Anyone on this combo?

Dear babybloo,

I do not have any good answers for you - but just rather wanted to extend to you my prayers and hopes that you'll feel better soon, get the right med combination that you need and that helps you the best.  I also wanted to ask you a question, as I know what you are dealing with and it has to be SO frustrating for you...I can really hear the despair in the words you type - but you did say that this "flare" has been going on for you for a year now.  That is an incredibly long time to be hurting this way.  I was wondering, could you describe your symptoms of your flare to me?  I am the one who is in medical diagnosis "limbo" and I really am convinced this is a Rheumatoid Arthritis type of flare that I'm in.  But I'm not sure about my own symptoms.  I have never exerpienced them before, they are burning hot to touch knees that ache so bad I want to scream, fingers that are pretty much frozen stiff in a curled up position that ache and throb and pulsate in the center joints, and then my feet...same thing, swollen, hot, but yet the tips are frozen cold, they feel like bricks of ice.

Are any of these the same thing you experience?  Add to the list the muscle aches from other parts of my body, namely my back and chest, that are compensating for the hurting parts.  It's real fun, eh?

Again, I sure hope you get to feeling better and that you finally get a doc who cares and will put you on the right combo of meds.  It's really unfair!

Thanks Babybloo, God bless you too,

Beth

P.S. I came back to add this question, as the more research I do, the more questions I have.  I looked up "Systemic Inflammatory Arthritis" and the definition is Rheumatoid Arthritis!  So for 2 years, I've been thinking I didn't have it, but have been told I had SIA, and now I look it up (dont know what prompted me to, mainly curiosity) and lo and behold - I DO have it! 

My question is when they put you on these DMARD type medications, does that actually halt the disease or does it slow it down and if so for how long?  I guess each person will react differently to the medications.  And lastly, have you tried any of those type meds before Babybloo?  If so, what have you tried and what was your experience with it?   Sorry for all my ??s but enquiring minds wanna know!  LOL  Many many heartfelt thanks. 

Hey...My name is Rob.  I do not have arthritus that extreme, however, I do have gout. It is very painful.  I was on medication for it, but due to the lack of insurance, it got expensive.  So, I begin to look elsewhere.  I take an organic supplement.  Have you ever educated yourself on organic cures?   I cannot talk about what I use due to the rules and policies, but there is some things that can ease pain, and thats all we want. 

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Wow..i think a year has gone way beyond a flare!
Like yourself, the RA i have took a turn for the worst last year...and i have yet to come out of it. so what started as a flare...has ended up pretty much a "progression or worsening" of the disease.
exactly why have you been denied approval for these meds???
sounds like there needs to be a fight...and not by you...one of your MDs should get on the horn with the ins. co. and fight for this.
with the TNF drugs, they do slow down the progression of joint disease...it's needed if things are getting worse quickly.
when i was at my last straw...i simply asked my GI & rheummy,"what are my options". and surprisingly i got a few different paths to take.
in my prayers.
erin

Hi,I have three types of arthritis and they are RA,AS,OA.I'am on Humira,Plaquenil and Sulfasalazine and I have no problems with these meds exept I have to have my eye's checked every six month's.The last time that I had my eye's checked they had changed alittle but not much.Even thoe I know that one of the side-effect's of the Plaquenil the trade offis worth taking.Now for Humira the only side-effect that i have is it burns when going in and I will get a little puffy and red around the injection site,but other than that it's ok.Now for the Sulfasalazine I had no side-effect's from this med other that it makes me nauseated.I hop0e that this help's you.

Boo why can't you get Remicade or the others? Susie

Have you tried getting it thru the mfg's of the drug?

Woo-hoo! Congrats! Have you had your 1st injection yet? Let us know!