Arthritis and autoimmune diseases

Hi there! Have you tried Remicade infusions? They seem to help me !!

Anti-inflammatory medicines work a little for osteo arthritis, plus Ye Olde Analgesic, while rheumatoid is prescribed methotrexate and other 'biologic' novel medicines. I don't know more than that, just what my wife takes for both kinds, and it's in her lumbar spine, hips, wrists, and hands.

Sorry to hear about what is going on with you. Are your knuckles swollen or is it a form of arthritis that a lot of people develop? Have you spoken with your doctor about this? I know you could buy some compression gloves. I don’t know if they work, but it might help a little you could check into it. I would speak to my doctor first before I did anything.
Wish you the very best

@mund09 Do you have a good rheumatologist on your care team?

I suffered for years with docs telling me to just use NSAIDS (I cannot) and Tylenol (no help). Then I got referred to a great doc, he put me on prednisone for several months to get the inflammation under control, then started a DMARD (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug) to keep things controlled. I still have some pain and deformity, but life is MUCH better. We are holding off on the biologics (like Remicade) until the future when the current therapy no longer works.

The same doc got my partner's different kind of arthritis under control, with a different med, after 2 other rheumatologists told him they "couldn't do anything for him."

We both have other health issues that make finding the proper treatment a challenge, but life is certainly better than a year ago!

@sueinmn Could you send me the name of this doctor and location?
Leah

Hey there! Get to a rheumatologist! Your symptoms a sound like it could be Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Doctor will order labs , imaging and do a complete physical exam to determine if you have RA. There is multitude of medications ( DMARDs & biologics) that can help control disease progression. If you do have RA, and depending on the severity of your pain, and condition of your joints, your doctor may recommend a biologic as part of your treatment plan. Before starting a biologic, speak to your doctor about testing with PrismRA.
"PrismRA works by showing if tumor necrosis factor-a inhibitor (TNFi) therapies, one of the most commonly prescribed RA medications, are less likely to work for you. The PrismRA result helps your doctor avoid prescribing this type of medication and instead, begin a medication that may be a better match for you."
It will shorten the " trial & error" cycle.
All the best🙏🏻
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https://www.prismra.com/
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2010.

@sueinmn
Careful with long-term prednisone. It can lead to osteoporosis.

@mresnick664 If you are located in Minnesota or Wisconsin, I can share the information with you privately.

@calofmichigan Thanks, my doctors carefully monitor my bone density and A1C due to frequent steroid use. It is a balancing act between being able to breathe and move and the risks.

I have multiple autoimmune deficiencies.
I never feel good. How do I cope and have a normal life when my body fights against me every step of the way.