Re: Best Medications, Disease Course

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I was just diagnosed and still have many questions. My rheummatologist says that

PA is often not a severe disease and that the meds are not that serious in their

side-effects, but from what I've been reading on the Internet it seems quite to

the contrary.

Basically, my questions are how disabling is this illness -- do people with it

often continue to have mobility (walking, etc.). Also, how bad are the

side-effects from the meds, and which have proven the most beneficial?

Leonora

[Guest guest]

-Hi Leonora,

Welcome to the group. Sorry about your recent diagnosis. One thing I

have noticed from reading the messages here for a year is that we all

are a little different. The severity of PA ranges from mild:people

working full time,skiing, leading active lives , to severe : people

who have had to go on disability and have problems getting around.

We each seem to react to the medicine in a different way too. It can

be a trial and error process to find the right medicine for your PA.

Or, you could be lucky and have the first one you try work really

well.

I think the medicines need to be respected. By that I mean not to

excessively worry about their potential side effects but to be aware

that there can be side effects and watch for them. Your doc should be

doing lab work for you too.

some docs start off with NSAIDS, move to DMARDS, then

Biologics...depends on the doc and the patient. Some think it is best

to treat aggressively from the start.

I'm sure the other members will have a lot of input for you too.

good luck,

Marti

[Guest guest]

Remember that you will always here the negative before the positive. The

side effects can happen, and the drug companies are required to list them by

law, but they do not happen to everyone. In studies they happen to a percentage

of participants. If any percentage (it makes no difference if it is 1% or

99%) of metho users developed liver damage, then they have to list it as a side

effect. That does not mean you will have liver damage if you take it, it just

means that the possibility exsists. I have (KNOCK-ON-WOOD) never had an

adverse reaction to any of the meds I have taken, but the possibility that I

will

does exsist.

[Guest guest]

Hello Leonara

I have had PA for not very long now either. However I

have been taking methotrexate. The side affects are

too numerous to mention, however, I have not suffered

from either one of them. Not others will say

differently. But drugs work different for each

individual person. There are other drugs that people

will refer, and here in Canada anyway, they are quite

expensive and the last resort for what they call here

Methotrexate failures. Good luck to you.

Janice --- Leonora Seinfeld

[Guest guest]

Hi Lenora,

I agree with the others that have replied. This disease has varied

effects on each person. The same goes for the treatments.

You may want to make an assessment of your health, taking into

account your age,health, and how much or little PA affects your life.

Then, You know your history. Do you generally have reactions to

drugs? Are you allergic? Put all that together and do what suits

you best. I have been taking MTX for 2 years without ant side

effects and it took me from barely able to walk to a normal, active

life. (speaking of side effects, did you ever read the side of an

aspirin bottle?)

Hopefully you will find what is best and works for you.

Stay Well,