If the humira had been doing a good job and you quit, I'd be thinking it wasn't a great idea to quit.
Given that it wasn't doing the job, not really any harm in it.

You may find in another month that the MTX was helping and maybe that alone is ok for you for moderate relief. If the orencia gave you full releif, what would you think? Would you want to keep taking it?

This is your body and your disease so only you (with doctor's guidance) can decide.

MTX affected my liver - had it not, I'd still be taking it and be ok with it. Enbrel totally arrested my RA. I had to ditch it when the MTX wreaked havoc....but I am absolutely going back to Enbrel. It worked. Right now, I'm holding off the re-start date because I only have symptoms in just two small joints. When I take advil, I'm ok. But, the moment I hurt where the advil doesn't correct, I'll start up enbrel.

If there is an option to have less pain and prevent deformity, I would opt FOR it. The down side is that at some point the biologics quit working. 1 yr, 5 yrs, 10 yrs? I don't know. But when one works, one wants it to LAST...I'm delaying since pain is slight so that I can take when pain is great.

Best of luck deciding. I have a good friend named Cathy George, btw. Your name brought a smile to me. Thanks.

This is tough, but I would stay on meds. Even if your RA is not in a full flare right now, that doesn't mean the damage is not taking place. I think I have made some mistakes along the way. I started of with placquniel, then Sulzaine (sorry, can't spell), now MTX, Enbrel, celebrex, folic acid. I wish I would have started on a biologic right away, because I am seeing damage in my hands and feet.
To be blunt, do you want to be a deformed invalid or not.

Hello,

I sometimes feel like stopping all meds but I stop and think how much pain I would be in, and how disabled I would be. I have 2 young children and I want to be with them and do things with them. I choose quality over quantity.

I wish you the best of luck in your decisions.

Roni

I went without RA meds for quite a few months last year. It was a relief to not have to deal with the side effects of the sulfasalazine/prednisone combo that I was on, but in that time, I was absolutely miserable.

I'm currently only on analgesics because my rheumy will not prescribe any RA drugs without seeing me, so after I failed mobic, and then sulfasalazine, I had 2 months with nothing but pain medication. My disease is definitely progressing, I wish I could go back 5 years and start on a biologic right away.

It's definitely your choice what you do with your body, but be wary of any damage that's happening to your body. Maybe even photograph your hands and feet and any other problem areas to see if you notice any visible damage. I hope that if you try the orencia you find relief!

I hope what I have to say it's deflating, but I've started and stopped taking meds several times, all with poor results:

1. after becoming pg with my twins and achieving an incomplete remission during pg and for several months after giving birth. I had been taking prednisone and enbrel.
2. after emerging from my remission I found that my symptoms were 3 times worse. I tried going back on the enbrel/prednisone and added MTX to the mix.
3. quite enbrel/pred/mtx because it wasn't working. Tried fish oil, ibuprofen and other OTC stuff. Experienced major flares.
4. determined to kick RA in the butt, I went all in and started remicade. incomplete response, but I continued the infusions until
5. I broke my ankle and underwent a couple of surgeries. Remicade infusions suspended during that time. Went into a remission, maybe because my body had a "real" injury to fight?
6. Had a pulmonary embolism two months after surgery. Due to needing coumadin for six months, infusions and all other meds suspended. Body went into wild flare for the last three months off meds.
7. Resumed infusions with Actemra. Had *complete* relief for the first time...for two months. Symptoms crept back slowly.
8. Missed one dose of Actemra and experienced intense flare again, most recent flare damaging joints and tendons on both hands. Last two months I've been at the top recommended dose and I'm still flaring in my hands. Current regime is minocycline, 880 mgs naproxen, 440 mgs Actemra, 7.5 mgs prednisone.
9. Will see rheumy in 3 weeks, at which point he will decide whether to inject cortisone into a couple of my most troublesome joints and/or start me on Arava too.

In my case, it seems that everytime I stop the meds, the flare comes back worse than ever. I hope this isn't the case for you. FWIW, I do seem to have an aggressive form of the disease. Fingers crossed for us both.

I would have to agree with everyone here. As much as I've felt the same way, and recently, this disease causes damage to the joints we can't undo. So like you, my doc wanted me on orencia for awhile now and I did not want to do the infusion. Now that it's in shot form, i've started it (last week) been a very rough week but I think without my meds, mtx and medrol, I'd probably be in pretty bad shape. Like I said, i can definately see the temptation, but I would not give them all up.
Good luck with what you decide.
Joanie

I haven't tried going off meds because even though I am always discovering some new problem, I still don't feel as bad as I did before.

I have been off all meds since Dec. 2010. I was on the max dose of MTX and although I did not feel I was in remission because i still had daily pain (not bad level 3 to 5 in my hands, wrists, ankles, feet) my doctor did . I don't swell and my blood tests are perfect- but I'm sero negative. Only during my horrific onset were my ESR and CRP highly elevated. My RF was never above normal.
Anyway-to make a long story short-my liver enzymes elevated and my dr. took me off MTX to see if they came down. They did. We also found that I felt no worse off the meds then on. He decided I could stay off. I still see him every 3 months. Lately sometimes I think I may feel a little worse- especially in the evenings but I love not being on medication. Hoping I never have to go back on.

I was on meds for over a year, and one summer I just wanted to quit. I was tired of feeling so up and down, and was getting so depressed. I quit all meds, was fine for that summer, then winter came and I had a flare that didn't stop for 6 months. Now I have bone to bone knees. I will never do that again! I hate that I am taking these horrible drugs, but they are really helping me. I really see that, but I hate taking them, I never get over that feeling I'm taking poison. But from super pain, to feeling almost normal, I have learned to except that someone invented this medicine, so I can live normal now, and I am glad.

Lin

I too quit as I didn't think the drugs were helping, I felt fine (well RA fine not fine like I did before RA) until that 5th week...the ICHEWAWA!!! I'll never do that again. Stay on the meds, if they aren't working tell your rheumy, it took me 5 years to find the right cocktail. If Humira isn't working, try Enbrel etc. there are so many more to try these days...something will work sooner or later....hopefully.
Sue

I don't think it is a good idea to stop taking medications if you have done so without telling your doctor. My concern is that damage is being done and once done, it isn't able to be repaired. I have been on the meds roller coaster for over two years. I had very severe reactions to three of the RA oral meds and had to stop them.MTX hasn't caused any problems but wasn't working well enough by itself - 25mg orally - but has helped to prevent further damage and a few weeks ago, Enbrel was added. So far, I am finally seeing an improvement.
I don't particularly like taking these meds but I have opted for quality of life over pain and damage.
Good luck with the decision you make.

Nearing my 4th year with this stuff, I can tell you I've done it multiple times. I paid dearly sometimes, and it was hard to get back on track. One time I lasted 6 months and was fine. It is a gamble. I know someone who stopped all meds because nothing worked anyway - she was in MISERY.

Best to you either way.