RA Relief

[jsgulchman]

Hello all,  I am new to this site and discovered it by browsing.  I have severe rheumatoid arthritis and have tried several different drugs looking for relief.  Methotrexate, Humira, Embrel and prednisone seem to be the most popular on the market.  Humira and Embrel are both very expensive and my Part D does not cover them.  Methotrexate has caused me severe body rash.  Looks like large patches of redness on all parts; legs, feet, arms, face and back.  A friend of mine said I should try Norco 10.   He gave me a pill and I tried it to see if I could get some relief.  Boy did I.  After several years of RA torment, I found a drug that would stop the swelling, reduce my pain by almost 100% and increase my energy level by another 75%.  Unbelievable.  I only take one pill per day.  In the afternoon before lunch and it seems to keep me free of pain all day long.  WOW!   Why don't the RA doctors know about this drug and if they do, why do they not recommend it to RA patients?   I feel no danger as I only take one pill a day.  Does anyone offer any ideas on this?   Thanks

[el_em_en_oh]

You should post this question in the Pain Management-Forum (http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Pain-Management/show/53?camp=msc)

There are a TON of folks over there that have RA and chronic-pain of all different types, and they can give you good advice and guide you in the right direction as far as treatment is concerned.

Sad_Woman said it right, though... talk to your doctor about this. No one in this forum, nor the Pain Management forum, are doctors, and only YOUR doctor can tell you/advise you correctly.

Good luck brother!

LMNO

[Sad_Woman]

You really should talk to your doctor about this. I'm sure doctors prescribe narcs all the time for your condition but please please be careful. I have a degenerative back condition as well as osteoarthritis and all I can say is careful what you wish for.. I did get prescribed opiates for pain relief and at first I was like you - wow! this is amazing!! What a God send!! Then months later I found myself addicted. By the time I realized my problem I was in too deep. Since then it's been a struggle to get off the opiate train. I cannot describe the hell opiates have caused in my life. If I had known then what I know now about them I'd have gladly just put up with minimal pain relief then deal with the hellish pain of addiction. Even if you don't get "addicted" per se, you WILL end up dependant on the drug. The end result is similar - life revolving around a pill bottle and getting very sick if you run out.

Opiates may be great at killing pain but the problem is no matter what, eventually you'll need more and more of the drug to get the same relief. And God forbid you get addicted - you'll need it just to function at the most basic level. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Sorry I don't mean to be preachy, I just don't think after all I've been through that narcotics ahould ever be used on long term conditions. A few weeks for a broken arm? sure. But using it for the long term often results in disaster. No one can say who will become "addicted" and in my own opinion, it's not something I'd roll the dice on. If I were you I'd think long and hard about going the opiate route. Your one a day won't cut it anymore one day and you'll need more..it's the nature of the beast with those things. Please talk to your doctor and explore other non narcotic options for your RA. Again, I don't mean to sound preachy just after all I've been through with the opiates, if I could go back in time I would have RUN when offered opiates for my pain. I'm sure most of the others here who got hooked on them would say the same thing..