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I know exactly what you are going through. I am 58 and have had severe RA for 19 months now. What An_246765 says makes a good deal of sense. I would add the following. The first year will be hard and confusing. Once your doctor gets you reasonably stable things will improve. I suggest that you TAKE CONTROL of your RA by changing your diet, taking your meds, researching your condition, take up meditation and your must do regular exercise. I would replace wax treatments with a goos pair of gloves.
I have been through all the conventional drugs and they all have negative impacts. I am now on Humira and Avara and am now much happier although flares do happen. Looking back over 19 months I would say that the medications are key and so is exercise. Diet change helps to minimise negative drug impacts and meditation helps with pain control. I have been on Oxycontin for pain all this time and am now trying to get off it.
Feel free to contact me if you need. Yours from Sydney Australia, Mike
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1- how to replace Prednisolone with a substitute less harmful drug?
2 - how to break the 4.5 mg barrier
Prednisolone and its friend Prednisone is an awful drug with very nasty long term side effects. Thanks, MikeView Thread

Yes, lost my job. I am fairly serious re my RA. Without drugs I am not able to walk more than a few steps so I have no intention of stopping my drugs. Yes, the drugs are heavy and dangerous but what choice do I have. A shorter better quality of life is better than a longer more painful one. I life in Sydney Australia and we are in winter here. The cold really brings on pain. Next year we will probably winter in a warmer part of Australia.
SureHope, great links - thank you. I will look at these progressively.
Sjogens is were your eye and mouth start to dry. It can get worse. Look it up on WebMD.com .
All the best to you both. MikeView Thread

Perhaps read a useful book called Conquering Arthritis by Barbara Allan to investigate your diet. Otherwise try these ideas. Cheers, Mike
Did you know that the internet provides opportunities to:
Ø List your drugs and determine drug-to-drug interactions (http://www.mediguard.org and http://www.nps.org )
Ø Read the latest published medical articles on a particular condition or drug protocol (http://www.intelihealth.com , http://www.thelancet.com/ , http://www.biomedcentral.com/ and (http://www.uptodate.com )
Ø Consult with a doctor via the internet for a second opinion (http://eclevelandclinic.org/myConsultHome.jsp )
Ø Join in discussion with others suffering from a similar condition (http://www.patientslikeme.com and http://e-patients.net/ )
Ø Understand you blood results (http://www.labtestsonline.org.au )
Ø Map the likely progression of a condition over time and assess its severity (http://www.curetogether.com/ )
Ø Understand how your body works (http://www.visiblebody.com/ )
Specialised sites for particular conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (http://rawarrior.com , http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/default2.htm and www.bjcconnectedcare.com ) or for cancer (http://acor.org/ )
Ø Overall health references and data (http://www.webmd.com/ )
Ø Participatory Medicine is a cooperative model of health care that encourages and expects active involvement by all connected parties (patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, etc.) as integral to the full continuum of care." (http://participatorymedicine.org/ ) .
Ø www.arthritistoday.org/
Ø www.myrafitkit.com/
Ø http://www.arthritistoday.org/daily-living/do-it-easier/index.php
iPad and iPhone Tools
App Store. Find these by typing the title in the search window.
Ø Living Medical Textbook -Rheumatoid Rrthritis, latest scientific research
Ø WebMD, a health and fitness application
Ø NPS MedicineWise, keeping track of drugs, times and dosage
Ø Monitoring your chronic pain via Chronica for the iPad (http://www.chronica.biz/ )
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Failing to leap out of bed in a fresh and energetic manner
Having to reduce my cycling from 80 kms a day to 3 km a day
Difficulty in predicting my health status a day ahead
Being unable to guarantee turning up at a dinner party
Being hit with fatigue at any tick of the clock
Occasionally going to a dark depressive hole
Love-making can be almost impossible without careful planning, nothing carefree there
Constantly taking tablets
Seeing how hard it all is on my wife
Brain fog and rotating pains reduce a good day
The loss of what was!
Mike
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I too try and fight back with:
- internet research
- useful web tools
- major diet changes along the lines you outlined
- meditation for pain. Really works well for 50%
- exercise every second day
- work with my local RA society
- lost my job but now enjoy doing charity work part-time just to keep engaged.
I have a great rheumatologist and was stable until three weeks ago for a few months. I am now in trouble again and have developed Sjogen's Syndrome. Pain in the ass! Big challenge is to get stable so that I can capture the day and rip in to life. MikeView Thread

You are in difficulties and so sorry to read this. I am older - 58 - but have had exactly the same RA including the knee bit - my right one. I have severe full body RA and was diagnosed 16 months ago. Medications include Embrel, Prednisone, Arava and Oxycontin. The other drugs failed to work. Up until Embrel I was in severe pain every day. There is a strong link between pain and depression so REALLY watch this.
Yes, there will be a day when things get better. Hang in there as it may take up to 12 months. I am still not pain free but things are much better. I have pain most days but it is generally mild to moderate. Make sure you get a good GP to put you on a pain management routine. This is vital to keep depression away and to make your life more functional.
I do have good days and so will you. Things do get better and you are not alone. Try joining a support group of fellow RA people. I have found that taking a little control helps. Educate yourself about RA via the web; take up an anti inflammation diet; learn meditation; exercise as best you can; seek out your friends. Make sure you have an rheumatologist NOT just a GP.
Very happy to chat to you further, if needed. I have had to stop work but am enjoying the change . Things will improve. Take car. MikeView Thread
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