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...
Co-morbidities: R. A., Sjogren's Syndrome, Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS) (dual chamber pacemaker), COPD, Asthma, etc....
What a selection of R.A. drugs & their side effects to choose from. Liver damage, lung damage (especially to those with COPD like myself, 61 years old), lymphoma(s) (a cancer of the lymph glands & with the knowledge that the lymphatic system is the super highway of our bodies), cardiomyopathy, serious vision problems that aren't always reversible, TB. I had previously succumbed to the idea of taking Humira but my gosh after reading all of the scary effects of the drug, I don't know.
My physician's R.N., after he had received the results of my labs called me and said my liver (AST & ALT) were elevated. She said he wanted me to start Humira and where do they call in the script. I had no discussion with the physician regarding side effects, adverse reactions, long term effects etc... After reading about all of these drugs I don't know which I would broach my physician with.
I am frightened. To date I have only been on MTX, Prednisone & folic acid. Are all of the adverse/side/long term effects worth the risks to take these drugs. Should I take my chances? I need to keep myself as healthy as I can for as long as I can for my spouse who has multiple sclerosis. He ironically suffered renal cell carcinoma and a laparascopic-assisted nephrectomy from weekly Avonex (MS drug) injections I gave him over the period of a year.
Am I being proactive or a worry wart?
I would love to hear your opinions, suggestions!
What a selection of R.A. drugs & their side effects to choose from. Liver damage, lung damage (especially to those with COPD like myself, 61 years old), lymphoma(s) (a cancer of the lymph glands & with the knowledge that the lymphatic system is the super highway of our bodies), cardiomyopathy, serious vision problems that aren't always reversible, TB. I had previously succumbed to the idea of taking Humira but my gosh after reading all of the scary effects of the drug, I don't know.
My physician's R.N., after he had received the results of my labs called me and said my liver (AST & ALT) were elevated. She said he wanted me to start Humira and where do they call in the script. I had no discussion with the physician regarding side effects, adverse reactions, long term effects etc... After reading about all of these drugs I don't know which I would broach my physician with.
I am frightened. To date I have only been on MTX, Prednisone & folic acid. Are all of the adverse/side/long term effects worth the risks to take these drugs. Should I take my chances? I need to keep myself as healthy as I can for as long as I can for my spouse who has multiple sclerosis. He ironically suffered renal cell carcinoma and a laparascopic-assisted nephrectomy from weekly Avonex (MS drug) injections I gave him over the period of a year.
Am I being proactive or a worry wart?
I would love to hear your opinions, suggestions!
And that 's the end effect of moon face, hump back, cataracts, diabetes, hormone repression and just about every side effect you can imagine. Did you check out all the side effects of steroids before you took that pred? Be afraid of steroids.
I go to a group of 6 rheumies and in all the years they have used biologic drugs, they have NEVER had a single case of cancer from any of them. Drug companies have to post every single side effect found during clinical trials even if they think it was from something else and it could be 1 person in thousands and thousands of people who tried the drug. If you want a good overview of what you might experience, go to the MayoClinic.org and check out the drug finder. Long lists but you'll see that most are non-life threatening and go away once the drug is stopped. Cancer is extremely rare and watched for carefully. Most rheumies do a chest x-ray annually, Tb test annually, regular blood work and will have you report any side effects and anything unusual. They are watching while we are not.
As for the other drugs, you mention eye problems....are you wondering about Plaquenil? Yes, it can cause eye problems but they are reversible. spent 6 years on it.
My BFF has been on Avonex for years with no problems....sorry your hubby had a bad time. But even aspirin can kill us.
But you need to remember that RA can kill too. I lost a cousin to it. It doesn't just affect joints but organs too. I have it in my lungs, heart and brain. Almost caused me my sight.We take drugs that can kill because we have a disease that can kill. If they were recommending a drug that can kill for a disorder that doesn't, I'd be with you. Too many docs do that already! But not with Ra.
So weigh your options and perhaps consider a different rheumy who will work with you better. I have other diseases as well and my doc won't give me anything with discussion AND I always have to take the first dose in his office while he is there. I take the biologic drug, Orencia...about the mildest of the biologics and it's available by self-injection or IV. I do the IV as he wants me in his office while he is there so he can be available if needed. Been on it for 8 years. No problems but when an abdominal CT showed 2 small lung growths, he followed them for 18 months with 2 more CT's and they have not grown. Too small to even see by x-ray.....but we know they are "nothing". Like I said, they watch.
I'd say your biggest problem is your doc. If you don't trust that your rheumy is taking your other medical problems seriously enough, then find another doc. I "shopped" for a good rheumy until I found one that took my medical problems seriously and now have full trust in him. Maybe it's not the meds so much as the doc??????
hugs..................Jen
Still, the MTX wasn't working, I was at my wits' end.....miserable beyond belief. I talked with my Rheumatologist, understood the risks of adding a biologic, and together we cautiously proceeded.
I've taken Humira successfully for 5 years. It's a game changer for me. I have my life back.
For me
Roni