Guest guest Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Sandy, it is my understanding that the FDA approved Remicade together with Methotrexate and no other way because that is all that was asked. My rheumatologist has some people who are on Remicade as their only DMARD. Other people I know about take Remicade with a DMARD other than Methotrexate. The theory is that the second DMARD is given to reduce the likelihood of an adverse reaction to the Remicade. While Aleve might help the pain and be very good for that, it does not slow or stop the permanent joint damage that goes on with RA. For that you need a DMARD and be thankful that the Aleve is working while the DMARD takes effect. Often it takes many weeks to many months for a DMARD to become effective. Here's a site with a lot of general information about medicines. http://www.arthritisinsight.com/medical/meds/ If Aleve stops working or upsets your stomach you might try Prednisone again because that is a stronger anti-inflammatory but with its own set of side effects. Good luck and God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: April Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2003 7:54 AM Subject: Question...... I'm going to be starting Remicade soon, I just got off of Pred... can you be on Remicade alone or do you have to take metho w/it? I ask because I was on metho for a good month and it knocked me out four days out of the week. My Rheumy got me off of it right away. I'm miserable right now only being on Oxy & Vicodin.... I tried Aleve yesterday and was stunned at how well it worked!God Bless!Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Hi, Sandy. It seems like we should be old friends now. I respond to the most recent posts first because if someone else has already given a good answer there is little need for me to post also. Tonight I first posted in response to April's post and then to your post dated Saturday. Now I am working on your post of Wednesday. All of these showed up within the last few hours so I don't know where they have been. I've had 7 Remicade infusions and consider myself pretty well controlled. The first three were at 3 mg/kg, the next two at 5 mg/kg, and since then at 6 mg/kg. I got a little bit of help after the fourth infusion but things worked a lot better after the sixth infusion. I also take 15 mg Methotrexate every week. (I discussed alternatives to that in a different response.) I was on 10 mg Prednisone through the 4th infusion and was able to start reducing it then but didn't get completely off till after the 6th infusion. You are likely to need something for pain till the Remicade kicks in. I prefer the potential side effects of Prednisone to the definite pain of RA. I hope your next posts come through in a timely manner instead of getting lost somewhere for a few days. Good luck and God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: April Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 11:52 PM Subject: Question...... Hi Gang, I joined ages ago, my how time flies! Anyway, do any of you take Remicaid (sp)? Can you tell me how it works? Any improvements? How about the RA pain? I'm on oxy & vicodin and I still hurt SOOOOOO bad! I just got off of the steroids so I'm waiting (in pain so bad it literally makes me sick) to get on the Remicaid (sp). I pray it works!!!How are you all doing? Hope all is well, considering.Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 it seems to me that R.A. is controlled very differently on this side of the world. With the exception of Methotrexate and Prendnison there doesn't seem to be any other meds that I recognize the name of. I have been on 1600mgs brufen retard for the last three years along with 22.5 mgs methatrexate and of course pained. i am in flare up now unable to walk and unable to do most things myself as my hands are affected as well. Thanks to this list I have learned that chest pain can be a side effect of methatrexate and while at the hospital yesterday getting my carpal tunnel done i asked about my chest pain. After an examination they decided the pain was R.A. not a side effect. I am going to injection clinic again tomorrow and will ask about prednisone to try and control this flare up. thanks for listening everyone Cheers, ette At 16:40 22/07/03, you wrote: Hi, Sandy. It seems like we should be old friends now. I respond to the most recent posts first because if someone else has already given a good answer there is little need for me to post also. Tonight I first posted in response to April's post and then to your post dated Saturday. Now I am working on your post of Wednesday. All of these showed up within the last few hours so I don't know where they have been. I've had 7 Remicade infusions and consider myself pretty well controlled. The first three were at 3 mg/kg, the next two at 5 mg/kg, and since then at 6 mg/kg. I got a little bit of help after the fourth infusion but things worked a lot better after the sixth infusion. I also take 15 mg Methotrexate every week. (I discussed alternatives to that in a different response.) I was on 10 mg Prednisone through the 4th infusion and was able to start reducing it then but didn't get completely off till after the 6th infusion. You are likely to need something for pain till the Remicade kicks in. I prefer the potential side effects of Prednisone to the definite pain of RA. I hope your next posts come through in a timely manner instead of getting lost somewhere for a few days. Good luck and God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: April To: Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 11:52 PM Subject: Question...... Hi Gang, I joined ages ago, my how time flies! Anyway, do any of you take Remicaid (sp)? Can you tell me how it works? Any improvements? How about the RA pain? I'm on oxy & vicodin and I still hurt SOOOOOO bad! I just got off of the steroids so I'm waiting (in pain so bad it literally makes me sick) to get on the Remicaid (sp). I pray it works!!! How are you all doing? Hope all is well, considering. Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2003 Report Share Posted July 22, 2003 Hi Sandy, This is in VA. I was diagnosed with Reactive arthritis (RAA) in November 1999 when I was 22. After many meds that gave me little to no relief, I started Remicade in May 2000 and am still on it. It works very well for me! Remicade is given by IV at a hospital or doctor's office. It is a TNF-blocker. In short, TNF is something in your body that causes inflammation (when you are ill or sprain an ankle, for example). In people with arthritis, the TNF is out of whack -- you're inflamed for no reason. TNF-blockers like Remicade turn off the TNF to reduce inflammation and, in turn, pain & fatigue. Now, the reason it doesn't work for everyone is because some people's TNF is more resilient than others and, therefore, doesn't respond to the blocker. Let me know if you have other questions or if my explanation doesn't make sense. Take care, in VA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Hi Gang, I joined ages ago, my how time flies! Anyway, do any of you >take Remicaid (sp)? Can you tell me how it works? Any >improvements? How about the RA pain? I'm on oxy & vicodin and I >still hurt SOOOOOO bad! I just got off of the steroids so I'm >waiting (in pain so bad it literally makes me sick) to get on the >Remicaid (sp). I pray it works!!! > >How are you all doing? Hope all is well, considering. > >Sandy Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 I've only heard that coffee + methotrexate may not be a good idea; nothing on Remicade yet, Sandy. , another coffee lover [ ] Question...... > > > I have a question.... can I have coffee before my Remicade??? > > Ohhhh I hope, I hope, I hope I can!!! :) > > Hugs! > sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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