Guest guest Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 Hello, I can't remember if I responded to your email,so I apologize if I already did. I'm in Virginia. My symptoms started in 9/99 and I was diagnosed on 11/8/99 (4 years ago!). I immediately started on prednisone, naproxyn, and vicodin and a few weeks later added methotrexate and folic acid. 2 months later, I added Azulfidine EN and switched to ibuprofen from naproxyn. As "luck" would have it, Enbrel and Remicade were approved by the FDA the same month I was diagnosed. 6 months after I was diagnosed my rheumy & I were not satisfied with my response to the meds. We petitioned my insurance company to let me try Enbrel and we were shocked that they accepted! A few months later I switched to Remicade, and I'm still on Remicade now. I have had a fabulous response to Remicade -- it helps my fatigue, swelling, pain, discomfort and has stalled the progress of my arthritis on my bones. My rheumy & I think one of the reasons Remicade has worked so well for me is that I started it not too long after I was diagnosed (although it seemed like forever to me.). What state are you in? What insurance company do you have? Most insurance plans require "step therapy" -- that you have tried other meds without satisfactory results before they are willing to pay the $2-3000 a pop for the biologic meds. Good luck. Feel free to email me if you have more questions. Take care, Steph ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>That I have RA. Still pretty daunted, It has been sort of a shock. >Looking back, I first had symptoms about 14-15 months ago. > >I can't get in to the Rheumatologist until mid March. I work in a >hosptial and talked to all the people coming in for Remicade all the >time. Remicade isn't given in the same area anymore, so I haven't seen >those guys for a while, or I would probably pick their brains. Anyway, >I have always heard such good things about Remicade, from patients and >nurses. Do you think it would be a possibility that the dr would let >me start it soon, even though I am just new to all of this? > >Thank you, I appreciate any input at all. Like I said, I just found >out yesterday, and am a little scared. Learn how to choose, serve, and enjoy wine at Wine @ MSN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.