Deciding if you should take drugs and if so…deciding which rheumatoid arthritis medication is right for you, can be overwhelming. With more choices than ever out there, how do you know which drug or combination of drugs is best for you? Let’s go over some of your options.
There are 5 main categories of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis:
· Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
· Analgesic Drugs
· Glucocorticoids or Prednisone
· Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)
· Biologic Response Modifiers (BMRs)
Okay, so now you know the types of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but what do they do? I talked about NSAIDs and Analgesic drugs in my prior thread, let’s review the pros and cons of the last 3 types.
Glucocorticoids or Prednisone
These drugs are part of the steroid family. They may relieve your pain from rheumatoid arthritis, and they may even slow joint damage. But, these drugs also have some strong side effects. It is like being under extreme stress constantly. As you can imagine, it’s really important to take the lowest dose possible to treat your disease. The most common side effects people experience when taking these drugs are weight gain, anxiety, irritability and mood swings. In the long term they lower your immune system and make you more likely to get other diseases.
DMARDs
DMARDs treat not only your symptoms from rheumatoid arthritis, but they can also help slow down joint damage and stop more damage from occurring. These drugs work very slowly and it will take a few months before you see any results. Don’t be surprised if your doctor wants you to take other drugs at the same time he or she prescribes a DMARD. You may see the best results when we combine these drugs with other types of drugs. DMARDs can slow the immune system, so you will need to keep an eye out for any signs of infection, like a fever. And…keep your exposure to the sun very low. You don’t want to end up with skin cancer.
Biological Response Modifiers
Biological Response Modifiers, or BRMs, are used if you have severe rheumatoid arthritis. Something in your immune system, called a cytokine, is one of the causes of your rheumatoid arthritis. BRMs go in and stop cytokines, which helps your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and reduces your swelling. One of the best things about BRMs is they work right away, so you may notice a change immediately. Some of the downsides to taking a BRM is they are more expensive than other drugs and they have to be injected into your body – they don’t exist in pill form yet. But, their list of side effects is very short. The only side effect most patients experience is a headache. Here’s the big challenge. Like DMARDs, BRMs affect your immune system, you will need to watch out for any signs of infection, like a fever and again, watch out for the sun.
Steps to Improve Your Health
Dr. Steven Dell
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