Hello
I am new here and well here is my story/complaints. My family physician noticed some swelling around my joints and did a blood test for ra factor which came back positive in 2012. Since then I asked to see a rheumatologist and was recommended to see Dr. Eugene Arthur in OKC. I get hand, wrist, shoulder, neck, knee, ankle, and hip pain and swelling. Although my hips havent been giving much problems as of late. I have been on sulfasalazine midrin before seeing my rheumy and after methotrexate bad reaction to it and midrin and arava. Tried humira and before seeing if it wasnt working or not his pa switched me to enbrel and that is what i have been on for at least a year and a half. Last month after seeing another pa of my rheumys i had a pretty bad flare and was prescribed mobic and now a month later and out of the mobic it seems like im having another flare in my knees and ankles instead of my shoulders and hands they hurt but its not as bad as my knees and ankles. If anyone has any ideas id welcome them. I guess im still a newb when it comes to ra been suffering from chronic migraines since 2003 so pain isnt a new lesson to learn how to deal with it. Its just that i have read that a person needs to be careful and ask the rheumy or doctor for help and still I have no idea of what to do or what to ask for help with. I am a 39 yr old male in sw oklahoma. So please any info and websites are welcome.
Hi Bummper. They have you on Mobic? Why? That is for pain. I guess it is a little bit of an anti-inflammatory, but I use Plaquenil. I'm not a doctor and it is none of my business, but that's never stopped me before. Ha!
It sounds like they may be treating symptoms (pain) instead of treating the disease if you are flaring enough to need that. Maybe they switched you from Humira to Enbrel because your insurance dictated that? There are other valid reasons to switch from or not try Humira. My doctor told my insurance company that I wasn't a good candidate for that med when it came back that it was their preferred treatment. If it was me, I would ask if they saw something in my bloodwork that sparked the change or was it insurance or is that just the drug they are more familiar with. You might be surprised to find out that it isn't about you AT ALL, which is a HUGE problem.
Is your SED rate elevated? What is it? If you are flaring, instead of Mobic, maybe it is time to explore different biologics. Your insurance may have dictated what order they had to be tried and for how long. The doctor's office may have to fill out paperwork for your insurance company to approve a more expensive med, so it was easier for them to just add Mobic.
I tried several biologics that my insurance company required documentation that they didn't work well before they would approve the next step. I ended up on Xeljanz and it seems to be working for me for the last 2 years. Of course, your doctor may have medical reasons that they aren't trying any other biologics. As far as break through pain for me, I can use OTC Aleve. My SED rate is in the low 30s and my RA is well controlled right now. I still feel it, but it doesn't stop me cold.
I don't think Mobic does as much to stop disease progression as a biologic. I tried 3 or 4 biologics before finding the right one for me, but my Rheumatologist is very proactive and listens to my feedback. I am very lucky.
If you find out answers to some of my questions I'll be happy to see if we can compare notes further.
Good luck and I hope you get to feeling better soon.
KT
