Wellness

[ID2]

My doctor told me to NEVER read whats online about prescibed meds. So I don't. I ask him,

[cherry]

@LilacTree   sometimes you just have to take a chance if you want to get better. Everyone doesn't react the same  way to meds

The best thing I did was go on metformin, then it turned on me, so the Dr  switched me to Januvia and I am heaps better

There is always going to be some reason, some people, don't like something

If you are happy with your Dr, talk to her, and let her know your fears, and then decide ,after she tells you why you need this.

You are self prescribing and that is never a good thing

[reiki604]

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@LilacTree wrote:

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@reiki604 wrote:

I'm surprised the MD offered you this drug given your aversion to taking biologics. This drug is a biologic. I would speak to the MD to see what the rationale is for ordering this.

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@reiki604 

This ia a new doc, she doesn’t know anything about my aversion to any meds.  

I will go to the appt., let her give me her plan, and then ask many questions.  She will then find out soon enough.  As you said I want to hear her rationale first. There might be something in my labs that she feels I need this strong a treatment for.  No matter what it is, it won’t be this med.

Thank you everyone!!

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Given your quite vocal aversion to biologics, I'm surprised you didn't discuss this with her during your first meeting. She has tried to make a plan given only partial information. A patient needs to be open and honest with their heathcare provider so they can work as a team. Otherwise it is simply a setup for failure and disappointment in the care you receive. If she had known your feeling she might have suggested another plan but instead you were less than honest so now she's the bad guy, recommending something you would never agree to.

[chiclets]

@reiki604 

I am in agreement. A new doctor needs to know the medical record/history of the person they are treating. An individual should be honest with the doctor concerning treatment. Questions and answers should be exchanged and communication is the key for all treatment. The patient and doctor need to feel comfortable with each other or both will be wondering about the other.

Lilac I wonder if the new doctor has your medical records. Maybe it might be a good thing if she had a transcript of some records so she could read them before your first visit. Lilac you have to do what is best for you and your doctor should be informed about your long history, it is all part of treatment.

Ugh, Ford memory lane, we were all concerned about you when you lived in the other place and were frightened about another tenant. Honestly it was easier then, but then again, we were all younger. The point being all these years later we all still care and only hope the best for you with your illness and finding a doctor and treatment you will have faith in.

[Trinity11]

I am seeing a lot of deja vu throughout this thread. For years now, @LilacTree you have had to suffer with pain from auto-immune illnesses and wanting to find something to better relieve your suffering. However, when any doctor suggests anything other than prednisone, you research and find a myriad of reasons to stay exactly on the same regime. Fact is, there probably won't be a med that you are comfortable taking except prednisone. For myself, that is interesting because prednisone is a dangerous drug and probably the cause of many of your complaints. However, you are familiar with it and are unwilling to change. Just look up prednisone and the list of side effects. If you hadn't been taking it for years now, would you start it now knowing how dangerous it could be and has been for you?

I am only pointing this out because this is a pattern for quite a long time in your threads. Personally, if I had no interest in any other drug besides prednisone, I would just tell my doctor that I won't take any of the new biologics and then I would live with the consequences. It would also save on doctor visits which can be stressful in and of themselves. And that is my answer to "What would you do?"

[tsavorite]

Perhaps it would have been best to tell this new doctor up front that you are not open to using certain medications....and then ask her what other ideas she may suggest instead?  From there if there is no other ideas/drugs that you wouldn't mind trying it is time to just settle on the medication you are presently taking and stop seeking new medications (unless or until) a totally new type of medication is approved or released.  

A very close friend of mine...her son has UC and he has been in a drug trail for the last several yrs.  I don't know the name but she told me it isn't a biologic drug...no infusions...he takes a pill.  And it has worked out so well for him....no flare ups at all since he began.  

Perhaps there is something like this going on for RA and you new doctor might know about it and you could look into that instead of this drug she is suggesting.  Also I understand your "fears/concerns" it makes sense to me as I seem to react to almost everything.  Maybe she doesn't realize you haven't taken some of the other biologics and jumped right to this one.  

Either way I would go to the appointment and talk to her about all of it....I sure hope there is a solution for you.  

[BirkiLady]

@Trinity11  You shed so much light on this question. I haven't been around long enough to know the background. Thanks for a great response which fills in the missing pieces of the puzzle which many of us may not know. 

[LilacTree]

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses, both pro and con. I plan to see this doctor and discuss my issues and listen to her treatment recommendations. I will come back to this thread after that and let you know the outcome.  You deserve that.  Until then, I won’t be revisiting this thread.  I appreciate you all for your time and concern.  You are amazing.

As always, Lilac Tree