What does 'under control' mean to you?

caprica
caprica Member Posts: 195
edited 13. Apr 2010, 16:49 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hey guys,
I'm waiting to start my meds and my doctors keep saying 'when the medication works your symptoms will be under control' (they are optimists it seems, I am the ultimate pessimist lol)
I don't know what they mean, probably different for each person eh?

What happens when (if) your RA is under control??

Comments

  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    i would take it to mean no more flares but what do i know
    val
  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It's easy to make statments such as that when it's not you that has the problem, take it as it comes and don't be worried about saying what you feel, it's your illness, that said my own experience with OA I would say it never really is, rather that hostilities have been suspended for the time being.
  • trisher
    trisher Member Posts: 9,263
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    H

    At the moment I'm not under control so have had a lot od pain, everywhere where arthur is also swelling to go down and feeling better than you have been feeling as well.

    Sleeping better than I am as I wake up a lot with the pain, plus less flaring.

    Trish xxx
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I think, at the moment, I do not feel as if I am in control of my illness. Sometimes you think you are, you have taken your meds for some time, for me that is from 2007. I don't work, but when I was at work, I couldn't control the illness, so finished work.
    Then come the side affects and you have to learn to live with them.
    It can all become a bit of a mine field until you get it all sorted.
    I have to ask myself. What would I be like if I wasn't on these drugs.
    I can now manage my pain - it will never go away completely
    Like today, suddenly Arthur decided to put his teeth into my fingers and toes. I actually screamed out it was so sudden. Then I start stiffening up if I stay in one position longer than 10 minutes.
    I was sleeping better - that's one good thing apart I am now getting bad headaches again, which are there most of the time. CTScan says there is nothing to worry about.

    You're lucky if you are one of those who can carry on regardless. I have found my art has helped me. I can go and get lost with my painting and listening to music helps.

    I missed out last weeks MTX because I was experiencing headaches, one of the side effects of MTX and many of the other drugs I am on. Because I missed that week, I am now beginning to experience very sore extremeties again.

    Another way to know that your illness is under control will be the blood tests results. If they show an increased inflammation level then your disease is not under control, and that's me.

    Joy
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Caprica,

    You know I asked the Rumo cus mine never has been under control. He said it should mean if the balance is right the inflammation recedes and the tiredness is not as bad nor the general run down feeling. He went on to explain with less inflammation erosion is held back and so your joints don't get eaten.

    He sort of lost me cus i just drift off sometimes when I feel over load is reached :wink: But lets hope you soon find out what it really means and for me too actually. Hey we might be less tired and its got to be good to just have it on a leash even if only for a bit eh? ((( ))) Cris xx
  • annie_mial
    annie_mial Member Posts: 5,614
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's pretty much what I was told, Cris, and I've reached that point once or twice only to slip back again.

    I could do with having the 'less tired' bit around more often!

    Annie
  • ritwren
    ritwren Member Posts: 928
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It's interesting this thread because my bloods this week are perfectly normal. My PA is under control. The stiffness is there especially 1st thing in the morning but also if I sit for longer than 10-15mins. I'm tired all the time.
    But I also have OA and the pain is with me every single day. Most days I cope well and try to pace myself so I can do at least some of the things I must. I'm awake and up any time after 4am with backpain and the neck pain I've been getting more of lately means I'm getting a migraine every couple of days. :roll:
    Having said all that, I'm so much better than I was before I started taking the methotrexate 6 months ago.
    rita
  • wibberley
    wibberley Member Posts: 421
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My rheumy asks me to rate out of 10, how I'm feeling and also how long it takes for any morning stiffness to wear off.

    I'd imagine if I answered those questions fairly negatively, it would mean that my RA isn't under control.......I think?!

    Lois x
  • Starburst
    Starburst Member Posts: 2,546
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I often wonder this too. My rheumy seems to think I shouldn't be in much pain at all but I don't know how realistic this is. I'm expecting to always have some level of pain. For me, under control would be not negatively affecting my quality of life.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Very good question,
    To me my R.A under control means I do not have massive debilitating flares anymore.I seem to be on a level.Some joints hurt a little more on some days-today my shoulder aches- and I have pain in my foot and hip replacement on other days.
    I still walk/waddle and dont feel brilliant nor move fluently like I used to but I do not cry myself to sleep,struggle to move the bedclothes and cry our in pain getting about.
    So it is still bad but not as bad if you know what I mean!
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • caprica
    caprica Member Posts: 195
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Wow, thanks for the interesting replies! Maybe it means getting the symptoms to a level so you can get on with things and not have it be at the forefront.

    Mine's so brand new (almost 5 months) so not sure if my 'normal' pattern now is how it will be for a while or if it's still developing. But at this point control to me would mean being able to walk for 1-2 hours without my foot hurting and if/when my fingers swell for it to be much less balloon-like and for much shorter periods of time. Maybe that will happen in a few months...fingers crossed.
  • bubbles
    bubbles Member Posts: 6,508
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Capricia
    My Cardiac Consultant uses the term quite a lot. I take to mean that things are well medicated, therefore giving you the best chance to steadily get on with life. I dont take it as a cure, as that is not a choice and things could go wrong again - just a treatment regime that is doing the best it can in the circumstances. I do have arthur too, which we are still getting to grips with, again, it is trying to keep things under control, which is not always easy and can take a fair bit of trial and error to find the optimum treatment for a person. We are all individuals and respond in different ways to treatment, with arthur there are so many side channels that can affect you.
    That's just my take on it. Take lots of care xxxx Bubbles.
    XX Aidan (still known as Bubbles).
  • dopeykit
    dopeykit Member Posts: 107
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    For me 'under control' means not getting worse, being more stable and the pain/discomfort no longer being there all the time - more niggly than full blown 'ow' if that makes sense.

    kit
    www.cookingwitharthur.com
    Healthy, tasty recipes for living well with arthritis
  • cthornley
    cthornley Member Posts: 627
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have been at a point where I felt my RA was 'under control' and at that point i decided to come off and have a baby (doh!!!) now i'm heading back there but still not in that place.

    For me under control means being able to cope with everyday life, no major flares, pain more from overdoing it rather than just generally, much less fatigue (again usually from overdoing it) and little inflammation

    Its not gone but its not stopping me from doing stuff if that makes sense.

    It took me a long time to get a balance of meds which put me in this position and now i'm getting the balance right again but I know it could be a long road, at least this time i know how to get there better

    Chrissie