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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others
Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Sep 24 3:33pm | Replies (878)Comment receiving replies
I am 48 and I would say I feel the inflammation is 80% under control. Just on Pred and Methotrexate at this point. No talk of Biologics yet. That's my question though...is this something that over time I'm going to have to change my plan? Is that common? Reading everyone's stories worries me. Thank you for the information on rule outs. Is there any testing I should be asking for just for baselines?
Julie
Replies to "I am 48 and I would say I feel the inflammation is 80% under control. Just..."
If you need prednisone, then I don't think you have great control. I would think you need to be on a biologic. Prednisone will make your tissues paper thin, cause osteoporosis, etc.
Hello Julie, I agree with @fighter that needing prednisone is an indicator that the inflammation is not well controlled. And with @kozlo52 that tapers must be extremely slow to avoid complications.
In answer to your question about treatment changes being common, I can tell you "Yes!" Please don't be frightened by this path - medicine and science continue to advance, and the understanding of disease causes and processes improve, leading to better targeted treatments. Diseases and our bodies' responses to them change over time. Also our responses to medications can change. And as you get older, some drugs are no longer appropriate as the body's ability to metabolize them can decrease.
My husband, daughter, brother & a close friend are all using (different) biologics for their medical issues, and carefully chosen ones are definitely effective and give better control than many drugs, often with fewer side effects. Perhaps if the prednisone taper increases your symptoms, or your liver enzymes increased from the methotrexate, it is time to talk about alternatives.
What you will learn by reading here is that your best course of action is to be your own best advocate. Learn everything you can from informed sources like Mayo and other teaching/research institutions. Ignore miracle cures and instant fixes. Always make a list of questions for your docs, and get answers you can understand.
Come back and ask when you have questions, remembering that we can each describe our own journey, but not give medical advice.
Sue
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@julieschiwal1972, Just a thought but have you made any lifestyle changes like eating foods that help fight inflammation? Here's a recent article that may be helpful if you are not already doing it.
Foods that fight inflammation - Doctors are learning that one of the best ways to reduce inflammation lies not in the medicine cabinet, but in the refrigerator. By following an anti-inflammatory diet you can fight off inflammation for good.
-- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation