Re: Off my meds

[Guest guest]

There are many possible answers to your situation and your doctor is in the

best position to give you the answers. Also there are exceptions to any

generality I know about with RA. In fact, I think of RA as a syndrome

rather than a specific disease because I think there are many causes, many

responses to treatments, and many specific symptoms.

OK, I'll give you some generalities but realize that there are many

exceptions. Usually someone with RA needs to stay on some form of treatment

for life but the response to a treatment varies widely. Sometimes RA seems

to be caused by a food sensitivity and recently you probably changed your

diet because of diabetes, and in the process may have gotten rid of a food

sensitivity. That's just a guess and a possible explanation for you, but

not a generality.

Usually when medications are stopped the medicines remain in the system for

a while so the effects can come on gradually. Most RA medicines take quite

a while to start working and also take quite a while to stop working.

Usually it takes a year or so to find the right treatment and dosages to

control RA and often doctors start out aggressively to get the disease under

control and then try to back off the medications to avoid too much medicine.

Your doctor sounds reasonable to me and I think you should just do as the

doctor ordered. I hope you do have complete freedom from RA and that is

possible, but unusual. God bless.

-----Original Message-----

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis

[mailto:Rheumatoid Arthritis ] On Behalf Of rutledgestacey

Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 12:14 PM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Off my meds

I have a question. The Dr. pulled me off my meds in May because my

liver panel was very high. I had my numbers rechecked last months and

the Dr. says it is going down. He still thinks I should be off the

meds for a while longer. I am having no symptoms right now with the RA

and I have also been dx'd as diabetic 6 weeks ago. I have only been

dx'd with RA since Nov. 2005. My question is: Is it normal to come off

of the meds. like this? Are the meds something you stay on all the

time or in the beginning does the Dr. start and sometimes stop them. I

don't go back for 2 months unless I have problems and he's always easy

to get in with. I guess I just worry since I'm still new at this and

I've read so many posts about how ill most of you are.

Stacey

[Guest guest]

Dear Stacey- Everyone is different and the disease process is different. Your case is unusual as you state in your email but since so many factors enter into the Auto Immune process, perhaps being recently diabetic may have something to do with it. Hormones and metabolic changes also can change the make up of your disease process. I will have to take medication all my life unless there is an absolute cure. If you are not symptomatic or having pain then you could be in a remission state of some kind. If you dont have pain or stiffness then dont worry about it. P.S. I have heard that going into menopause can trigger a remission or reduce the severity of disease sometimes because of estrogen loss. I am thrilled you are feeling good without meds. Focus on caring for your diabetes. Maybe the change in blood sugar could factor into your symptom free state. If you can find an immunologist in your area, go to him and let him know about this. Having diabetes might give a positive clue and research can be as to why you are in remission. Great News. I hope it lasts for a long time. Hugs, Deborah

On 7/7/06, rutledgestacey <rutledgestacey@...> wrote:

I have a question. The Dr. pulled me off my meds in May because my liver panel was very high. I had my numbers rechecked last months and the Dr. says it is going down. He still thinks I should be off the meds for a while longer. I am having no symptoms right now with the RA and I have also been dx'd as diabetic 6 weeks ago. I have only been dx'd with RA since Nov. 2005. My question is: Is it normal to come off of the meds. like this? Are the meds something you stay on all the

time or in the beginning does the Dr. start and sometimes stop them. I don't go back for 2 months unless I have problems and he's always easy to get in with. I guess I just worry since I'm still new at this and

I've read so many posts about how ill most of you are.Stacey

[Guest guest]

which meds were you taking? gentle hugs! Marcia

--- rutledgestacey <rutledgestacey@...> wrote:

> I have a question. The Dr. pulled me off my meds in May because my

> liver panel was very high. I had my numbers rechecked last months and

>

> the Dr. says it is going down. He still thinks I should be off the

> meds for a while longer. I am having no symptoms right now with the

> RA

> and I have also been dx'd as diabetic 6 weeks ago. I have only been

> dx'd with RA since Nov. 2005. My question is: Is it normal to come

> off

> of the meds. like this? Are the meds something you stay on all the

> time or in the beginning does the Dr. start and sometimes stop them.

> I

> don't go back for 2 months unless I have problems and he's always

> easy

> to get in with. I guess I just worry since I'm still new at this and

> I've read so many posts about how ill most of you are.

>

> Stacey

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I was on MTX and had a lot of complications (including liver panels going high) then they put me on Arava (liver panel went higher). All during this time I was having flares and even had my kneecap go out of place from the swelling. After the knee flare I had a hand flare. I changed RA Dr's to an RA/Internal Medicine Specialist. He's got the hand flare to go away with some steroids. Then pulled me off all of the meds because of the Liver panel. Since then I was told I have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and Diabetes. I also have Hashimoto's disease (had for 20 years). I am now taking Lipitor, Diovan, Actoplus Met, I have lost 25 pounds from walking. StaceyMarcia Stoyle <marciastoyle@...> wrote: which meds were you taking? gentle hugs! Marcia--- rutledgestacey <rutledgestacey > wrote:> I have a question. The Dr. pulled me off my meds in May because my > liver panel was very high. I had my numbers rechecked last months and> > the Dr. says it is going down. He still thinks I should be off the > meds for a while longer. I am having no symptoms right now with the> RA > and I have also been dx'd as diabetic 6 weeks ago. I have only been > dx'd with RA since Nov. 2005. My question is: Is it normal to come> off > of the meds. like this? Are the meds something you stay on all the > time or in the

beginning does the Dr. start and sometimes stop them.> I > don't go back for 2 months unless I have problems and he's always> easy > to get in with. I guess I just worry since I'm still new at this and > I've read so many posts about how ill most of you are.> > Stacey> > > > > > > __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear Marcia- Any medication that thins out your blood like an NSaid you will be asked to stop. I was able to take low dose prednisone right up until my surgery. Ask about that. Also ask for a pain killer like darvocet to help you. I always consult with my Rheumy about stopping ANYTHING before a PCP tells me to. You cant be without something. Have your RD call your PCP and go from there. Hugs, Deborah

On 5/1/07, marciastoyle <marciastoyle@...> wrote:

I will be going for a routine colonoscopy next Monday. that dr told me to stop all meds now. rain is on the way to western NY from the Great Lakes, and I am hurting big time. Has anyone else done this? I can

understand stopping the NSAIDS and my biologic, but tylenol is just not helping. any suggestions? thanks, and gentle hugs! Marcia

[Guest guest]

thanks...I have forgotten about prednisone....it has been so very long

since I use it....Marcia

--- Deborah Bargad <dbargad@...> wrote:

> Dear Marcia- Any medication that thins out your blood like an NSaid

> you

> will be asked to stop. I was able to take low dose prednisone right

> up

> until my surgery. Ask about that. Also ask for a pain killer like

> darvocet

> to help you. I always consult with my Rheumy about stopping ANYTHING

> before

> a PCP tells me to. You cant be without something. Have your RD call

> your

> PCP and go from there. Hugs, Deborah

>

> On 5/1/07, marciastoyle <marciastoyle@...> wrote:

> >

> > I will be going for a routine colonoscopy next Monday. that dr

> told me

> > to stop all meds now. rain is on the way to western NY from the

> Great

> > Lakes, and I am hurting big time. Has anyone else done this? I can

> > understand stopping the NSAIDS and my biologic, but tylenol is just

> not

> > helping. any suggestions? thanks, and gentle hugs! Marcia

> >

> >

> >

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi Marcia, It is Steph in VA. I agree with the others that said call your rheumy. I have part 2 of my oral surgery tomorrow. The surgeon told me to stop all meds but my rheumy told me to increase prednisone from my normal dose of 2mg to 10mg for 4 days (day before, day of, and 2 days after), stop Ibuprofen & metho a week before & a week after (Ibuprofen & other NSAIDs thin your blood, making it harder for your blood to clot. Lastly, he told me to have the surgery the week before my next Remicade infusion -- least likely to have an interaction since there is less Remicade in my system. I had part 1 of the oral surgery in March and it all worked fine (and the oral surgeon gave me percocet for the pain, which I took for 3 days after the surgery). Take care, Steph in VA P.S. please keep me in your thoughts & prayers for my surgery & my Arthritis Walk is

Saturday (I may not be doing much walking if I don't feel well). marciastoyle <marciastoyle@...> wrote: I will be going for a routine colonoscopy next Monday. that dr told me to stop all meds now. rain is on the way to western NY from the Great Lakes, and I am hurting big time. Has anyone else done this? I can understand stopping the NSAIDS and my biologic, but tylenol is just not helping. any suggestions? thanks, and gentle hugs!

Marcia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join us Saturday May 5th at UVA's Stadium for the Charlottesville Arthritis Walk! Visit www.arthritiswalkcharlottesville.kintera.org to join a team or start a new one. Proceeds from the Walk go to research and programs for people living with arthritis through the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org). . "Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of people to change the world

-- indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out

new cars at Autos.

[Guest guest]

thanks, Steph....and how are the newlyweds doing?? yes, I saw my

rheumy for my regular 5 month check up, and we are on a " quick burst "

of prednisone: day #1 25 mg., Day #2 20 mg, day #3 15 mg, day #4 10 mg,

and day #5 only 5 mg, and then back to nothing.....I have not taken

prenisone for the past four years.....thanks again! Marcia, western NY

-- DeNicola- <stephdenicola@...> wrote:

> Hi Marcia,

> It is Steph in VA. I agree with the others that said call your

> rheumy. I have part 2 of my oral surgery tomorrow. The surgeon told

> me to stop all meds but my rheumy told me to increase prednisone from

> my normal dose of 2mg to 10mg for 4 days (day before, day of, and 2

> days after), stop Ibuprofen & metho a week before & a week after

> (Ibuprofen & other NSAIDs thin your blood, making it harder for your

> blood to clot. Lastly, he told me to have the surgery the week before

> my next Remicade infusion -- least likely to have an interaction

> since there is less Remicade in my system. I had part 1 of the oral

> surgery in March and it all worked fine (and the oral surgeon gave me

> percocet for the pain, which I took for 3 days after the surgery).

>

> Take care,

> Steph in VA

> P.S. please keep me in your thoughts & prayers for my surgery & my

> Arthritis Walk is Saturday (I may not be doing much walking if I

> don't feel well).

>

> marciastoyle <marciastoyle@...> wrote:

> I will be going for a routine colonoscopy next Monday. that

> dr told me

> to stop all meds now. rain is on the way to western NY from the Great

>

> Lakes, and I am hurting big time. Has anyone else done this? I can

> understand stopping the NSAIDS and my biologic, but tylenol is just

> not

> helping. any suggestions? thanks, and gentle hugs! Marcia

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> Join us Saturday May 5th at UVA's Stadium for the

> Charlottesville Arthritis Walk!

> Visit www.arthritiswalkcharlottesville.kintera.org to join a team

> or start a new one. Proceeds from the Walk go to research and

> programs for people living with arthritis through the Arthritis

> Foundation (www.arthritis.org). .

>

> " Never underestimate the power of a small, dedicated group of

> people to change the world -- indeed, it's the only thing that ever

> has. " (Margaret Mead)

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible " new car " smell?

> Check outnew cars at Autos.

__________________________________________________