The Gifts RA Has Given Me

I know that it sounds odd to talk about a chronic, painful disease giving gifts.  The truth is, that RA has brought a few blessings along w/the endless doctors appointments and medications.

Let's face it.  RA slows us down.......a lot!  In my pre-RA life, I was always rushing here and there.  My mind was full of what I had yet to do.  I wasn't even thinking about what I was currently doing.

RA has changed that.  I can't move quickly anymore, and therein lies the blessing.  I notice people and I notice and appreciate nature a lot more now.

When I go to the store, I take the time to talk to people, or offer a smile.  It is my small way of trying to make the world a better place one person at a time.

I had coffee on the porch this morning.  It is a beautiful morning.  The grass is wet with dew.  The sunshine on the blades of grass makes the lawn appear almost magical.

My bunny friend, Heather was there again this morning.  She was having her breakfast of broad leaf grennery and waiting for her dessert.  As I threw out her pieces of carrots, I had to smile to myself.  Thank you, RA, for this gift. 

Don't Be Afraid To Try Another Biologic

It has been a years since my last post.  During that time, I have switched from Humira to Orenica with wonderful results.

Humira stopped working for me after four months.  Humira is an anti-TNF, and there are many biologics in that class of drugs.

My RD decided to move me up to Orencia, a different type of biologic that targets your body's T cells.  I was lucky.  I had positive results within a month. 

While the co-pays for biologics can be daunting, there are co-pay programs available from the manufacturers of this class of drugs.  Many people can qualify for co-pay assistance.

My co-pay for Orencia is $5.00 a month.  I am sharing this information with you so that you know how many options are available to those of us who need a biologic to control our RA.

If you are currently on a biologic medicine that is not helping you, please talk to your rheumatologist about your medication options.  Biologics do generally take up to three months to show much improvement.  I was one of the lucky ones who reacted positively to Orencia almost immediately.  The important thing to remember is that there are many options available to RA patients now.  Don't be afraid to look for the one that will work well for you.  It may just give you your life back!