Allergic to NSAID
i was diagnosed with RA this past spring. i have had allergy related breathing problems since childhood and have multiple allergies. i cannot take any aspirin or aspirin related drug, which pretty much means no NSAIDs. i have been taking methatrexate for 12 weeks now, and it seems that i get side effects now, but no real relief. Is there anything that i could use for the swelling and or pain that isn't related to aspirin?
Hi Joni, sorry to hear about your recent RA diagnosis. I encourage you to develop a good relationship with a rheumatologist, ask lots of questions, read all you can, and develop support systems (at home and online like this discussion forum). NSAIDS are commonly used to relieve pain from RA but they cannot be tolerated by many mostly due to stomach problems (as is my case). Methotrexate is a common first line treatment for RA called a disease modifier (DMARD). It acts by impacting the overactive immune system. Sometimes doctors will prescribe corticosteroids like prednisone or Medrol. These are powerful anti-inflammatories which can reduce swelling and pain. Biological treatments are commonly used if methotrexate does not help enough. You can read more about these at this website - https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/treatment/. I encourage you to speak to your rheumatologist about the options. Let him/her know that you're still dealing with pain and swelling.
AndrewHI Joni, like Andrew said I'm sorry to hear about your recent RA diagnosis. My son was diagnosed with JIA at the beginning of the year. Extremely frustrating for a lad that was defined by his involvement in sport. Simultaneous to his diagnosis a nutriceutical company asked me to take over the reigns. The main product they produce is a product that is used for the treatment of arthritis. Coincidence, I'm not sure but definitely odd. The rheumatologist wanted to treat him with a low dose of Methotrexate, but I wasnt comfortable with this treatment until I learned more. 8 Weeks to the day from when he went on my companies product, both knees changed dramatically. One of the compounds in our extract is a compound called artemisinin. It is used in most anti malarial treatments, and research shows that anti malarial treatments are also effective in the treatment of arthritis and other associated inflammatory diseases. Have a look at our website and have your medical practitioner read our info sheet, under the scientific resource tab of the website. http://arthrem.co.nz/ There is also a free calling help line number to ring from most countries around the world. For the record, my 12 year old son just played his 7th game of rugby and is showing absolutely no signs of Juvenile Arthritis. Good luck
Hi Joni - I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis and also that the methotrexate doesn't seem to be providing much relief. You may want to talk to your rheumatologist about the option of taking a biologic to control your RA. For me, methotrexate wasn't enough on its own to keep my RA under control - I ended up needing methotrexate and Enbrel. Perhaps these biologic medications would be an option that would work with your allergies. Worth asking your rheumatologist about, especially if you still need relief! Finding the right combination of medication can make a huge difference to your quality of life! Best of luck to you!
~Mariah~
