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Diagnosed w/ Reactive Arthritis -what happens if I chose not to take any medication?

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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 2/8/2009 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi All,

Im 30 years old. Its now Feb 2009 and Ive been going to the doctors since Nov 2008 because I have had a swollen left Knee and I cant kneel on it or bend. They havetaken 60 cc's out of my knee twice and given me a cortizone shot.It worked great. However, now my knee is back swollenagain  and now my ankle is swollen too. The doctors think I have reactive arthritis. And are waiting for most tests to come back and we are supposed to talk about long term medicines.What I want to know - is what If I chose to not take any medicines at all and just put up with the stiffness and swelling? Has anyone tried that? I just worrry that the side effects of the medication are so bad, that im scared to take anything like that. I was hoping that maybe in a few months the sweeling would go away (wishful thinking)?

Posted 2/9/2009 1:37 AM (GMT 0)

The Spondylitis Association of America has good information about Reactive Arthritis [ReA].

"Disease Course / Prognosis
ReA usually develops 2-4 weeks after the infection. A tendency exists for more severe and long-term disease in patients who do test positive for HLA-B27 as well as those who have a family history of the disease.

Reactive Arthritis typically follows a limited course, where symptoms subsiding in 3-12 months. However, the condition has a tendency to recur. about 15-20% of people with ReA develop a chronic, and sometimes severe, arthritis or spondylitis."

If you are lucky and things subside on their own and you have no recurrence of symptoms, you might get away without taking medications. However, there are those with this type of arthritis that have severe, long-term problems that cannot function without medications.

Posted 2/9/2009 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for the reply, its much appreciated

Best,

Rachel

Post Edited (rachelc714) : 2/8/2009 9:50:59 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/9/2009 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
i hope your luckier than me but i started like you. knee pain then ankle pain. i had the same treatment as you at the start. the easy meds helped a little but a few months later i was in crippling pain. after a year and a half from the start i was diagnosed with AS. after 5 months they finaly put me on Enbrel (Scary med) but its all that has worked. 6 weeks into Enbrel and i'm still doing well. in the middle of the year and a half i tried over the counter meds and herbal things for months. when i finally wen tback to the rhume i had already done some joint damage. if you get worse dont wait to long.

the meds are scary but the effects of untreated AS are possible worse. it depends on your perspective i guess. i would not be happy with a fused back.

good luck.

Posted 2/10/2009 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks all for your feedback. I have one more question to add. The "Rheumy" I went to last week gave me a depo medrol injection 80mgs. I did a little research and I rarely see this steroid injection discussed with regard to Reactive Arthritis? Anyone here have had this injected into them? I didnt feel any difference. Im wondering if he is a good doc or if I should change? His card says "Sports Medicine & Rheumatology" So he has training in Rheum I just worried because it did say Sports medicine. . But why would he give me something that didnt work or that is rarely used with my disease?

Just checking

Thanks again
Posted 2/10/2009 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
Steroids are commonly given when one is having an acute flare-up of an inflammatory arthritis. My rheumy has injected steroids 25 times into various joints. If I am having multiple sites of inflammation he will then have me take a short course of oral prednisone. Some doctors do use the steroid injections rather than the oral medication. The problem with steroids are the effects they can have on other parts of the body. Doctors try to use them sparingly to avoid the other negative consequences.
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