So many old timers (sorry if you're not old but an old timer anyway) on here seem to have had biologics fizzle out on them. Some, it seems, after only a few months of a certain biologic, and some seem to stay on the same biologic with good results for many years.
I've been wondering lately--since I'm sort of an anxious person--that maybe if I took an anxiety med there would be less chance of Enbrel losing its ability to fend off the psoriasis and Psa. We all know, or it seems a lot of us have this problem, when we get anxious or upset, our symptoms flare. Psoriasis, being so evident on the skin, so obviously flares when I'm nervous or angry or worried (even as I'm on Enbrel there are patches that won't go away and that seem to get worse when I'm upset).
So, wouldn't it make sense that the anxiety med would keep the stress levels down, which would prevent the bad flare ups and possibly assist the biologic in continuing to do its job?
Those of you who had a biologic fizzle out--do you remember having a lot of stress, or maybe an illness just prior to that?
Seems like a good idea, doesn’t it? But, in fact, anxiety medications have a very nasty side to them if they are used more than very short term – http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_long-term_benzodiazepine_use
Those aren’t problems that I want on top of my PsA! Recently, I’ve taken up some very simple guided meditation (LOL, I almost typed “medication”!) which I am finding is really helping my feelings of stress and anxiety.
I’ve read that the average useful lifespan for a biologic is about two years. With new biologics coming out every year, I doubt that I will run out of options before (as Sybil says) I pop my clogs.
Thanks, Seenie. Are benzodiazepines in most anxiety meds? I suppose. I'm so leery about pills Idk why the thought ever crossed my mind. I will need to look into mediTation haha......I'm just kind of lazy about doing new things. I should show that article to my kids--a couple of them take anxiety meds.
I thought about meditation for a long time but it all sounded so complicated, and I thought I’d probably have to find a group or a teacher or something. Then it occurred to me that there must be an app for that … and of course there was! The one that got the great reviews was “Stop, Breathe and Think”. I bought it (well, the basic app was free but I paid to have kd laing’s voice). Within minutes I was doing the guided relaxation and meditation. (I call it “mind control”, LOL) I really like it and it certainly has put me into a good frame of mind. At the moment the app is only available for Apple products, but there is a version coming out very soon for the rest of the world.
Seenie's so very right- anxiety meds like benzos (and certain sleep meds, and certain pain meds) can be pretty harmful if used for more than a couple of weeks. Benzos are especially easy to abuse and to overdose on. I took temazepam for sleep for 6 weeks a few years ago, and I lost a month. I had a hard time performing simple mental tasks and had insane panic attacks for several months after.
Mindfulness exercises have been shown to help reduce pain and perceived disease impact in people with PsA. It seems counterintuitive- why would I want to pay attention to my pain when I could distract myself- but being more aware of external surroundings and getting comfortable in one's skin can be very helpful. The kind of helpful that doesn't mess with memory, deplete natural calming neurotransmitters and interact with a bunch of other meds.
grandma j some of us who seem to blow through biologics quickly (about a year on average) use mtx to help the biologic work longer by suppressing the immune system. Remember PsA is an over active immune system so some of us make the biologics ineffective by building antibodies to the biologics. Only about 30% of PsA pts will do this. About 30% will find a biolgic that works for them and be on it for years. There is also a percentage who do not respond to biologics. The percentages are approximate as I don't remember that stuff well! Where is Lamb, he would know the percentages off the top of his head!
My tablet is acting up so I'm replying to everyone upside down haha!
It was a challenge for me to go on a biologic. I didn't want a suppressed immune system. Now I'm not too worried about that just being on Enbrel--except that practically everyone in the family is sick now and I keep feeling like I'm coming down with something and I hate that it makes me worried. So, for me to add mtx, which would really suppress my immune system--that just isn't a possibility for me. I have nodules on my lungs from past histoplasmosis. My daughter's friend's mom just died from histo a couple days ago. I know, I know.....fear the disease, not the meds! I'm already in the % of lucky ppl the biologic works for....half of those work a long time and half build up antibodies. I'm crossing my fingers I'm in the first half.....mtx has too many drawbacks for me. I've been having an awful week dodging sick ppl in our family--I'd be a hermit if my immune system was more suppressed!
Oh, Sybil, I know you wouldn't try to talk me into anything else! You know me well enough, and I think you feel the same as me about not wanting to take too may meds.
I think I mentioned a long time ago, also, that my dermy doesn't agree with using mtx alongside the biologic....but maybe she just said that to me because I had already told her I didn't want to take that, too. I always weigh the pros and cons and it takes a long time to make a decision when that scale is pretty even!
Sybil, You made me spit out my tea with that nappy comment! :) Sounds like me too!
sybil said:
I think I probably started worrying as soon as I was born: 'do these parents know what they're doing? Does my bum look big in this nappy?' Having a very real reason not to angst about everything has helped a bit in itself.
Seriously, I suspect that just acknowledging that stress plays a part in this disease is a good starting point for chilling out a bit more. I briefly took valium as a teenager and it was pretty disastrous really - it made me manic which I don't think is the idea. I prefer the option of dealing with stress at source or practising 'letting it go'.
Tangential thinking here: I want to ask you all what may seem like a stupid question...
Many of you have taken cortisone to knock back your symptoms. Is it possible that our own stress hormones do that? The reason I ask is that I had a rather stressful summer/early fall this year and paradoxically had less joint pain and swelling than I had for a while. Recently things got settled down and I was able to do more self care and give myself a day off here and there. Now all of a sudden thumbs and toes are misbehaving. Is this a coincidence or could there be a connection?
I've read a great deal about stress hormones and their calming counterparts- I haven't found much on how the stress cycle relates to autoimmunity. I know there is a lot of anecdotal information about stress causing a change in symptoms, but that doesn't tell more than most people already know- that generally a change in some part of a body's functioning cause other changes in functioning.
Has anyone else found info on how stress and autoimmunity are related?
That article gave me the willies, and I’m glad that I hardly every use them.