There was a really good article someone (I think it MIGHT have been Doug) posted the drugs they use that I think addresses your question. I"m going to see if I can find it and bump it up.

- Tort

I knew it was out there ... here you go - not sure if this addresses what you need to know but I think it might

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Rheumatoid_Arthritis/forum/7140400-pretty-good-drug-article

Renee:

I did read Doug's article but I don't think there are totally hard and fast rules. I was on Remicade for five years and it worked (had to get off because of liver issues or I'd still be on it today).

Lynne

I was on plaquenil for over 8 years with no RA symptoms. The doc says either it was working well for me or I was in remission!

I believe that these meds and people who are on them is so indivualized that you could not say. I have been on Humira, Remicaide, and Enbrel all for about 6 months and then they stopped working. I am on Orencia and have been for 2 yrs. I may have to switch to something else but it has held me for the longest along with my other PO meds. I have not felt normal in about 7 yrs. since before my diagnosis of RA.

i have been on humira since april 13,2007. i very seldom have flares and have yet to have to change. i was lucky, it worked for me within days. that is the exception to the rule. the rheumy tried other things, started seeing her sept. 06 and it took her that long to find the right mix for me. i take mtx and folic acid along with the humira.i still have round feet, but sometimes they are rounder than others, just ask bizemom or sandym. take care and be patient. i know i am asking alot, but they got to find just the right one for you.... hugs, deby

I have been on enbrel and MTX for about 7 months now and they have done wonders for me. I think everyone is different and for some people the drugs work and for some it takes a long time to find the right drugs and very unfortunately for others they can't find drugs that work at all. As for remission I have heard of people that go into remission and stay that way but honestly, i've never met anyone in person. I guess I am pretty much the same boat as you. I don't know if the drugs will continue to work. I just hope so. Thanks Tort for that link. I'll have a look at it.

Hi Renee,

The only drug that works immediately is prednisone and if it doesn't then the docs just increase the dosage. All the other drugs usually take some time to build up in your system and begin to work. I took methotrexate and was told that it would start to work within 2 weeks to 2 months. When it wasn't working by a certain time my dr upped the dosage, then we waited and increased it to the max (9 pills = 22.5 mg) some docs will go higher for this drug. After I was on it for about 4 months it felt good most of the time but I was still stiff and I'd have a flare every 1.5 months.

Then we added Humira and I was told that it could take 1 to 3 months to start working. Finally after a time it worked but now 100% so we increased the dosing from once every two weeks to once every week. I'm jealous of Deby - just a few days would have been nice.

So as you can see each drug has it's own timeline and then it gets complicated because each person who takes it reacts differently.

I've never met anyone who went into remission for any length of time and it seems that many people mean something different when they say remission. To me remission means having no active signs of RA (e.g. pain, stiffness, new deformities) whether you on meds or not.

Hope this helps...hugs jilly

I remember being so frustrated because it seemed that nothing was working for me. I ended up seeing 3 different RA docs till finally I found the right mix. It took a total of 3 years! 2 different docs said that I will just have to live w/ the pain if it is not severe. I would not settle for that. I ended up on Enbrel and it worked after all others failed. Eventually my insurance ran out and I had to try one of the lesser meds again. I was feeling better and tapered myself off the pills eventually. I don't recommend doing that unless your doctor okays it, but it worked for me. :) I still have minor pain and worry sometimes that I will go back, but till that happens, I feel like I am in remission. I also cut out all gluten and anything with aspartame in it. That was hard for me, but I sure noticed a difference in pain. Anyway, I know that was a long story, but I know that eventually you will find the right mix and you never know, you may go into remission. Fingers crossed! Don't give up. ((hugs))))

Thanks for the replys. I do feel I have found what is working for me and it was the first. I am doing more than I ever thought I could a few months back. It took me feeling better to get my head on straight but I still have that worry of how long it will last and bad will it get. Guess we all do, but at least its fore front on my mind.

I am not a pill popper, hate taking meds but this one is doing the trick, I just always wonder if I could go off. I won't try it and take the risk of feeling that poorly again.

Thanks all, hope you have a good day

I was concerned about having to go back to prednisone,when I stopped at Kroger Pharmacy and thought I 'd ask this Pharmacist what he thought me having to take Prednisone. He told me that his Son was Diagnosed with RA at the age of three, and had been on all or most of the Drugs that we are taking.He had the bones in his foot fused together, because they broke. He was on Pred he told me for many years off and on. He is now 22 and has gone into complete remission since he was 17. He told me that RA does that alot. So you see we can all go into remission. His Son is on no medicine at all and that is what I am hoping for, but I know that the Rheumys want us to be on the meds even if we go into remission.
bigi