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1. 

   CommunityMember264 Member

   <p>How many different meds do I have to try until I find one that works for me!</p>

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   1. 

      chrisb Member

      <p><inline-mention username="CommunityMember264" user-id="3201986"/> Hi. I completely understand where you are coming from. I have been on five different meds so far and trying my sixth. Hang in there! </p>

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   2. 

      Richard Faust Community Admin

      <p>Hi <inline-mention username="CommunityMember264" user-id="3201986"/>. As <inline-mention username="Lori Foster" user-id="4585696"/> noted, the trial and error aspect of finding an effective RA medication is one of the more frustrating things for many in the community. The potential good news is that precision or personalized medicine where tests can determine the most effective treatment for an individual is getting closer. This research article discusses the prospects holding that &quot;these insights provide exciting opportunities to translate discoveries into precision medicine in RA. The present review aims to highlight novel insights into RA pathology and discuss key steps needed to translate these discoveries into actionable changes in clinical practice:&quot; <a href='https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521694222000018' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521694222000018</a>. I know that this doesn&#39;t solve your immediate problem, but wanted to let you know there is hope. In addition, I can tell you that my wife, Kelly Mack (a contributor here), was diagnosed at two over 40 years ago. Just a few years ago she started a new treatment that brought her inflammation numbers into the normal range for the first time. The treatment is an interleuken-6 (IL-6) modulator. Recent research has found that IL-6 is a primary driver of inflammation in juvenile cases - the hope of the precision medicine is real. Wishing you the best. Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)</p>

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2. 

   chrisb Member

   <p>How long do you have to try a medication before you give up and change meds? My fingers have been going nuts in a major flare and I am on a new medication that was not my doctors first choice, but the insurance companies next on formulary. I don’t want to loose too much ground with this flare up. </p>

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   1. 

      Richard Faust Community Admin

      <p>Hi <inline-mention username="chrisb" user-id="3142887"/>. This is a great, but difficult question. Each medication has a time that patients usually begin to feel some relief, but it can vary quite a bit by individual. Usually, if you do a search on the name of the medication &quot;how long to work&quot; you can find the general timeframe. In addition, there is the insurance coverage issue. Some coverage requires an individual to try a drug for a certain amount of time before switching. You would have to check with your company to see if this applies to you. Hoping you start feeling some relief soon and don&#39;t have to worry about switching again. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)</p>

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3. 

   GmaDawn Member

   <p>I&#39;m in pain and moving gets harder everyday and I can&#39;t get anything started as far as getting diagnosed from my Dr</p>

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   1. 

      chrisb Member

      <p><inline-mention username="GmaDawn" user-id="3159341"/> If the problem is not knowing what to say. Start with your top 5-10 questions about your current condition. (Mine were - Number -1 should be your pain level -2 why do I have swelling in my (xyz) - 3 why is this happening to me -4 what can be done. 5 where do we start for treatment.) And it doesn’t always start with medication it depends on You situation. <br/>Mine was physically therapy. <br/>If you aren’t sure what they should be there are pleases here on the RA network that can help. If the problem is your doctor it’s time to change doctors or at the very least go see a rheumatologist. A lot of insurance company’s don’t require a referral to do this.<br/><br/><br/>Look for one recommend by your insurance, hospital near you, or google you phone book for doctors recommend in your neighborhood. The RA folk should be able to help you as well. It’s a scary slope but you won’t get relief if you don’t make the next step. <br/>Hope this helps. You can always google the doctor so see how many locations they have, how many complains and reviews. Why schools the went to and what was their major. How long they have been practicing and more about them with just a name. Just keep being you own advocate an push for answers. <br/><br/><br/>Good luck, keep one dar at a time. <br/><br/></p>

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   2. 

      Richard Faust Community Admin

      <p>Hi <inline-mention username="GmaDawn" user-id="3159341"/>. Sorry you are having these diagnostic issues. To follow up on what <inline-mention username="chrisb" user-id="3142887"/> said, are you seeing a rheumatologist? If not or if you feel like you need to find a new doctor, this page from the Arthritis Foundation can help locate a doctor: <a href='https://www.arthritis.org/find-a-doctor' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://www.arthritis.org/find-a-doctor</a>. In addition, this article from our editorial team gives an overview of the diagnostic process: <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diagnosis' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/diagnosis</a>. Hoping you get some answers and relief soon. Please feel free to keep us posted on how you are doing. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)</p>

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4. 

   chrisb Member

   <p>Chrisb</p>

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5. 

   fordownr Member

   <p>How do you explain you limitations to your employer?</p>

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   1. 

      Richard Faust Community Admin

      <p>Hi <inline-mention username="fordownr" user-id="3225631"/>. This is a great, but difficult question. I suspect what to say to an employer depends on the type of work, whether you are looking for any sort of accommodation, what you know about the atmosphere/attitude of the company towards disability issues, etc... I want to share with you this article which compiled thoughts from the community on strategies for work: <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/workplace-adjustments' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/workplace-adjustments</a>. In addition, this podcast has six people with chronic conditions discussing how it impacts their work: <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/work-chronic-condition' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/work-chronic-condition</a>. It includes contributor to this site, Kelly Mack (full disclosure - I&#39;m her husband). Is there a specific workplace issue you are looking to bring up? Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)</p>

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