Is there a drug that is less expensive and can be used as a alternative to humira for rheumatoid arthritis?
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Generic Name: Adalimumab\nWARNING:\nThis medication can decrease your immune system's ability to fight infections. Though unlikely, this drug may slightly increase your risk of developing serious, possibly fatal, infections. This risk is higher if you are also taking other drugs to suppress the immune system such as cyclosporine.\n\nBefore starting this drug, you should take a tuberculosis (TB) skin test to check for a type of tuberculosis that may not be causing any symptoms (latent TB). If you are diagnosed with TB, you must first be treated for it before you start adalimumab to prevent a serious TB infection.\n\nOther CHEAP "drugs" Aspirin, Bayer, Celebrex, Prednisone
732834
Hi, there is 1, link below\n\nhttp://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/rahandout.htm
1067791
The only thing that's been able to help me after numerous drugs is an injectable drug called Enbrel. It actually eased the pain of RA. I have psoriatic arthritis which is a drop different because mine comes with a lovely rash. :-( But since they are in the same family, I suggest you asking your rheumatologist. The one major side effect of the drug is that it hurts you r immune system and you are very susceptible to every illness out there..viruses, the flu. The other thing I receive is cortisone injections in my knees. My knees were particularly bad, and the cortisone made me feel like a new woman. There are risks for that as well. Please talk with the doctor. There's no reason why you should live in pain.\n\nP.S. All of the anti-inflammatory drugs they'll try to give you for the pain won't work well, and will tear up your stomach.
606767
yes, and its a great alternative to todays medicines.\ngo to an herb store and ask about it. there willing to help in anyway. good luck
1023645
I work a lot with arthritis patients in the water.  Aquatics can relieve a lot of the pain as well as strengthen muscles to take the burden off the joints.  \n\nWhen  celebrex and vioxx was being taken off the market my students were worried.  One of the men brought in articles from the University of Michigan concerning their work with tart cherry juice and how it helps with gout and arthritis.  He had been drinking the juice and having good results.  Problem is that people get sick of the juice and it is high in natural sugar.  One of the ladies went on line and did some research and found CHERRYFLEX which is a capsule with cherry pulp in it.  Only 2 carbs a capsule I think.  You can check them out at CHERRYFLEX. com.  They will also gladly speak with you on the phone.  When my students were having good success with the product I decided to stop my Bextra and try it.  Because it is natural it takes at least a month to kick in.  I reduced my Bextra by half and took 1 capsule daily for 2 weeks and then stopped the Bextra completely.  I also take glucosamine, chondroitin & MSM combo.  All I can tell you is my knees are not perfect, but are better than they were on the drugs.  I do work out daily in the water and take the Cherryflex and above combo faithfully.  I can squat and do stairs better than I did 5 years ago.  Keep in mind that not everything works for everyone.  One of my ladies takes 3 Cherryflex a day, but that is what it takes to help her.  As with anything - check with your doctor before taking anything.  And if not in an exercise program - try water - it will make a HUGE difference in your life.   Good luck and feel better.
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I haven't any advice because I have the same problem. I search it but I have no idea what it is. I found these two sites maybe you will find something. My daughter has something similar. I think that she must do some blood check (ask for a RA test). It's for athritis. And see an other doctor and an other.. till you find what is happening (as I do).
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(m)\n\nMedication will help reduce pain and inflammation. Although medication can not "cure" your arthritis, it can help you lead an active life again. \nThese are some of the treatments you can try. Your doctor can advise you. You may need to experiment to see which suits you best. \n\nsimple painkillers, eg. paracetamol \nanti-inflammatory drugs eg. ibuprofen (Brufen or Nurofen) \ncreams and gels, useful for small joints like finger joints \nmassage \nwarmth \naromotherapy \nacupuncture \nwax baths \nsteroid injections \njoint replacement operations \nSome people need to have regular treatment. Others only need to have treatment during a flare up of arthritis. \n\nIf your joints are very painful and inflamed, you will need to rest. Medication will help reduce any pain and swelling. Paracetamol is helpful, and is safe for most people to take. However, if you suffer from other medical conditions, or if you take other medication, it is a good idea to ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.\nWarming your joints with a warm flannel, hot water bottle, or a warm shower can help with morning stiffness and improve mobility.\n\nAs soon as you can, you need to become mobile and active. Sitting or resting for long periods will make your joints stiff and your muscles weak. Gentle walks and stretching excercises can help. Swimming is an excellent sport, and can help you keep mobile without putting a stress on your joints.\n\nIf you are overweight, you should try very hard to lose weight. \n\nThere is no evidence that special diets are helpful, and you should have a healthy diet which includes fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and dairy products. Some people find taking cod liver oil helpful.\n\nYou may find getting out of a low seat is difficult, and many modern seats are too low and soft. You should choose a comfortably padded, upright chair, with a firm back and arm rests.\nIf you have arthritis of the knees, hips or ankles, wearing cushioned shoes can help. Look for good quality "trainers", or shoes with thick rubber soles. Choose shoes with a good grip, so that you feel secure while walking. If your walking is badly impaired by knee or hip arthritis, a walking stick or walking frame may be very helpful. \n\nIf you have disabling arthritis, there are many gadgets which can make life easier. This equipment can be found in large pharmacies, specialist shops, or from catalogues. An occupational therapist may be able to advise you. \n\nlong handled shoe horns \nspecial tools for putting on socks or stockings \nspecial grips for your keys \nadapted cutlery and beakers \nraised toilet seat \nhand rails in the bathroom or toilet \na special seat in the bath
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That may not be "too much" ibuprofen, but it is a high dose and does carry a small risk of kidney damage.  The ESR is a nonspecific test.  Lowering the ESR may not have any relationship at all to the extent of your symptoms as it is possible that it is unrelated to RA.  You did not state your age, and this is critical in connective tissue diseases as some (such as polymyalgia rheumatica) are associated with being over 50, and rarely occur in the 20's or 30's.  There are other choices of disease modifying drugs (DMDs) besides prednisone where the latter is felt to be of too great a risk. These include drugs such as methotrexate, gold compounds, chloroquine compounds, other immune suppressants and the more recent (and highly costly) biological agents.  All of these drugs (indeed all drugs used for anything) carry their own list of possible side effects.\n\nOther diseases like lupus, arteritis, mixed connective tissue disorder and even underlying chronic infections such as TB have to be excluded.  You need a definitive diagnosis, if possible, before embarking on a roadmap to getting better.  You could consider seeking out a board certified rheumatologist at a university affiliated medical center (i.e.,  someone who also teaches at medical school and does some research) for a second opinion.  Sometimes a definitive diagnosis can be elusive, but inmost of those cases, changes over time lead to a diagnosis being ascertained.
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honestly, there are a lot of things to take for pain. if it is something the doc perscribes but insurance wont pay, there are not to many medications that are cheap enough for a person to pay for. if u want to email me in two days i will have a list of cheaper meds for u. peanutbuttercup4386@yahoo.com
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Make sure to follow all of your doctor's directions for medication, etc.  It is a serious disease that causes continuing damage to your joints, which can only be prevented with prescription medication.\n\nThat aside, eating healthy and exercising is the next best thing - work with your doctor to find an exercise program you are comfortable with.  Water aerobics or swimming are great, and even just walking can make a big difference.\n\nVitamin supplements are unproven and generally don't have much effect.  There is very little evidence to support if any of these actually work.  But if you do want to try any of these, do it on top of your regular meds under the guidance of you doctor- don't take anything without consulting him first! They have lots more experience with this disease, and some supplements may actually react with some medications.\n\nNow you also need to deal with this mentally - the best way is to look to your family members for support.  But you can also go to http://www.arthritis.org and visit the RA connect section - they have a message board where you can get lots of emotional support from people who have gone through it too.\n\nGood luck with your treatment!
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This works but is expensive. If you order some, try half a pill.\nhttp://www.inhousepharmacy.com/general/modavigil.html
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I've been taking prednisone for quite a while for my rheumatoid arthritis.  It helps with the pain a lot, but after taking it for a period of time, you body may build an immunity to it.  Try taking aleve for a few weeks, then switch back to prednisone.  Aleves active ingredient is Naproxen.  It's an anti inflamatory that works well with any kind of joint or bone pain.  after that, switch back.  You won't want to increase your dose of prednisone without your doctors consent.  If I were you though, ask your doctor if there is anything else that you can take instead of prednisone.  As I said before, it works great for pain, but there are a lot of side affects that can be associated with it such as moonface, necrosis, and even diabetes.  \nP.S. Its not going to be easy to ween you off that stuff though.  You cant suddenly quit taking it.  If you do, you may experience flare ups with your pain.  Ask your doctor for information on how to get off it.
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I have arthritis and take Glucosamine and Chondroiton.(Sorry, I'm not sure of the spelling and spell check was no help.)  You can buy it at any pharmacy.\n\nIt lubricates you joints and they so much better in just a few days!\n\nI hope you feel better soon!
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Fibromyalgia is a soft tissue rheumatism problen.  It causes severe pain from the top of your head to your feet.  The arthritis foundation is realizing the severety and you can find much good\ninfo on this.  I have had it since 1985 and have suffered but\nI never gave up and tried anything and everything.  At this time I am taking rioboost and last week the Dr. said to go to corvalen.\ncom and use a product with ribose and mallic acid and magnesium.  I have not started this yet but will order it asap.\nI also have MG and arthritis so the money for OTC and prescriptiondrugs holds me back sometimes but I keep going.\nSometimes I have to choose which is the most important.,\nbut the pain of fibro rules most of the time.  I can't take steroids\nbut they will pull you out of pain fast while you research what will be best for you.  Good luck and God bless.
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Hi !!!\n\nI think below article will be of interest.\n\n"Just about anyone suffering from stiff and aching joints has wished for magical oil to make those bones move more smoothly. Some have even tried rubbing sore joints with motor oil or spraying them with WD-40.\n\nSmearing yourself with these messy metal lubricants won’t do a thing for your arthritis. But you may be surprised to learn that putting the right kind of oils inside your body could help with the aches and pains. \n\nOut of all the choices, four oils rise to the top. There’s strong evidence that fish oil supplements with omega-3 fatty acids can ease rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms, help prevent Raynaud’s syndrome spasms and possibly relieve some lupus symptoms. Both borage seed and evening primrose seed oils have been shown to ease RA inflammation, and flaxseed oil may be also helpful. Readily available, these oils appear not to have serious side effects when taken as directed."\n\nComplete article "Medical Oils"  on "Arthritis Foundation" can be found here >> http://www.arthritis.org/resources/arthritistoday/1999_archives/1999_07_08explorations.asp\n\n\n>>> Naveen Kumar
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You might want to check that out with your family doctor.  It is one of the more commonly used and powerful anti-inflammatories, but your doc may think others are more appropriate for you.  Use what your doc recommends.
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I tried REIKI. I went from wanting small doses of morphine to not needing anything at all. There are no guarantees with anything and don't EVER give up your regular treatments, but I don't thnk REIKI will hurt and its worth a try. I have inflamatory osteo arthritis and fibromyalgia.