RA remission?

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone:

I am on my third doctor to treat my RA, and she

ordered x-rays (knees, feet, hands, wrists) and blood

work on my first visit. The x-rays show only OA in my

thumb joints, big toes, and primarily my knees. My

blood work, after having had a positive RA factor and

ANA 6 years ago, and a positive ANA just three months

ago, now is negative RA and also negative ANA.

She is now on the fence regarding my RA diagnosis, and

is having me start decreasing my Mtx from 8 2.5mg tabs

weekly, to 6 tabs weekly, to 4 tabs weekly, and then 2

tabs for 2 weeks, and then stop the med, to see what

happens. I will still be on Enbrel 2x week and Mobic.

She says that since the RA factor is negative and she

cannot see any swelling in any joints, that perhaps

either my RA is in remission, or under very good

control, or I no longer have it. The Fibro and OA are

her only diagoses at this time.

What I want to know is whether or not RA can go into

remission? Can it simply go away after 6 years?

Could it be that because of the medications I have

been on that it is under such good control that the

blood work is now negative, indicating no RA? I have

been doing very well joint-wise for about three to six

months now, with just generalized muscle pain and

joint/muscle stiffness which is probably more the

Fibro. Can RA just disappear? or is this a remission

caused by the medications?

She says that she will be able to know more with my

reaction to decreasing the Mtx - I have been on 20 mg.

weekly for about 9 months now, and the Enbrel addition

is really helping. If I have increasing joint pain

and swelling, she says that she will feel that I do

have RA, just RA in control. Kind of confusing, but I

do like the doctor and she is very thorough.

So, to all of you out there, is there a possibility of

RA either going away, or being in remission? All

replies will be greatly appreciated -

Kathe in CA

Kathe in CA

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