Year: 2016

Remicade

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My treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, RA, is moving in the opposite direction of normal. Because I was diagnosed with two cancers and rheumatoid arthritis in the same year, the wonder drug biologics were off limits for me. They presented a higher cancer risk. Eventually as my RA worsened, quality of life became a factor. Methotrexate(MTX) injections help, but not enough. I had tried the triple treatment of MTX, Plaquenil and sulfasalazine without success. Leflunomide was next, but it didn’t work either. The small molecule DMARDs were exhausted as treatments.  The biologics were next. Rituxan was considered the safest both by my rheumatologist and by my oncologist. I was infused with Rituxan. It didn’t work. Next safest was Orencia. I was infused with Orencia. It helped. It helped about 50% which was the norm for it. I received monthly infusions. But my flares became much worse at 10-11 months. Orencia was stopped. Next is Remicade. Remicade, infliximab, was approved for RA in 1999. It is a TNF inhibitor. My rheumatologist had a serious discussion with me …

RA, stuffed green peppers and pacing

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My podiatrist thinks people with RA have an amazing positive attitude. He says it is unique to his patients with RA. I can understand that. We have no choice but to manage our disease. So we do. We plod along solving our issues for pain and all the issues large scale damage to our bodies’ joints give us.   If we fail to pick up the responsibility, even more severe pain and disability are but steps away. We figure out how to manage grueling pain, random flares that send us to Medrol packs and heavy pain medications. Limping around on feet that feel like numb bricks. Energy that seeps away until we are but rag dolls wishing for rest. Learning to manage a painful existence isn’t easy. Those of us with RA just do it. We are experts on hot packs, splints, braces, pacing, and on it goes.  Pacing works well for me. I manage a lot following the concept.  Generally, it is working for short stints interspersed with resting activities. My pain medication is on …

Time for a visit to Ruth: Orencia is done

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    Have you ever felt so depleted, that there is almost nothing left?  Are you surrounded by people who are caring but don’t seem to care? Are you so ready to call it quits? But can’t because the house needs to be cleaned first. Damn. Days can be tough. I have rheumatoid arthritis. My Orencia no longer works. And after I had a very bad flu sandwiched by two very bad flares, it was cancelled.  It is advertised as being a wonder drug, but in reality the very best it can do is help 50% of patients, 50% of the time. From a business standpoint a drug that costs $3500 a month should do more than 50% for 50%. That is what it did for me. 50% and I was a lucky one. Before that, I suffered with severe symptoms most of the time. 50% is a big help when that is the case. So now I am back to the beginning with 0 %. Square one, I am back. So today I am …