Early treatment, great chance into remission.

[Amy_Lee]

A very good article to read. I am glad that I got my treatment at the very early stage and I am in remission after 1 1/2 years treatment. I am basically back to normal now.

People without RF or ACPA — those who have so-called seronegative rheumatoid arthritis — have a greater chance of remission.

Medication Is Key to Achieving Remission

The most important factor in rheumatoid arthritis remission is early and aggressive treatment with medication that improves or alleviates symptoms and halts the progression of the disease, says Dr. Greer.

everydayhealth.com/rheumato...

[DRunnerchick]

Thank you for sharing this Amy. I'm so glad you are blessed with remission. I hope that will be me too in the future. Your picture looks great!

I'm still battling my way back. I had two small victories late November and early December by completing two different 5K races. The first one I actually ran a mile but walked the rest and walked all of the second race the following weekend. I took a step backwards right after those victories by having my second 'fall' in less than a year and have now been referred to two more specialists. Life marches on. I have seen some major improvements, just not enough--yet!

D

[Amy_Lee in reply to DRunnerchick]

Hi D, your time for remission will come. Give yourself sometimes to recover from it. The % of RA patients go into remission is very high with proper treatment. I seldom run at this moment because running is considered a high impact exercise, I am not sure if that is okay for me. However, I can run as I went back to badminton court few months ago. I just do not want to run to avoid any problem for myself.

Since you already can run 5 km, that means you are already in your very good journey of recovery. I am glad to know that really. It is just too painful before we reach this stage.

Yes, I went all the way down to the rocky site and I was one of the very daring people who went down there. Many other healthy friends during the trip dared not go down like I did. We, RA patients can do it better one day.

[Hidden]

Nice posting and nice photo Amy Lee! Congratulations on your progress. I am hoping that I am behind you too

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Caery, the rate into remission is very high in fact, so I believe you will if you get proper treatment. I know many RA patients who do not go into remission many because they skip the medication. I have some RA friends here do the same and they do that because of the side effects of the medication.

In fact, that is because they do not know enough the good and bad of the medication and be their own doctors. That is the worse thing can happen to us the RA patients. I am very sorry for them on that.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

Hi Amy Lee - Please do not take this the wrong way, but I AM on the correct treatment for me. I'm quite close to remission even at this point. Thank you

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Caery, no, I did not mean you skip your medication. I only expressed my feeling of what some RA patients here that I know do. Very sad indeed that I cannot convince them not to skip the medication.

It is great to know that you are on the right track to remission. After such a painful experience, we do look forward to be back to our normal life again. Let us continue to do the same and stay in remission forever.

[Hidden in reply to Amy_Lee]

Oh sorry - I thought you were telling me to give up the Minocycline :-). I've had that discussion with a few people, but I am so close, (even after just a year) to being in remission that I am excited. And I know several people thought I was mentally suspect about the infected molar and my RA, but for the last 24 hours, for the first time in 4 - 5 years, I have not needed or had any pain medication - either last night to sleep or yesterday or today during the day.

I still take Lunesta though for sleep - that may be my next goal - sleeping naturally.

I agree that people should probably not just walk away from their treatment protocols, whatever they have chosen. But I have known of a few that are trying diet and supplements only. I hope they will post their results here. Maybe I will start a post with that title to see how they are doing..

Have a great week!

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

I am glad that you are in a better position now, I believe you will soon in your remission.

Sleeping is a problem to me also. It was because of the great pain at the peak of my RA, it woke me up for months hence until now, I still wake up in the middle of the night though no more pain. My next target is to learn how to sleep again. Poor us really. I do not use any sleeping bill though.

[RA2016]

How do you know if you are in remission if you are taking meds? I am taking Arava and am relatively pain free. How do you know if you can go off meds?

[Amy_Lee in reply to RA2016]

My rheumy declared me in remission in August 2016. I was/am still taking mtx and arava. His decision based very much on my blood tests after many months and the physical examination on me.

He started to reduce my mtx in Aug 2016 from 20 mg to 15 mg. Now to 12.5 mg. It is a very dangerous decision to go drugs free remission hence I leave that to my rheumy because I trust him.

[RA2016]

Thank you for sharing.