I was dx in 2004.. Most of the doctors from that time were treating r.a. with a very aggressive treament plan to slow or stop the progression of the r.a. ...no matter what the readings were...If it was r.a. you got mega doses of treatments...Mine has been mild since 2004.I know I had it long before 04 just by the amount of pain I was always in..Never had it checked out even when I complained about it...then I was told about the blood test..sure enough, I have it...right now I am off the plaquinal.. but he has raised the amount of methotrexate.... They will find what works best for you..it may take some time but it wil work out.

Back in 1998, sero- negative meant no disease or very mild. So NO treatment or diagnosis. Two years later, an acknowledgment that the first 3 rheumies were wrong and I did have RA. Only other 5 years to find out I had very severe RA - but too late - the damage was done.

So you sound like the reverse of me. I would trade places, so long as the damage stays minimal. Plaquenil didn't help me at all. But maybe you should try it. And remission is possible for many reasons, I've been told. Just never experienced it without strong meds.

I was first told I had RA when I was 31.. I went to a doctor that treated RA with just vitamins...He did arrest it and it was in remmission for 33 years. I just got it back last may and my anti ccp was over 800..I also have OA and I take a pill for that. The Rheumy I see for the RA wanted to put me on a ton of things right away, but I am not a person who likes to take pills, other than vitamins. So I take MTX, folic acid and Sulindac..My labs are good on the esr and crp they do not take the anti crp again and I do not know why..Would love to see what kind of improvement I made on that number. What we need to do is take care of our bodies and try not to stress out (easier said than done) These Doc are only there to guide us as they know less about RA than we do..They may know more about the drugs and the side effects but we are the guinea pigs..

I was dx in 2007. I presented as the most severe case my RD ever saw. I did not have a high RF it was within normal levels my CCP and ESR was off the charts at the time. My disease was proclaimed as severe.
I was on the max dose of MTX + 40 mgs pred per day. It got me right after a period of time. My RD still wanted me to get on a biologic. He kept saying there was "a window of time" to get on it so it would be most beneficial to put the RA in it's place so to speak. I was too afraid of needles and refused. I wasn't feeling bad enough anymore to want it. The RD was still calling my disease severe but I felt like it was mild. By the end of the first year all my blood work was normal and has been ever since. I started losing how grateful I was to have gone from having someone feed me, get me to the bathroom, etc to someone who went back to work full time and who was fully functioning. I had this everyday background pain that was just plain annoying. I wanted to feel pre RA again- after all taking a max dose of MTX a toxic drug and still not feeling perfect didn't sit well with me. So I got up my nerve and started Humira. I saw very little difference, hated injecting and didn't like exposing myself to the extra risks so I stopped.

Fast forward to 2011. My liver enzymes elevated slightly so RD took me off the MTX while doing blood tests to see if they would come down. They did. Something struck me as odd though- no flare! I felt my same some what crappy way off the MTX as on it! RD said he thought I should stay off the MTX and see what happens. Well now it's been a year and my blood is normal and I feel...I'm not really sure. Sometimes I think I feel a little worse than before but not enough to go back to toxic MTX with all it's risks and restrictions.

When I voice concerns to my RD he brushes them aside. I find this to be wishy washy. He was pushing that biologic so hard in the beginning. I was sure he told me that with RA you have to be on a DMARD for life. I worry that damage is happening that I don't know about. I think I will asks for new xrays to take a look. He says he does not see any disease activity....

Maybe the ACR has a new mind set for RA. Where before they said treat aggressively- now they say treat as it progresses?

My RA told me the BW indicated I would be on the severe side also.
So she would treat it more on the aggressive side.

I have compound problems causing pain so its frustrating for me & now her.

She really pushes the MTX, which I'm off for now.
Just got my approval for Enbrel so we shall see.
My liver enzymes climbed a notch on the MTX so I really do not want to chance it. Not to mention the higher doses putting me in bed.

I would think its about taking measures to prevent the worse in the long run. Its seems RA can really kick in rather quickly.
I wish you the best, Sammy