SERONEGATIVE AND DMARDS...DO THEY WORK?

[janitae]

I was diagnosed almost a year ago and have been on plaquinel, sulphasalazine and mtx since. In the big scheme of things I have gotten off fairly lightly with just hands, feet, wrists and elbows affected. I feel the drugs may be stopping things from really progressing but not really helping if that makes sense. I still have pain which varies from nuisance value to keeping me awake and hobbling around like an old lady and was put onto injectable mtx but am now back on oral with arava added after having a big flair the day of my last appt. I am seronegative and are there many others out there like me who dont seem to be having that elusive remission?? I had a big meltdown in the nurses off last appt, like I said the pain is not unbearable but fairly relentless and just wears me out. I am a very active 48yo who breeds horses and is a part time police officer (go to work for a rest lol) and it has impacted on my ability to do stuff outside to a level I dont like at all.

I am on 6 weekly rheumy appts still and 3 weekly bloods and wonder what will be next drug wise for me. I have been on the arava now for three weeks but also had a prednisilone injection last appt and although I am better I am still sore. I am anticipating they will leave me on the arava for at least another 3 months to see if it works but wonder what will be next.

Are there others out there in the same boat as me?

Love this forum thank you everyone

[hawker955]

I am seronegative but but the biological treatment Humira worked fantastically well for me and has done so for eight years now! The drug attacks the inflammatory process, regardless of the cause I think.

HTH?

[janitae in reply to hawker955]

I think I will have to jump through a few more hoops before they out me on biologicals but I live in hope! Thanks for your reply 🙂

[hawker955 in reply to janitae]

If you can jump through hoops maybe they will think that you don't need them?!

[janitae in reply to hawker955]

Lol haha true.... Fall helplessly then 😂😂😂

[Simba1992]

Hello janitae,

Sorry to hear about your frustrating situation. I have followed this forum for about two years and have noticed that there has been quite many seronegatives with the same experience of dmards as you have had and that the situation has only gotten better after biologics have been started. This has been of special interest to me since I am also seronegative. I have chosen a treatment without RA meds that has been working so far and also trying to to find out eventual underlying deficiencies that can be corrected. I have found that, like so many other RA sufferers (30%) that I have had an undiagnosed hypothyroidism and a progesterone-estrogen imbalance, with an overload of estrogen, probably all my life. Both of these conditions lead to chronic low level inflammation with many symptoms similar to RA. Supplementation with vit.s and minerals that are often depleated in chronic inflammation has also been an important cornerstone in my treatment. I hope you will find a solution soon.

[Nettac]

Hey up

I'm seronegative and pretty muchas you describe. Better thaniI was, but not great. Actually just had another flare despite steroid IM. Just being referred back to osteo and also a gastro specialist.

Only tried sulfasalazine and leflunomide so far.

Boring isnt it!

[janitae in reply to Nettac]

lol just bit over it all, come nightime I feel like I have been run over by a bus. Compared to others my symptoms are mild but still enough to wear you out. Good luck hopefully the pair of us can get some relief sometime soon....

[Hidden]

I was seronegative for over 20 years, successfully treated with Leflunomide and MTX. I'm now seropositive and still on the same drugs. But as I now have Vasculitis, I also have Rituximab.