BMJ DMARD infographic

[Man_Oeuvre]

BMJ has published this succinct chart giving detailed information about Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs, and what to look out for in blood test results. I'm on MTX (5+years, LEF and HCQ (9 months), and finally down to low activity on DAS after side effects. But it took a while to convince my GP that if I am to self-manage my condition I need to see the detailed blood results. I think this chart might have helped. After all, self-management is a way of informing and supporting you to manage a long-term condition for yourself, but not by yourself. And blood monitoring is an element of that partnership.

[helixhelix]

Can only find it on twitter (which I won't subscribe to). Do you have a conventional link so we can read it?

I've always been lucky with my medical team, who believe in patient participation and shared decision making.

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

Here is a conventional link helixhelix as I don't tweet.

bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j32...

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - a nice straightforward summary...

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much, Suzannedale. It will be very helpful to understand and monitor our condition.

[Hidden]

Hello Man Oeuvre. I'm just curious, do you not have access to your blood work on line? I'm only asking because at my lab, I have my blood work done in the moning and 5 hours later I have my detailed results.

[Man_Oeuvre in reply to Hidden]

Not where I am in Scotland. Sounds an excellent scheme.

[Hidden in reply to Man_Oeuvre]

That's too bad. Strange how different labs operate eh?

[Amy_Lee in reply to Hidden]

We do not have it here but I request for it every time I visit my rheumy.

[kaypiercy]

Thank you for sharing this, it is very helpful, one reason of many I value this site is you can pick up so much useful knowledge and gain better understanding of RA.

thanks

Kay

[Hobbits]

Wow this is very informative. Thank you for posting!

[Hobbits]

Is there a chart like this for Biologics?

[Man_Oeuvre in reply to Hobbits]

I have not seen one, Hobbits, but will ask around. I suspect that the possible reactions to biologic drugs may be too complex for a straightforward chart like this. Maybe a PhD student of rheumatology or immunology could produce such a poster for a conference display....

[Lesley_1]

Thank you for posting this. I get copies of my blood tests and I have learnt a lot over the years but this will help me further. Many thanks