Hello Angela and WELCOME to NRAS!

I have sero positive disease, so different to you but I had, like you a rotten time on the drugs- severe reactions to a few- really nasty one to the RTX.

I have a friend with severe RA, his is sero negative, and he did well on the RTX- so you never can tell.

I took the Tocilizumab- it is a very different drug in the way it works to the others- on a different part of the inflammation chain, IL-6 I recall. There are a few people on here who have done well and tried it. There is a young woman at my hospital who is doing wonders on it-no adverse reactions at all. She has difficult to treat sero-negative disease. I had an allergic reaction to this one so couldnt have it.

My RA is now being treated on the new anti-tnf, Cimzia.

I am 34, married, 3 children and feeling very very well for the first time in YEARS and YEARS.

Other issues ongoing from a long time of decline, but there is hope, even for me and other "difficult" cases.

Jenni x

PS has the rheummy mentionned cyclosporin, it is a DMARD and often used to treat "reluctant to treat" RA.

Hi Angela, Sorry to hear that you are having such an awful time, but welcome to the forum.
Although I'm sero-positive, Enbrel also didn't do anything for me, before that I was on Humira which also didn't have any effect, I've had Rituximab almost 5 months ago and that also isn't working as well as its supposed to and I have to take 10 - 12 mg of steroids to stay mobile, given that if I had the chance I'd try the Tocilizumab.
However as Jennie has said different things work for different people, its just such a pain every time you change with a six month wait to see if it works.
I suppose the good news is there are other drugs out there which might work so we live in hope - well I do.
Best wishes
Sheila

Hello Angela, and a very warm welcome to the forum. I`m so sorry things have been so tough for you over the past few years.

I was diagnosed almost 5 years ago, and the first 18 months were the most miserable months of my life, trying - and failing - on various drugs and combinations of drugs, including sulphasalazine; MTX; cyclosporin and leflunomide. Finally I was assessed for anti-TNF therapy, and began to take humira. I`ve taken it for 3 years now, and it has made a consideable difference to my quality of life.

I hope they very soon find the right drug for you, and you beging to feel better.

Keep posting - you will find lots of support on here,

Kathleen x

Hi Angela

A warm welcome to the forum! Sorry to hear that you have so far not had much success with your treatment. As difficult as it is at times do try to stay positive there is always something different to try and with so many new drugs becoming available there is sure to be something that suits you. I too am sero-negative and this can make treating the RA very difficult. Whilst symptoms are the same as everyone elses our blood test results tend to be quite unreliable and do not always accurately reflect how we feel. This makes finding a treatment that will work quite hard, unfortunately.

My name is Lyn, married to Mike and have four offspring (22,17,17,15) all growing up quickly, as they do! We live in Thornton Cleveleys which is on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. I have had sero-negative RA for 22 years, run the gamut of medication and several surgical procedures. Currently on Enbrel (well I will be when I restart following surgery!), prednisolone, naproxen and right now any painkillers I can lay my mitts on ... I feel like a right junkie!!!

I'm pleased you have found the forum. As you will have realised there are lots of friendly folk and always someone about to chat with. Do keep posting, I look forward to getting to know you.

Lyn x