My RA

By Sarah junaid

1 min read

I have been diagnosed with RA since 2015 I just had swelling on the fingers and morning stiffness in the hands, other than that I had no symptoms.

The doc took blood tests and it came positive for RA, so I started taking Plaquenil for a month and I felt normal.

Experiencing RA symptoms after pregnancy

I have been living a normal life since then and I didn’t take any medication for the last 5 years cuz I wasn’t aware of the medication. So I was feeling fine and didn’t go back to the doctor.

So now I had my second baby delivered and after 2 months of postpartum, I had pain in my ankles and toes.

I started jumping jacks and the pain started. I went again to the doc and he states Plaquenil and told me not to stop that ever again.

Unsure whether to treat or not

But I’m confused cuz I have been feeling fine and I had no issues - why he states using the medication?

Do I really have to take it?

Nobody has the answer so I'm confused about what to do.

It’s just that my ankle and toe hurt and that’s mild pain. Still, I’m on the medicine. It’s been 3 months since I’m on Plaquenil. The pain in the ankle comes and goes. I don’t know what to do now.

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RHall Community Admin
Hi <inline-mention username="Sarah junaid" user-id="4495292"/> - we can't provide medical advice to you over the internet for your safety. Ultimately what you choose is up to you. But I completely understand your predicament. And reading between the lines, I sense a lot of hesitancy on your part to take the Plaquenil. One of writers shared his experience and decision-making process to stop taking Plaquenil. (<a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/stopping-plaquenil' target='_blank'>https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/stopping-plaquenil</a>). Everyone's medical history is different - so this was a decision that he decided was right for him based on communication with his doctor. But the article can provide another perspective and also highlight another decision-making process. I hope that helps! - Reggie, <a href='https://rheumatoidarthritis.net' target='_blank'>RheumatoidArthritis.net</a> Team Member
Richard Faust Community Admin
Hi <inline-mention username="Sarah junaid" user-id="4495292"/>. Your confusion and trepidation over RA treatment is certainly understandable. As Reggie said, every person's treatment decision is individual and personal. All kinds of variables go into the decision on treatment; such as disease severity, potential future damage, overall health/other medical considerations, potential medication side effects ... just to name a few. I want to share with you this article from our contributor Tamara describing her decision to be on medication: <a href="https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/decide-start-medications" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/decide-start-medications</a>. In addition, in this article our contributor Michael weighs the balance of what he refers to as the risk to risk ratio: <a href="https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/the-risk-to-risk-ratio" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/the-risk-to-risk-ratio</a>, Your doctor should be able to further discuss the nature of your particular condition and help you make an informed decision. This article on potential questions for the doctor may also be helpful: <a href="https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/questions-for-the-doctor" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/questions-for-the-doctor</a>. Wishing you the best and please feel free, if you like, to keep us posted on how things are going. Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)