Humira trial

[Guest guest]

I have been lurking and learning since posting a couple of weeks ago

about my 21-year-old daughter with positive RA blood work. We went

to the rheumatologist Monday and he didn't have any trouble

diagnosing her with RA. Her hand and feet x-rays show a lot of

osteopenia but no erosions - is this fairly normal? They are talking

about putting her in a trial of Humira to see if it works as well

with 80 mg once a month as opposed to the current 40 mg twice a

month. All you Humira users and others, does this sound like a good

idea, not really knowing if she is getting the 40 mg every 2 weeks or

80 mg/placebo every two weeks, or possibly a placebo only every 2

weeks for up to 12 weeks (then would defintely get the Humira if on

the placebo first)? The study is for 6 months and all medical care

and medicine would be free during this time (no insurance, so can't

fault that part of it anyway).

If she didn't end up getting the drug, would she be horribly set

back - Dr. didn't really say how aggressive it was but she has been

showing hand/feet symptoms since December and x-rays looked pretty

gray/osteopenic at the bone ends. She can keep taking her meloxicam

through the study, but she's struggling a bit as a full-time surgical

tech student and is beginning 3 10-hour days of clinicals this week;

is not really seeming inflamed right now but is quite uncomfortable

and not sleeping well at all.

Does this sound like a good idea or should we try for getting into

one of the drug programs for free/reduced cost drugs (as I'm pretty

sure we would qualify) and forgo the free medical care and study?

Thanks for any advice/ideas,

Beth