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...
So I saw my rheumy this morning. Blood tests confirm disease activity on the rise. She said 8 points up was significant, mine jumped 12. My WBC continues to plummet. Now add enlarged lymph nodes which, since no infection going on in me, can either be just another RA inflammation or "something else". Neither of us used the "L" word. She suggested keeping an eye on them (or fingers, actually) and if they don't reduce in a week or so, to see my PCP. *sigh*
So Enbrel is definitely not working (enough, anyway). No more TNFs for me and MTX is not an option either. Next on the trial table is Kevzara. Weirdly enough, it blocks a protein (IL-6) produced by my white blood cells - of which I have few - so I'm not sure how this is going to work. I just hope it does.
Anyone out here taking Kevzara?
I have never heard of this. Is it new? How is it given? I'm looking for options that might work, Cimzia is failing!