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Treating RA

Confusion & Blame Surround Methotrexate Shortages & Recalls

Kelly Young 41 Comments ,
U.S. caught off guard by methotrexate shortage Shortages of injectable methotrexate began in 2010 and some sources say may continue through 2014. Many have been surprised that shortages of such inexpensive generic drugs could take Americans by surprise and continue for such an indefinite period. Finger-pointing at the FDA and drug companies is probably the one...Continue reading      41 Comments » Read more

Why say a patient #FAILS treatment when RA treatments fail patients?

Kelly Young 39 Comments ,
RA patients are brave and optimistic, as I’ve said. I’ve never been around such a hopeful, resilient crowd. We continually adjust because the disease is progressive and persistent. And we repeatedly hope for the best because there is always one more treatment or therapy to try. Rolling with the punches gracefully becomes sport for us. We...Continue reading      39 Comments » Read more

The 10 Fundamentals of Care for Rheumatoid Patients

Kelly Young 17 Comments ,
Click here to download the printable PDF version of this important statement. What would appropriate rheumatological care for RA patients look like? The ACR tells us that the majority of Rheumatoid patients do not receive treatment that follows their recommendations. What are some specific requirements for good rheumatology care for RA patients? “Although the outcome of RA...Continue reading      17 Comments » Read more

The Powerful Health Care Role No One Really Wants: Being a Patient

Kelly Young 17 Comments , ,
The valuable knowledge of patients with diseases like RA Today, Katie Beth and I flew home from San Francisco where I spoke three times this week: There was a presentation about the value of patient input with chronic conditions like rheumatoid disease, a panel discussion about e-patients and e-docs at Digital Pharma West, and an informal address...Continue reading      17 Comments » Read more

Could Over the Counter Undenatured Collagen Supplement (UCII) Treat RA?

Kelly Young 13 Comments ,
Have you seen a television commercial claiming a supplement “works with your immune system” as an over the counter arthritis treatment? Remembering this brand has been marketed to RA patients, I wondered whether the “improved” product would increase or decrease immune activity. So I looked for research on the ingredient “UCII” (undenatured collagen type II). UCII...Continue reading      13 Comments » Read more

Rheumatoid Arthritis Severity Scale (RASS) Affecting Treatment Decisions?

Kelly Young 16 Comments ,
Could the RASS Affect Treatment Decisions Dollars? A reader asks about doctor’s ratings of Rheumatoid disease being required by third-party payers (insurance companies, etc) presumably to justify spending related to Rheumatoid disease treatment. She wrote: “according to my rheum today there is a lot of pressure by the insurance companies to having every patient rated using...Continue reading      16 Comments » Read more

Can We Treat the Whole Person or at Least the Whole Disease?

Kelly Young 36 Comments , ,
It’s like watching The Terminal. RA is a Twilight Zone No-Man’s-Land disease. “Mr. Navorski, you cannot get into New York without a visa. You cannot get a visa without a passport, and you cannot get a new passport without a country. There’s nothing we can do for you here.” I got a letter today about one...Continue reading      36 Comments » Read more

10 Reasons We Might Want a Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSUS) of a Joint

Kelly Young 24 Comments , ,
Back in 2009, dozens of phone calls revealed no one  in our area who could perform a musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS).  Today, worried about my son, I made calls again to orthopedists and hospitals. When I called the top medical centers in our region, I found one ultrasound technologist who had heard of MSUS and she...Continue reading      24 Comments » Read more

Trust and Transparency with Disease Activity, Decisions, and Doctors

Kelly Young 23 Comments ,
I know you’ll love this guest post from Dana as we see the collision of her experience with the disease, the measurement of disease activity by her rheumatologist, and the decision to change treatments. She conveys so well the process of making decisions about disease management.  This is the whole reason we want to be...Continue reading      23 Comments » Read more

Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Is about Medical Care, Not Sympathy

Kelly Young 18 Comments , ,
My Bear had an appointment to see his terrific pediatrician today again about his swollen finger joints. She was home with a cold, but we waited an hour to see an alternate. The fellow didn’t seem to welcome my questions or opinions. I was in the familiar context of my pediatrician’s office – 6 years with...Continue reading      18 Comments » Read more

5 Responses to Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Supplements

Kelly Young 32 Comments ,
This is a question that people frequently ask. They’ve been to the doctor and were shocked to receive a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis and a stack of prescriptions. I was the same way when I first learned about Rheumatoid disease: I wanted to be sure I didn’t have something more easily treated. Hey, I live...Continue reading      32 Comments » Read more
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