New drug

[Luludean]

I sm offfered Lefuonimide by nurse practitioners telephone appointmenr. Have face to face with nurse practitioner next month. Have bern told that if I do not wantcto start this drug I must cancel the appointment. Feels a bit like being coerced. My new condultant has written that my arthritis is osteo not RA. I tried 2 biologics, they made me ill. Been in nothing for 2 yeas.

I am also on Apixabsn, Digoxin snf Losartan for heart disrase and persistent AF.

of course I have looked at side effects and interactions , now even more anxious. Has any ine else had this problem to desl with?

[Happyrosie]

if your medical people haven’t given you enough information to make a decision then they should discuss it with you. You should not be given treatment you do not understand.

However, I’m assuming they have to order the medication in advance of your seeing the practitioner.

I strongly suggest that you discuss this with someone at the surgery, asking the receptionist if you have a pharmacist employed there (they should do)and getting a telephone appointment with that person.

[Luludean in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you Rosie , my lovely but elusive 2 day a week gp would not challenge a hospital rheumatology department. L

[Happyrosie in reply to Luludean]

I’m not suggesting you speak to a GP - they are generalists. It’s the pharmacist who is the expert.

[Luludean in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you Rosie.

[DorsetLady]

If your consultant thinks you have osteoarthritis feather than RA - then why is leflunomide being suggested - it’s not normally used in OA - see this from versusarthritis -

versusarthritis.org/about-a...

[Luludean in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you so much Dorsett lady. I had read that versus arthritis info , hence my increased anxiety.

[DorsetLady in reply to Luludean]

I think you need to be sure what you actually have… guess you’ve read VA site to know difference… if so, what do you think you have OA or RA?

[Luludean in reply to DorsetLady]

I have been under rheumatologyfir 5 years . 3 different consultants( rarely seen / covid etc) multi different diagnoses, so …… I can’t answer your question Dorsettv lady. Last letter from consultant said osteo, nurse practitioners say RA. ( they do not like being questionned).

[DorsetLady in reply to Luludean]

Consultant is (allegedly 😳) the expert- what are your symptoms?

[medway-lady]

Why prescibe a med used for RA if you don’t have RA? But LEF put me into remission for years. It was brilliant, best thing ever and no side effects. Sadly because of an unrelated AKI it had to be stopped. No biologic has worked as well with the AZA. I’d take LEF again for RA because it’s great.

[Luludean in reply to medway-lady]

Thanks for that positive feed back medway lady!