Medication or Non-Medication
I have been struggling in my head as to whether I should just give up the fight and go on prescription drugs for the pain. So many of them have side effects which have kept me from doing it, but the pain is just unbearable at times. I am 53 and often wonder what I will be like in another 10 years. I do make topical cream from Marijuana that I put on my feet (they feel like broken bones when you walk on them) I guess I do get some relief but not as much as I like. Can some of you tell me your experiences with prescription drugs and does it really helps. I was on steroids for my IBS and those worked great, too bad you can't stay on them forever. Never felt so good. Pain-Free.
I'm 52 and have been on methotrexate, plaquenil, sulfasalazine, prednisone, Otezla, and am now on a Humira biosimilar. I am getting some relief - I believe we will never be pain free but the main goal is to prevent...no, slow....the damage from PsA down. My current drug is reducing my pain and seems to be letting me sleep better, which helps. It's still up to me to eat healthy and move - the drugs are a tool. Yes, they have side effects but not treating PsA has "side effects" too. FWIW, I haven't had any problematic side effects from any of those but the Otezla (nasty GI issues and headaches for the whole 3 months - but everyone is different).
Yeah I think the preventing more damage is on my mind. With going through PsA and Menopause, it is so overwhelming. I am also on Sulfasalazine. I was diagnosed when I was 19 with Ulcerative Colitis and have been on Sulfasalazine since then.
Hi
. I wish you were not in so much pain. Prescription pain relievers will provide temporary relief, but they will not slow the progression of your PsA and you risk addiction, especially if you have never tried them before. Have you tried other PsA medications, such as biologics? Sulfasalazine is among the first medications doctors try because it is relatively inexpensive and many insurance companies require that you try it and methotrexate first, but there are so many other options. My brother experiences debilitating pain and fatigue when he is off medication, but he has complete relief on biologics. They do not help everyone. He is very fortunate. Here is an article that describes various PsA treatments:https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/treatment. You can click on links within the article for more information. Thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)
is methotrexate a biologic? If so, that is what I am trying to avoid. When my doctor wanted to put me on this (chemo drug) I was very hesitant. I do take Sulfasalazine for my colitis and didn't really know that it helps with PsA. I may have to research that more. thank you
Hi
. Methotrexate is an old chemo drug that is now used for PsA. It is a traditional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD), which is the same category as Sulfasalazine. Biologics are DMARDs made from living cells. They mimic certain functions in human genes or cells, altering the immune system's response. Here is an article about all the different PsA medications that explains the differences better than I can. I hope this helps. - Lori (Team Member)
