Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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faithhope60 06/28/2017

Anybody had experience taking Xeljanz or Simponi? Currently on orencia, metho, arava and prednisone. Not sure its cutting it. Changing it can be scary can get better but then again could get much worse. Been bedridden before, dont want to go back there.

maxlexkey 06/28/2017

hi, i have been on zeljanz xr for about 3 months now and for me it works better than orencia already. i still have pain daily but less frequent days of not being able to step on a foot or not use a hand for a whole day. when i first started using it i was really tired, worse than usual and after 2 weeks it stopped and no side effects at all. best out of the four biologics i tried before.

faithhope60 06/30/2017

Thank you for sharing that with me.

phandbj 07/03/2017

I have been on Xeljanz almost 4 years . It has helped more and longer than any of the other meds for me. After 3 years The doctor added meloxicam to give the Xeljanz a boost. I was on Orencia before that and have taken most all of the RA meds. Hope that helps.

WarriorGal 07/04/2017

Never been on either, but if what you are n is not working - i would definitely go for it.

MarleneJ 07/07/2017

Xeljanz did not work at all, my doctor pulled me off at 5 months. Simponi worked well from the first shot, with no side effects. Sadly, at 6 months I started getting flares, and by 8 months I was in total failure, even with a double dose. My rheumatologist said something about my body figuring out how to beat it.

I have always done best on a combo. But I had to go off mthx in 2009, my liver enzymes were so bad. We tried Orencia and Arava, but it was not enough. Then my rheumatologist got permission from my liver specialist to start mthx again. That was the missing key! I had to go off one week, after taking antihistamines all week for a bronchial infection, and it has been fine since.

I think it all depends on your body, how severe you are, whether these drugs will work. I respond to drugs no one else does. Drugs that are life savers for other people are a nightmare for me! We just have to try them, as our doctor prescribes, and wait and pray. Well, that is what I do!

faithhope60 07/07/2017

Thanks everyone for your input, you all are helping me more than you know. God bless!

aprilraven 07/12/2017

I've taken xeljanz and it helped me. My doctor recommended it after a couple of years fighting through infection after infection on injections. Apprently it's easier to go off and on than shots. It doesn't have an extended 6+ wk build-up or wear down so you van heal quicker. I'd be sick for 4+ wks several times a year never allowing my shots to hit or stay at full strength for long.

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