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Health Issues

I have RA. sm - Lexi

Posted: Sep 20th, 2019 - 9:19 am In Reply to: I have been struggling with this for years. I wanted - to compare symptoms to

Methotrexate for RA is given at a much lower dose than when it is given as anti-cancer chemotherapy. I take the maximum, which is 25 mg/weekly. My side effects to it are limited to mostly fatigue, so I make sure to take it at about 3:00 in the afternoon, so I sleep through most of that. In most instances, you have to fail first-line therapy, which is usually some combination of prednisone, methotrexate and azulfidine or plaquenil, before insurances will approve use of biologics like Enbrel, Humira, etc.

I fought biologics for 6 years, even though first-line therapy was failing big-time, because of the possible side effects and the price.

My physician sent in the paperwork, and I was given a card through the manufacturer. My resulting copay for weekly Enbrel injections is $5/month.

Starting Enbrel, I was given back my life. My rheumatologist was right. I asked "Why did I NOT do this sooner?", but it took until one day when I was struggling to get up from weeding one of my flower gardens and I thought, "if this is what the rest of my life is going to be like, I'm ready for it to be done." Yikes! I called my doctor the next day and said, "I'm ready."

Brain fog/focus is awful, especially combined with the menopausal brain fog/focus. LOL

I don't want to scare you, but lupus also has many of the symptoms of RA, but low thyroid function can also make you feel like a wheelbarrow full of %*#!!

You should be tested because, at least where I am, rheumatologists are not easy to come by, and it may take a while to get in. Don't wait until you are in agony to make the decision to be seen and evaluated.

Good luck to you. There is life after an RA diagnosis. It can be tricky, and it is not fun at times, but there is life, good life. Untreated RA? Not so much.

Sending gentle hugs.

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