Guest guest Posted August 23, 2005 Report Share Posted August 23, 2005 Dear Miriam- You have a great RD there!! He is on the cutting edge with Abatacept. This drug is called a T-cell co-stimulating modulators. It basically is a drug that interferes with the way certain T-cell proteins interact with each other. In case you want to read in depth, http://arthritis-research.com/content/7/S2/S1 it is all here in this link. More advances into the way T-cells interact and cause inflammation are being explored and this is one such drug. For patients who have tried other TNF blocking drugs and do not find relief, this is a new class of drugs. For my own personal experience, Remicade works for me. I thought it stopped working for me, but its because I waited too long between infusions and didnt take MTX. Once I started on MTX, I felt better, (minus the debilitating fatigue) MTX must be used to lower our bodies hyperactive immune system, specifically those overactive white blood cells in conjunction with any TNF blocker. I also made sure that my infusion rate was slowed so I got less of a side effect. It really really helped. You need to understand that your body can become SMART to all TNF drugs. They are finding this is the case more and more so need to find a new way to outsmart it. Abatacept is one such drug. Do give Remicade a try first. You only need it once every 8 weeks along with MTX. Its still working for me almost 6 years and counting. You should see relief within a week. If not, there is abatacept and an ARMY of new drugs just like it coming soon. There is big money to be made by Big Pharm here, so believe me, the research will go on and be cutting edge. Just like every other disease Medical Science has a drug for, The money is NOT in the CURE, but in the management of RA, and thats all these drugs really do, is help us manage it to some extent. For some it works great, for some not at all. I think after they cured polio, hospitals, doctors and researchers realized profit is only in the illness and the management of it. Keep them coming back for more. Maybe one day a future generation wont have to. Yours, Deborah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2005 Report Share Posted August 23, 2005 ----- Original Message ----- From: dbargad@... > MTX must be used to lower our bodies hyperactive immune system, specifically those overactive white blood cells in conjunction with any TNF blocker. Is Remicade a TNF blocker? I'm supposed to start it soon and I cannot take MTX. The doctors have not said I must take it, so I don't think it's a "must". Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2005 Report Share Posted August 23, 2005 Hi Nina I am on remicade and I do not take MTX I am on plaquenil and imuran so you do not have to be on MTX to take renicade I have been on it for over 2 years now and it working for me good luck on it I wish you the best Sherrie > ----- Original Message ----- > From: dbargad@a... > > > MTX must be used to lower our bodies hyperactive immune system, specifically those overactive white blood cells in conjunction with any TNF blocker. > > Is Remicade a TNF blocker? I'm supposed to start it soon and I cannot take MTX. The doctors have not said I must take it, so I don't think it's a " must " . > > Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2005 Report Share Posted August 23, 2005 Remicade is a TNF blocker and has been tested most extensively with Methotrexate. However people are increasingly using it with a different DMARD instead of Methotrexate. Perhaps Arava is the most common but Plaquenil and Asulfadine have also been used. Some people take it without a supplemental drug but many doctors feel that the supplemental drug makes Remicade more effective and delays the body's rejection of the Remicade as a foreign invader. God bless. ----- Original Message ----- From: Nina Rheumatoid Arthritis Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 6:00 AM Subject: Re: Abatacept Information ----- Original Message ----- From: dbargad@... > MTX must be used to lower our bodies hyperactive immune system, specifically those overactive white blood cells in conjunction with any TNF blocker. Is Remicade a TNF blocker? I'm supposed to start it soon and I cannot take MTX. The doctors have not said I must take it, so I don't think it's a "must". Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2005 Report Share Posted August 23, 2005 Yes Remicade is a TNF blocker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Imuran is another immunosupressant drug. MTX and others in the class. No one has montioned Cyclosporine which I was taking prior to taking remicade. There is that option as well. Apparently TNF blockers are more efficacious when accompanied by some form of immunosupressant therapy. Have a great day everyone, Deborah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 ----- Original Message ----- From: Sherrie > Hi Nina I am on remicade and I do not take MTX I am on plaquenil and imuran so you do not have to be on MTX to take renicade I have been on it for over 2 years now and it working for me good luck on it I wish you the best Thanks Sherrie! I have to wait until I get my compression fracture in my back operated on before I can try the Remicade, unfortunately. Have an appt. with a surgeon on Sept. 7 and I suspect he will do the surgery shortly thereafter. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 27, 2005 Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 ----- Original Message ----- From: dbargad@... > Imuran is another immunosupressant drug. MTX and others in the class. No one has montioned Cyclosporine which I was taking prior to taking remicade. There is that option as well. Apparently TNF blockers are more efficacious when accompanied by some form of immunosupressant therapy. Have a great day everyone, Deborah. According to this page, http://www.rheumatoidarthritis.realage.com/content.aspx/topic/28 Immunosuppressants Immunosuppressants are used only when other treatments are no longer effective. They have many negative side effects. Leflunomide (Arava) has fewer side effects because it acts on the immune system in a targeted way (Ruckemann et al. 1998, Sharp et al. 2000, Smolen and Emery 2000, Cohen et al. 2001). However, most of these drugs weaken the immune system and also may increase the risk of stomach and intestinal distress, anemia, blood problems, and some kinds of cancer. Examples of immunosuppressants include azathioprine (Imuran) and cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune). Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Nina I just want to wish you good luck on your surgery I will pray for you I go in for surgery tommrow on my knee Sherrie > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Sherrie > > > > Hi Nina I am on remicade and I do not take MTX I am on plaquenil and > imuran so you do not have to be on MTX to take renicade I have been > on it for over 2 years now and it working for me good luck on it I > wish you the best > > > Thanks Sherrie! I have to wait until I get my compression fracture in my back operated on before I can try the Remicade, unfortunately. Have an appt. with a surgeon on Sept. 7 and I suspect he will do the surgery shortly thereafter. > > Nina 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.