3 Reasons to Begin Using Rheumatoid Arthritis Medicines to Fight the Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis medicines called “big guns”
Often, people ask how they’ll know when are ready for the big guns. My answer: When RA fires its weapons on you! It’s time for powerful Rheumatoid Arthritis medicines as soon as you know that you have Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis has first strike weapons that can be like a nuclear blast to your body. Recent research shows that Rheumatoid Arthritis spreads through the body into unaffected joints via synovial fibroblasts, making early disease treatment even more significant. You should consider this an ambush. Untreated RA can damage joints and other body systems unhindered and unseen.
Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment is our best hope for now
Early treatment with Rheumatoid Arthritis medicines that battle the disease is crucial. While there is no Rheumatoid Arthritis cure, fighting RA is the best option we have today. Medicines which treat Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms do not necessarily work by fighting the disease. One of my early posts described the difference between symptom medicines and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Big gun DMARDs for Rheumatoid Arthritis include Biologics like Enbrel, Humira, and Rituxan, and Orencia and methotrexate and other chemical therapies. These medicines interfere with the autoimmune activity of RA in various ways. Some of them inhibit specific immune cells such as TNF or T-cells or B-cells. Others reduce the overactive immune activity in a more general way.
3 Reasons to fight with Rheumatoid Arthritis medicines early
1) Damage:
Rheumatoid Arthritis medicines may help prevent or delay damage to joints or other systems. Damage often occurs before symptoms are severe enough to recognize. Damage is permanent and will likely require further treatment such as steroid injections or surgeries.
2) Remissions:
Both early and long term use of DMARDs are liable to increase likelihood of Rheumatoid Arthritis remission. Remissions vary in length and quality. However, any remission would be better than none.
3) Prognosis:
Early Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment is believed to be the greatest opportunity for disease modification. Many doctors believe that very early treatment of what they call “very early Rheumatoid Arthritis” can cause the disease to be less severe long term. This may mean more remissions, fewer flares, fewer surgeries, less steroids… a better prognosis overall.
Recommended reading:
- Pyramid Approach to Rheumatoid Arthritis Trashed
- The Difference Between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
- I Failed the Rheumatoid Arthritis Control Quiz
- Kelly’s article on HCP live: Early Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Is an Elusive Goal
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Thanks for posting, Many close friends and family members think I am being misled into taking the medications, especially since many of them have only seen me once or twice with visible swelling and warped hands and the prednisone took care of that pretty quickly.. Most of my complaints are not visible with the exception of this eye problem I have and to those who have no understanding it seems like massive overkill. Just last night my husband and I agreed when I don’t feel well we are not going to tell people why anymore since we have had it with the misinformed debates we keep finding ourselves in.
Francesca,
That is a very good point. There are probably several different things that pull us in the other direction. Pressure from those who don’t understand that RA is a harmful disease is one of them. I was just stating a bottom line since doctors tell me that much of the damage of RA is not inevitable any more. But it would be good to talk about the reasons why too. There is one post on denial, but that is only one reason people don’t treat.
You are being brave and fighting. You are doing the right thing. Sorry you have to deal w/these “debates” on top of it.
Kelly, how are you feeling these days and are you back on your meds yet since you had that cold? Curious if you are feeling? And Kell
Hoping to go back on them tomorrow. Still coughing up crud. So, I’ll stay on the expectorant, though.
PS. And Kelly do you have those days when the pain is so bad that you need to take any pain pills? Thanks for answering
I know many people who use strong pain meds. There is a place for them w/RA. Here is the important point: we need to get as much disease control as possible so that we need as little symptom meds as possible. I figure for the cost (money or side effects) I might as well attack the RA itself.
If we need lots of pain meds, then the doc should be trying to help find a better way to attack the disease. Some of us continue to suffer w/RA that’s called unrelenting which does not respond as well to the DMARDs.
Since I have physical reactions to opiates, etc. I take high doses of NSAIDs for the leftover pain.
I went to see my rheumatologist last Friday, my CRP was still elevated, even with all the big gun meds I am taking!!! He changed me from Humira to Cimzia. Started it in the office right then! 2 injections then, again in 2 weeks and then again in 2weeks and then begin once a month. One thing I can say is that it does not burn like the Humira and Enbrel! No welp or bruising! I will keep you posted on how it is working with me and my lovely disease. Of course, my prednisone was increased to 7.5 dailyX 1week the lowered back to 5mg daily, we do that every 3 months anyway. Hope this will allow me to have a Merry Christmas
And I want to wish everyone else a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, may your RA take a well needed break and give us one too!!!!!
Thank you for the update Jane!
Weird thing about that test. It can remain normal for some even when symptoms are very bad. For others, it is high even when they feel good. And it doesn’t correspond w/ some other indicators of disease activity. This test seems an indicator we don’t fully understand since it’s not a reliable measure of disease activity.
Merry Christmas to you too!!
Jane, I hope Cimzia works for you. I switched from Enbrel to Cimzia in October and so far so good. I find that the needle doesn’t hurt but the med burns when I inject it.
Andrew
Thanks Kelly, for this timely post. I had an appt. today with my Dr. and I’ve been fretting that perhaps my RA wasn’t caught soon enough. I brought her all of the x-rays that have been taken over the past few years. She appreciated that and was able to re-assure me that: 1. I really do have RA (so it isn’t all in my head) and, 2. That it is early in process and the damage is quite minimal.
We are still upping the MTX bit by bit and I was given the TB test today in preparation for the next step of biologics. She sent me home with info on my choices. She says that they are much the same, with Enbrel being the longest on the market and so most studied. Any idea on how to make the most informed choice?
Thanks so much for doing these articles and I hope that you are finally feeling better!
Kelly, Can you tell me more about unrelenting RA? I was diagnosed in July and have almost become totally disabled already. I take 20 mg Prednisone, 8 mg MTX and 50 Enbrel (just had 3rd shot). I still have significant pain, burning and swelling that we can’t seem to get under control. I see my rheumy tomorrow, so any info you can give me would be great. Thanks. Anita
Anita,
“Unrelenting” is just one word for RA which does not respond much to disease-modifying medicines. The word was used here on this UK website. It is in a PDF diagram. Other terms are also used. Anyway, there are a percentage of RA’ers who are in this group. In my layman’s opinion, it’s too early to say you are in that group.
I will make sure you have my email.
Edit: Here is the link to a post which discusses unrelenting RA.
Exactly. “Hit it hard and fast” is the current thinking.
Kelly, you are so smart! And if you ever need a pic of “big guns” we have guns of various sizes (due to my husbands line of work), more than happy to take pics.
I have to thank you for all you do. I was just diagnosed with RA 3 months ago. I have experienced palindromic symptoms for 12 years but no one could diagnose it until now. I have a doctor now who I really trust and respect but starting methotrexate was intimidating to me. All your information is very helpful. I live in a small town and honestly don’t know anyone with RA and no one in my famiy has ever had it. Your website has been an answer to prayer. Thank you and Merry Christmas and God’s blessings in the new year.
Kay, I sorry I missed replying to you sooner. I hope you are doing better w/ the methotrexate – let us know. Happy New Year.