54 year old female
I am a 54 year old female who was diagnosed with RA in August of 2014. I just simply woke up one morning and felt like I had been hit by a truck. My entire body hurt and my hands were swollen which was very unusual for me. Went to my primary doctor who did x-rays and ran blood tests. Within two weeks I was seeing a rheumatologist. He did more blood tests and diagnosed me with RA. I started on methotrexate along with prednisone. Have been on and off prednisone several times in the last two years. When the methotrexate stopped working I went to Enbrel which didn't help and then to Humira adding Leflunomide as well. At the end of 2015 the Humira didn't seem to be working anymore so my RA decided to have me try Orencia injections. Also increased the Leflunomide from 10 mg. to 20 mg. Have also tried plaquenil and sulfasalazine but suffered terrible side effects so had to discontinue. Since my diagnosis, my hands, hips and knees have been my main areas of pain but a couple of months ago my feet suddenly starting hurting to the point that I can barely walk some days. I can easily feel myself slipping into a depression. It is just so frustrating not to be able to just get up and do the things that you use to do in a normal day. I have just recently stopped the Orencia and will be starting on Actemra. Has anyone else had good luck with this medication? I am so hoping that this medication is going to be the one to give me the relief I have been hoping for. I was one of those people that when someone mentioned that they had arthritis I just thought it was a few mild aches that you got from aging. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that it could be so painful and debilitating. I now have tremendous empathy for people living with this disease.
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