Problems with Medication

Colin1

Over the years I have gone through most medications for RA and PA, suffering some really bad side effects with some of them. This along with the long term use of steroids has often made me quite ill, I have felt at times that the effects of the meds are worse than the disease. What are your thoughts. And for those of you like Elizabeth with young kids how do you cope.
I have to say i'm on a good run now with rituximab but having problems with other meds.
Colin

frogmorton

Interesting discussion Colin

I think that when the disease is doing it's worst...l will try anything, but between times it can feel a bit like that can't it at times??

You take one thing to 'prevent' this side effect then in order to take another you have to take another. Some tablets raise your BP so you have to take something else :roll: ( things like lanzoprazole to take NSAIDs for me)

Overall unless it causes me tooooo much trouble l put up and shut up as me Mum would have said

Glad your current regime is working for you

Love

Toni xx

dreamdaisy

It's not an easy trade-off, is it? Are any side effects worth the improvement (however small) in the arthritis? I am lucky in that I have (so far, touch wood) escaped the worst kinds of effects, the lef gave me blinding headaches and didn't touch the PsA so I came off that, the cyclosporin made me hairy - :shock: - which didn't bother me as it didn't hurt but that didn't touch the arthritis either. The humira has raised my BP so more meds for that, and the sulph has led to the development of tinnitus, but again as neither hurt I can manage with 'em. It's another tightrope, isn't it? One man's intolerable is another's minor nuisance. DD

stickywicket

I think you have a good point there, Colin, about the side effects of the meds sometimes seeming worse than the disease they're meant to treat. This is why I'm fanatical about keeping meds to a minimum. I had a one scary episode with a med, others scared the docs more than me and I particularly hated the anti-inflammatory, now withdrawn, which resulted in fiendishly itchy, blistery spots. I could only achieve any sleep at all with my arm in a bowl of cold water. The only long lasting damage I have is what many years of anti-inflammatories did to my stomach before the protectors arrived.

However, in a bad flare, it's any port in a storm. We do what we have to do and take what we have to take to get through to the other side of it.

Young children? I found it very tough but I also found reserves of strength I wouldn't have been desperate enough to tap if I hadn't had them to think of.

tjt6768

must admit my worst side effect has been the stomach trouble. I was on a very high dose of dihydrocidiene for many years, I'm certain that all that could not have done my stomach any good. I constantly had diahorrea or constipation. It was one extreme to another. Diapation I used to call it. Lol
It really wasn't fun but then again neither was the pain.
Good topic mate

bubbadog

Hi Simon, I have gone through some awful side effects in the past! Sickness and tiredness to even worse ones than that and I woun't put on here because it will send you green! But it is a case of trial and error to get the best suited med for you. I hope you find something soon that suits you.

bounce

Hi all,

I have a query about my medication and cause and effects. I am on 20mcg butrans patches, 4.000mg paracetamol and on amitriptyline daily, but I have had to go through bloodtests as I have been so knackered and sleepy during the day, and the bloodtest revealed anaemia and short on folic acid, im wondering if its due to the medication I take or even my age,( well in may I am half a century old)

does anybody else have problems with anaemia or low folic acid, as I asked the doc and all he says is im not sure,

Anybody with any ideas???? as I never had those problems until 6 months into the higher medication.

just very curious now.

Thanks in advance for any help