beginning meds after RA diagnosis

[Guest guest]

At 03:04 PM 10/11/2006, you wrote:

I > am now 5 weeks post MTX injection treatments since being

diagnosed

> with RA 8 weeks ago.

Hello all,

I am new here and apologize if this question has been asked and

answered previously

I was surprised when reading the post above that someone would start

taking MTX only eight weeks after being diagnosed ? ? Have you

known/suspected you had RA for a long time prior to the " official "

diagnosis?

I always am hopeful that " tincture of time " will resolve problems

without resorting to meds

What do folks here think about waiting--giving " nature " a chance--

and waiting maybe 3 to 6 months or maybe even a year to see if

improvement comes before beginning meds with so many side

effects ? ?

If one begins meds soon after Dx.--how would one know for sure if

improvements in the next few weeks/months is from the meds--or would

have happened anyhow ?

thanks for your input:)

nancy

[Guest guest]

The problem is, that RA _DOESN'T_ go away on its own. Once you have

it, you have it for life. The research has shown that a large

amount of permanent damage can be done to your joints in the first

year or two after dx, without aggressive treatent from the outset.

The good news is that there are a lot of good meds available now

that can slow or even stop the progression of the disease, and very

few peple end up with the deformities and severe disability that

used to be part and parcel with RA.

Please don't wait to see what will happen. Joint destruction is

permanent, and untreated RA can also wreak havock with your heart,

lungs, arteries and other organs. Find a good rheumatologist, and

with his or her help work out a treatment plan that works for you.

While all meds carry some degree of risk, and they all also have the

risk (not certainty, but risk) of side effects, the long term out

look for people with RA who are NOT treated is much worse than the

possible side effects from the drugs in most cases.

>

> I > am now 5 weeks post MTX injection treatments since being

> diagnosed

> > with RA 8 weeks ago.

>

> Hello all,

> I am new here and apologize if this question has been asked and

> answered previously

>

> I was surprised when reading the post above that someone would

start

> taking MTX only eight weeks after being diagnosed ? ? Have you

> known/suspected you had RA for a long time prior to the " official "

> diagnosis?

>

> I always am hopeful that " tincture of time " will resolve problems

> without resorting to meds

>

> What do folks here think about waiting--giving " nature " a chance--

> and waiting maybe 3 to 6 months or maybe even a year to see if

> improvement comes before beginning meds with so many side

> effects ? ?

>

> If one begins meds soon after Dx.--how would one know for sure if

> improvements in the next few weeks/months is from the meds--or

would

> have happened anyhow ?

>

> thanks for your input:)

> nancy

>

[Guest guest]

Shortly after my RA started, I was in so much pain that I would have

tried almost anything in an effort to relieve it. In other words, I was

desperate, LOL.

Joint damage can occur while you're waiting and giving nature a chance.

The thinking today is to start treating RA aggressively, hopefully

before it has a chance to cause damage. My rheumy treated mine

aggressively from the beginning, and I think that this is why it's

under such good control now. I have very little joint damage, if any,

and I've had RA for five years.

Sue

On Wednesday, October 11, 2006, at 07:46 PM, nnfoster2003 wrote:

> What do folks here think about waiting--giving " nature " a chance--

> and waiting maybe 3 to 6 months or maybe even a year to see if

> improvement comes before beginning meds with so many side

> effects ? ?

>

> If one begins meds soon after Dx.--how would one know for sure if

> improvements in the next few weeks/months is from the meds--or would

> have happened anyhow ?

[Guest guest]

Welcome, !

Until just a few years ago, the standard strategy used to treat rheumatoid

arthritis was referred to as the " pyramid. " NSAIDs were tried first and

subsequently stronger medications were added as needed.

Unfortunately, that often meant waiting for damage to occur first, then

treating to delay or prevent further damage. Not only that, but such an

approach allowed the inflammation gear up, making it often very difficult to

get it under control.

There is much evidence that hitting RA early and hard leads to better

outcomes. Also under investigation is whether there is a " window of

opportunity " early on in the course of the disease during which achieving

remission is more likely.

Check out the article below, especially the second figure (Box 2).

MJA 2006

Clinical Update

" Early combination disease modifying antirheumatic drug treatment for

rheumatoid arthritis " :

https://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/184_03_060206/rob10479_fm.html

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] beginning meds after RA diagnosis

> At 03:04 PM 10/11/2006, you wrote:

>

> I > am now 5 weeks post MTX injection treatments since being

> diagnosed

>> with RA 8 weeks ago.

>

> Hello all,

> I am new here and apologize if this question has been asked and

> answered previously

>

> I was surprised when reading the post above that someone would start

> taking MTX only eight weeks after being diagnosed ? ? Have you

> known/suspected you had RA for a long time prior to the " official "

> diagnosis?

>

> I always am hopeful that " tincture of time " will resolve problems

> without resorting to meds

>

> What do folks here think about waiting--giving " nature " a chance--

> and waiting maybe 3 to 6 months or maybe even a year to see if

> improvement comes before beginning meds with so many side

> effects ? ?

>

> If one begins meds soon after Dx.--how would one know for sure if

> improvements in the next few weeks/months is from the meds--or would

> have happened anyhow ?

>

> thanks for your input:)

> nancy

[Guest guest]

>

> I > am now 5 weeks post MTX injection treatments since being

> diagnosed

> > with RA 8 weeks ago.

>

> Hello all,

> I am new here and apologize if this question has been asked and

> answered previously

>

> I was surprised when reading the post above that someone would

start

> taking MTX only eight weeks after being diagnosed ? ? Have you

> known/suspected you had RA for a long time prior to the " official "

> diagnosis?

>

> I always am hopeful that " tincture of time " will resolve problems

> without resorting to meds

>

> What do folks here think about waiting--giving " nature " a chance--

> and waiting maybe 3 to 6 months or maybe even a year to see if

> improvement comes before beginning meds with so many side

> effects ? ?

>

> If one begins meds soon after Dx.--how would one know for sure if

> improvements in the next few weeks/months is from the meds--or

would

> have happened anyhow ?

>

> thanks for your input:)

> nancy

>

Hi :

I have also been recently diagnosed with RA but have had symptoms

for YEARS without knowing what was wrong or having dtrs telling me

it was nothing. I would hazard a guess that most of us here have had

symptoms for a long time and are happy to find a reason for our pain

and willing to make the move to medications. I thing that we would

have had " improvements " already if waiting was the answer.

I don't want to answer for anyone here in this group, but that's my

thoughts.

Peace, Vicki

[Guest guest]

:

I believe that most doctors feel that to treat RA, you

must begin treatment with DMARD (disease modifying

drugs) as soon as possible, so as to slow down the

progression of the disease, and save your joints from

destruction. In my opinion, waiting anytime after

getting a dx of RA to start meds is the wrong way to

treat RA. I was begun immediately upon my RA dx 7

years ago on DMARDs, and I have always been treated

with DMARDs since then, and I credit that early

treatment to the fact that I have no bony erosions in

my joints due to RA. I can pretty much live my life

as I need to with some compromise, and for that, too,

I thank the early and aggressive treatment of my RA.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Kathe in CA

--- nnfoster2003 <nnfoster@...> wrote:

> At 03:04 PM 10/11/2006, you wrote:

>

> I > am now 5 weeks post MTX injection treatments

> since being

> diagnosed

> > with RA 8 weeks ago.

>

> Hello all,

> I am new here and apologize if this question has

> been asked and

> answered previously

>

> I was surprised when reading the post above that

> someone would start

> taking MTX only eight weeks after being diagnosed ?

> ? Have you

> known/suspected you had RA for a long time prior to

> the " official "

> diagnosis?

>

> I always am hopeful that " tincture of time " will

> resolve problems

> without resorting to meds

>

> What do folks here think about waiting--giving

> " nature " a chance--

> and waiting maybe 3 to 6 months or maybe even a year

> to see if

> improvement comes before beginning meds with so many

> side

> effects ? ?

>

> If one begins meds soon after Dx.--how would one

> know for sure if

> improvements in the next few weeks/months is from

> the meds--or would

> have happened anyhow ?

>

> thanks for your input:)

> nancy

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

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