Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others

@tisme I was going great with Sulfasalazine, which sorted my GI issues out well until that caused me visual disturbances (lightening flashes in corner of one eye) and blurred vision. I am about to start HCQ instead! Now I’m concerned. Unable to get an emergency eye appointment too, to check my eye issue was due to Sulfasalazine. I haven’t got any good advice for you other than to keep asking for something else to try, but I empathize completely. Good luck.

@lucyrutland turns out I am allergic to sulfa drugs

Hi, I am Ellen. I have had RA for 15 years. Until I started biologics, it was crippling. The biologics are life changing. Unfortunately, there are problems with biologics. Initially, it can take several months for them to become fully effective. If you can hang on long enough though you can suddenly get your freedom of movement without pain back. How long will that take varies with each person. Sometimes they never work. You just have to suffer it out until you are sure it isn't going to work for you. If you are lucky though, within a few months, give or take a month, it will kick in! Then you have hit the jackpot! You get your life back. It is as if you were never crippled. It is intoxicating, in a good way. At least it is for me. What You have to remember is it is imperative that you get your infusions on time every time. The biologics take time to start working. Some I have been on started working in 30 days. Some, like the one I am on now, Simponi Aria, took 4 months. I almost gave up. Biologics also last as long as they last. There is no guarantee how long they will be effective. Every one's experience is different. Our bodies, over time, adjust to the biologics rendering them ineffective. Then we start over looking for the next one. It is just a fact of life for RA sufferers. Be thankful science has discovered these medicines that can give us months of relief at a time!

Hello @kozlo52 @blindeyepug @barneythe2nd @nanke99 @vickiekay @tbeckys @iman_im @lisa_sj99 @1825 @callyrae @jewel8888 @boomerexpert,

I'd like to invite you to this new discussion about rheumatoid arthritis, where it will be easier for you to meet other Connect members living with, and talking about RA. Pull up a chair and tell us a bit about yourself.

@kanaazpereira my name is Kay and I have 2 auto immune disorders

I was on Humira for 14 years. It worked great. Then I got a bad lung infection. They said my immune system was too depressed. So I came off Humira. I went for 5 years without any biologic. However by the 4 th year the RA was back in full force. So I recently started on Simponi infusions. Within 2 weeks it started helping. I hope this one lasts and I do not get sick. Great thing about Simponi is I can afford it. Infusions are a medical procedure not a drug that has to be purchased on a drug plan. So it is affordable. I am on normal medicare.

@ssk999 I did not know that about the Simponi. I am on it. I didn't have any trouble getting it. I didn't bother checking to see if my regular Medicare paid or if my drug plan paid. Interesting.

@lucyrutland turns out I am allergic to sulfa drugs