Guest guest Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 Thanks but my doctor got them to reevaluate twice. it is hard enough to get covered with a chronic disease I will ask my rhuemmy about Benadryl He called in a folic acid script for folic acid last time I was taking 4 folic acid and 6 pills. My current doctor said that if one occurs eat yogurt the coolness will help sooth the sores until I can get them to heal. FYI for all. I have been reading about all the hair loss conversations even though I could handle hair loss on my legs I have a five o'clock shadow lol. My newly adopted motto What does not kill us will make us stronger. Barber wrote: > > Well my insurance company has decided that I no longer need humira and > arava. I don't think they like shelling out over 3,000 a month in > scripts. They say it is because I am so young and they are treating me > too aggressively. So I am Back on MTX 8 pills I am so scared that I will > get the mouth sores and rashes again. It was not very good at > controlling my symptoms. To top it all off I am flaring at the moment. > Today I have to get a cortisone shot in my foot because it just aches > all the time. Like I told the doctor I never plan on not hurting but can > we at least make this bearable. I have been told so many different > things that I have to weed through the junk and listen to my body. I > guess that would be the greatest advice I have for any new to this > disease YOU are the only one that knows what works and how much activity > you can do. Do not let the doctors give you no hope if you have been > with the same rheum. for 2 years and nothing it never hurts to get > another opinion or even several. YOU are the greatest advocate in your > own health. > > > > [Editor's Note: , if I were you, I would immediately contact my > rheumatologist and ask him or her to file an urgent request with the > insurance company to re-evaluate their decision to discontinue Humira > and Arava. A good doctor will fight for his or her patients whenever > necessary and will be an important ally in dealing with the insurance > company. You are correct that you are your most important advocate, > but a good rheumy will partner with you in fighting stupid decisions > by insurance companies. IF you have to remain on MTX, most of us are > able to eliminate mouth sores by taking folic acid daily. You don't > say if you are taking folic acid and still getting mouth sores, but > you should ask your rheumy for a script or you can purchase it over > the counter very inexpensively. In addition, many of us do better on > MTX if we take Benadryl an hour or so before taking it. Lastly, many > people also do better on injectable MTX than on MTX in pill form. > Kathy F.] > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I totally agree with Kathy! FIGHT for your right to have good health care and the medications you need. Your rheumy is going to have to stand up for you as well. Don't let administrators tell you what you do or do not need. I fought for a very long time but it did work. Please be sure that you are taking the folic acid every day. Don't be afraid of your rights to feel the best you can with what medications are available. Best of luck and let us know how you make out. If you need any further suggestions, please ask. --- Barber <sandrabarber@...> wrote: > Well my insurance company has decided that I no > longer need humira and > arava. I don't think they like shelling out > over 3,000 a month in > scripts. They say it is because I am so young > and they are treating me > too aggressively. So I am Back on MTX 8 pills I > am so scared that I will > get the mouth sores and rashes again. It was > not very good at > controlling my symptoms. To top it all off I am > flaring at the moment. > Today I have to get a cortisone shot in my foot > because it just aches > all the time. Like I told the doctor I never > plan on not hurting but can > we at least make this bearable. I have been > told so many different > things that I have to weed through the junk and > listen to my body. I > guess that would be the greatest advice I have > for any new to this > disease YOU are the only one that knows what > works and how much activity > you can do. Do not let the doctors give you no > hope if you have been > with the same rheum. for 2 years and nothing it > never hurts to get > another opinion or even several. YOU are the > greatest advocate in your > own health. > > > > [Editor's Note: , if I were you, I would > immediately contact my rheumatologist and ask > him or her to file an urgent request with the > insurance company to re-evaluate their decision > to discontinue Humira and Arava. A good doctor > will fight for his or her patients whenever > necessary and will be an important ally in > dealing with the insurance company. You are > correct that you are your most important > advocate, but a good rheumy will partner with > you in fighting stupid decisions by insurance > companies. IF you have to remain on MTX, most > of us are able to eliminate mouth sores by > taking folic acid daily. You don't say if you > are taking folic acid and still getting mouth > sores, but you should ask your rheumy for a > script or you can purchase it over the counter > very inexpensively. In addition, many of us do > better on MTX if we take Benadryl an hour or so > before taking it. Lastly, many people also do > better on injectable MTX than on MTX in pill > form. Kathy F.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 , I've been lurking for a while - I've been really busy with work and no time to post lately - so I don't think we've met. My name is and I live in Arkansas. I'm not sure how old you are, but if I may, allow me to provide a bit of perspective regarding meds. I'm 33 (will be 34 in September), and I've been living with PA since I was 20. I was on Arava from around the time I was 28 or 29 through age 31. Then it stopped working for me and I was put back on MTX pills with Enbrel shots. I've been on that combo for about two years. Prior to Arava I was on Indomethacin (? - quit it after a week - gave me bad headaches), Plaquenil, Sulfasalazine, Methotrexate pills, and Methotrexate shots. I know that if my disease had not been treated " aggressively " I probably would not be able to work today. The last major flare I had, when the Arava stopped working, led to me having hands that were so swollen I could not make a fist with either one for seven months (I was in denial that the meds had stopped working - I was working a job where I typed most of the day each day, and simply thought I had overdone while typing Santa letters for the paper's Christmas edition), and before it was over I was walking with a cane - when I walked. I tried to avoid it most of the time. I suffered from the killer fatigue. It was all I could do to make it through the day at work. I'd get home, go straight to bed, and sleep all the way through until the next morning. Get your rheumy on your side. Have him draft the appeal Kathy F. suggested. This is an AGGRESSIVE disease, which requires AGGRESSIVE treatment to use their word. Feel free to email me sometime off list if you want to talk, Jenn in Arkansas > > Well my insurance company has decided that I no longer need humira and > arava. I don't think they like shelling out over 3,000 a month in > scripts. They say it is because I am so young and they are treating me > too aggressively. So I am Back on MTX 8 pills I am so scared that I will > get the mouth sores and rashes again. It was not very good at > controlling my symptoms. To top it all off I am flaring at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I second this... They will fight for you if they are professional and good doctors... Love and Peace Always, Shaun and Barb... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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