Q: With taking injections of methotrexate and Humira, along with naproxen and folic acid, I have had very little joint pain, swelling or morning stiffness for at least three months. Does that mean my RA and psoriatic arthritis are in remission, and can I stop medication, or at least the injections temporarily?
A: You may well be in remission, but you should not stop medication by injection. The combination of an immunosuppressant (methotrexate) and a biologic agent (Humira) can result in a near-complete cessation of symptoms in a high percentage of people. Your excellent response with very little pain in the joints and no morning stiffness or swelling for the past three months could be classified as a “clinical” remission.
But without the injections, the diseases most likely will come back within four to eight weeks as strongly as before you started taking those medications. Most important, if the disease becomes more active, you will have an increased risk of damage to the joints. I certainly understand your desire to stop medication or use less, but you must balance it with the need to keep the RA and psoriatic arthritis under control, in order to halt the progression of your diseases.
Once a clinical remission is achieved, we attempt to lower the amount of medications while maintaining the remission. I recommend you talk to your rheumatologist about first reducing your dose of naproxen, which is an NSAID. People in clinical remission usually can discontinue their NSAID; because it does not halt the progression of RA or psoriatic arthritis, stopping it does not increase the risk for disease-related damage. Once the NSAID is discontinued, sometimes the methotrexate dose can be lowered next, but this is an individual decision to be made with your rheumatologist. Rarely can a person stop a biologic agent and maintain a clinical remission.
Paul Howard, MD, Rheumatologist
I often tried to extended the time between the shots, like once a week and I will slowly increased to every 2 wks. The longest was up to almost 8 weeks (1-2 yrs ago)and the symptom came back. Recently the same redness swelling happened again. I stopped the Humira(Shots have to stop when there's infection.) My family doc prescribed me antibiotic Rx & cream. It took 3 tries of 10 days, 10 days & 15 days to calm the inflammation down. I haven't gone back to the shots since then. Today is the 10th weeks. I still get morning stiffness as usual on my hands when I got up and with some hand stretch, I am OK. Last blood test was OK, red blood cell a bit low. I have anemia all my life and tried to donate blood years ago and got rejected. Dr. prescribed Iron pills, didn't help.
Right after I was diagnosed, I found a wonderful TaiChi master and have been practice since '95. I do about 2 hrs.in the morning and night time 2 hrs in school most of the week. It has helped me tremendously. I try to eat healthy and light, sleep well at night (afternoon nap is wonderful) and stay stress free. Nothing could be worse than the pain I have suffered before. So there is nothing can stress me now a day. I will keep my fingers crossed and counting the days!
It was 73 and it has jumped up in the last few months. I had been on Metho but was told to stop it as I broke out in a rash on my legs.
I am now with a new Rheumy and he wants to start me on Orencia infusion (Biologic).
I am allergic to soooo many medications, and this Rheumy told me this is the way to go as it is a 1/2 hr infusion.
I am worried about this, as the side effects might be devestating to me. Sore throat, flu like symptons, swelling where the injection (IV) goes...etc. I am a singer and cannot afford to lose my voice.
Has anyone had exprience with this???
Stopped eating gluten Nov. 2007 and eliminated nightshades completely in July 2009. Began Humira injections January 2009 when PsA flared up again after stopping other meds. Have taken Humira shots only ever since with remission of both arthritis and psoriasis. Stopped shots for two months Oct/Nov 2010 and symptoms returned so I am back on Humira again since December.
So far no side effects.
My VA Rheumatologist told me to stop taking Methotrexate in 8/2008, after taking it for 5 years, as a result of being diagnosted with Kidney Cancer, and I now don't take any medication for my arthritis. As a result I have put myself on the "No Nightshades Diet" written by Norman Childers, this being "no tomatoes, no potatoes, no peppers, & no eggplant" in my diet. If I CHEET on the diet I will have a bad flare-up within 4-days. I have been on this diet for 2.5 years, and I feel I am in remission.
Jim
After I found out I was pregnant in February 2009 I stopped taking Enbrel and have been in remission ever since. It has been almost 2 years and I have not taken any kind of medication.
Does anyone know if I should continue not taking medication as long as I feel fine or is my RA worsening without me knowing it? I really do not want to get back on the medication but I also don’t want my RA to come back worse than ever. Has anyone experienced long period of remission without medication?
Fast forward to December, I have not had any problems in months. No joint stiffness, no fatigue. I have not been taking the Plaquinel he prescribed but I have been taking Lysine (an amino acid). I had one incidence of neck pain again after I got a stomach virus and did not take my Lysine for 2 days. Once I started taking the Lysine, my neck pain subsided.
I thought that RA was a progressive disease and that it gets worse with time. My condition (whatever it was, or may be), seemed to improve with time. I don't know what to think. I go back for a follow-up in a couple of weeks. I'm interested to see what he says.
Sarah
thanks Betty
I feel great.Can you get to the place when you can stop taking humira,injection?Are there any cases when people have stopped everything and stayed in remission?
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