those days are the days you'll appreciate how far you have come. Keep talking about it, it helps a great deal! Good luck to ya!