more on hips and treatment

[Guest guest]

Brent wrote: " Also, for those who do not know, if you hip becomes fully

involved, odds are you will eventually need a replacement ( as soon as 3

years after onset) unless the condidition is controlled. "

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!!!!!! This is what I stress to new people that early

aggressive treatment with DMARDS is the key to preventing losing a joint!!!!

Mine only took 2 1/2 yrs to completely deteriate!!! I was treated with

prednisone, and nsaids the first year which did nothing to stop the disease,

then they tried plaquenil which was a joke for me, 2 years later they

finally tried mtx, but it was too late to save my hip, but I firmly believe

it did save my other joints!!! Sue this is why your doctor made me so

angry when he wanted to treat you slowly!!!! UGH!! Let them lose a joint

and live with this disease and see what they recommend!! 12 years ago when

I was diagnosed most docs were very scared of mtx, but now they realize how

safe it really is in low doses.

Visit the International Still's Disease Foundation Website

http://www.stillsdisease.org