Biologics for the treatment of RA (physician, symptoms, effects, medication)

[dizzybint]

My husband suffers from severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and the pills he s on arent helping after three months treatment, Im looking into these biologics and wonder if they d be saft to have with diabetes and anemia..

[Pikantari]

Obviously he will have to talk to his rheumatologist. I will say that sometimes, certain medications take longer than others. I think I remember you talking about your husband before.

There are several different kinds of pills prescribed for patients with RA and usually the physician likes to start from the drug with the least amount/risky side effects. They will start with NSAIDS, then to DMARDS, and then Biologics, if I recall correctly.

They will also prescribe more than one kind at a time, and for some people, drugs such as DMARDS will do the trick, for others, they will not.

I am on a combination of Methotrexate and Humira. I feel much better than if I were taking nothing and my dr has lessened the amount of MTX I am taking. My side effects are not as bad, but I do not feel as well. I have also been more active as of late.

I don't know which is the problem. I can't change the activity so she may have to increase the amount of drug.

Have your husband schedule a follow up appointment if he has not already and he should let the dr know how little/much the medication has helped his symptoms over the last three months.

It took me 4 months to feel a very noticeable change in my symptoms with the Humira, which is a biologic.

I wish the both of you the best of luck with this.

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by dizzybint

My husband suffers from severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and the pills he s on arent helping after three months treatment, Im looking into these biologics and wonder if they d be saft to have with diabetes and anemia..

Is he seeing a rheumatologist? Usually only a rheumatologist feels comfortable prescribing biologics. Yes, biologics can be taken with diabetes and anemia, they just have to be taken into consideration. I currently take Enbrel---a biologic---and also take Metformin, which helps control diabetes. Depending on how severe the anemia is, your dh might be prescribed Procrit, which stimulates bone marrow to produce more RBC.

If he's at the point of considering a biologic, he's in a severe state. Many people who progress to biiologics are not in the best of health otherwise, and that must be taken into consideration. I hate those Enbrel commercials that show people glowing with health----see, you can be like us if you take Enbrel! No, not quite. Concurrent conditions must also b considered.

[dizzybint]

Thank you both for two great answers and caring..

[Pikantari]

You are certainly welcome, dizzybint.