Tatersinger

Close Lupus

Treatments

Celebrex Working / Worked

Still taking it. It is very helpful.

Cyclosporine Working / Worked

Worked for 2 years and then stopped working.

Medrol Working / Worked

Have become Steroid dependent. However, I only take 4 mg twice a day. My skin now bruises and tears quite easily.

Methotrexate Working / Worked

Have taken it since 1990. I had nausea with it occasionally the first few months that I started it, but have not had any side effects since then.

Plaquenil Somewhat Helpful

Tried it for a year. Didn't work as well for me as some other medicines.

Orencia Working / Worked

Have been taking Orencia by infusion every 4 weeks for a little over 2 years. I find that it works well for 3 weeks, and then I feel it wearing off. I have had no side affects from the Orencia infusions.

Arava Working / Worked

Arava worked really well for me but caused me to have liver toxicity. I then had to go off of all of my medications for months to let my liver recover. This sent my into a terrible flare-up that caused me to stop working for a year and a half while my doctor attempted through trial and error to find another medication that could get me back on my feet.

Close Rheumatoid Arthritis

I'm a respiratory therapist and musician who has had rheumatoid arthritis since January 1989. I've been at one time or another on virtually every biologic (except Retuximab). I have had three joint replacements. I thank God everyday for the blessings in my life. My family and friends have been tremendously supportive of me. I would like to be able to be there for other people who have RA who maybe are newly diagnosed or just need to talk to someone.

Treatments

Arava Working / Worked

Worked very well for me, but it gave me hepatic toxicity (liver toxicity). I then had to stop taking all of my medicines for several months while my liver healed. This sent me into a horrible flare-up that lasted for a year and a half. I actually had to stop working altogether for a year and a half while I tried several other medicines until we found something else that could get me back on my feet. I still have active disease, though.

Celebrex Working / Worked

Still on it--it works well for me, and I have had no side affects from it.

Enbrel Not Working

Did not work for me.

Folic Acid Working / Worked

Still take it everyday. No problems with it.

Humira Working / Worked

Take with Methotrexate, it worked O.K. for me, but I found more relief when I stopped the Humira and went on Orencia.

Kineret Not Working

Did not work for me.

Methotrexate Working / Worked

Have taken it since 1990. I have had no problems with taking it, except some nausea the first few months that I took it.

Orencia Working / Worked

Currently having it infused every 4 weeks. I have no side affects or problems with it. However, I find that it begins to wear off after 3 weeks.

Plaquenil Not Working

Took it for approx. a year. Did not work for me.

Prednisone Working / Worked

I have been on Methylprednisolone for 5 years,4 mg twice a day. I have skin that bruises/tears easily from the steroids, but I have not been able to taper off of it.

Remicade Not Working

Remicade gave me drug-induced Lupus. No lie!

Tylenol Working / Worked

I take Tylenol Arthritis for additional pain relief on work days.

Voltaren Working / Worked

I took Voltaren for 15 years. It worked well for me. I stopped all of my meds for 6 months. When I went back to taking it, it no longer worked. I then began Celebrex.

Cyclosporine Working / Worked

Worked quite well for two years and then was not as affective.