Re: Diane in MI

[Guest guest]

Hi Steph, It seems like you know alot about the medication for RA. I am on

azulfadine, relafen, plaquenil, methotrexate, prednisone, (The prednisone is

newly added.) folic acid, and protonix

for my stomach. I also was recently dxed with ms last year so I take rebif for

that. Would you happen to know if any of these combinations of

drugs can speed the growth of tumors? The reason I ask is because I had a

parotid gland tumor removed several years ago. This was before I had RA or

M.S. Before my dx of MS but after taking methotrexate the tumor seemed to

grow within a year. Doctors can't seem to explain why it grew so rapidly in 1

year. It had been about 10 years after the first tumor was removed but again

only 1 year after starting methotrexate. I had it removed again in Feb. 2002

and had to resume methotrexate reluctantly for the pain of the RA. I am so

afraid that the tumor has grown again. My question is do you know if methotrexate

would be responsibe for growing tumors rapidly?

-------Original Message-------

From: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Date: Thursday, October 09, 2003 16:46:04

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Diane in MI

Dear Diane, Hello! This is in VA. I agree with what Lyn said in response to your email. Here is my 2 cents as well: I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis in 11/99 when I was 22. My current meds are: Ibuprofen, Azulfidine EN, Prednisone, Methotrexate, Folic Acid, and Remicade. I've tried almost every medication available except a few.

As far as your doctor making you take 3 meds instead of cutting back, research has shown that the meds work better in combination rather than alone. Many of the people on the list take 1 or more med from each category (ie NSAIDS, biologics, DMARDS, etc.)

I know the meds are expensive. I worked with the Remicade patient assistance program while my new insurance was approving Remicade. They were wonderful. Remicade is really expensive. In reality, if you don't have insurance you need to make 6 figures in order to order the drug.

As far as your sulfasazine dosage, I take 8 per day. With the sulfa meds, one reason for increased side effects can be because you are not drinking enough water/Gatorade. A good test is that Sulfasazine turns your urine orange. You know you have had enough liquids if your urine returns to a normal color.

I also don't understand why you would refuse a biopsy. Sometimes the meds can bring out a problem that was already there but laying dormant. For example, if you have inactive TB, taking a biologic like Remicade can cause the TB to become active.

I know a few people who have done well on a "Mediterranean" diet but eating healthy is important whether you have arthritis or not.

With therapy, I'm not sure if you mean mental therapy or physical therapy, but most time you have to ask for it.

I am lucky that my rheumy believes in complimentary medicine in addition to conventional. He supports my decision to have massages (even writes me a prescription if I ask), acupressure, yoga and ballet in addition to my meds.

As far as weight gain, I gained 60 pounds from prednisone but a lot of it has come off as I went from 40 mg a day to my current dosage of 3mg a day.

That's all from me.

Take care!

Steph in VA

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> > > >I gained so much weight after I was diagnoised. I can't seem to get >it off. I wonder if these drugs cause weight gain. Doctor told me no. >Once I get insurance again, I would like another RA doctor but in the >mean time, I welcome advice in this area. > >Diane/MI

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