I’ve appreciated what I’ve read here both about fears of biologics, pain, and hearing loss. I’m dealing with all of these at the moment, but my story with PsA really began many years ago.
My first symptom was iritis in my late 20s. I then had decades of pain, often in my neck. My PCPs kept giving me arthritis panels which, of course, kept coming back negative. Since the md’s didn’t provide any pain relief, I overused Advil.
My first referral to a rheumatologist was in the 80s. He gave me a fibromyalgia diagnosis. Much later an alert PCP asked exactly where my low back pain was. When I pointed to the sacroiliac joint, she tested me for the HLA-B27 gene. I had it, so 37 years after the emergence of my first symptom I got my second referral to a rheumatologist.
Unfortunately, the first rheumatologist was unable to diagnose me in spite of severely swollen knees and elbows. Fortunately, the second one got it. She wanted to put me on biologics immediately but I was diagnosed that same month with breast cancer. I currently use injectable methotrexate, omeprazole, and celecoxib. While these have helped enormously, they are not enough.
I am now 5 years post cancer treatment and can consider biologics. The posts here helped me to decide to begin biologics, and I have an appointment with my rheumatologist later today to start the process.
Welcome! You sure have been through a lot… it always angers me to much to read people being sent home with “there’s nothing wrong” when obviously there’s a hell of a lot wrong…
Good luck with trying out the biologics! They work great for a lot of people! It might take some trial and error to find the one that works for you though…
How did the appointment with your reumatologist go?
I know the feeling. I had prostate cancer 2 years ago and just started Enbrel. Docs seem to think it shouldn’t be a problem with the previous cancer. I was tested for the IL-27 and was negative. Doc said it was only a test and really didn’t mean much. Check with cancer doc about bilologics and get their opinion. It may make you feel better about starting them.
@Cynthia, @Tamac, @GrandmaJ Thank you for your replies. My rheumatologist is moving ahead with the biologic. Paperwork started, TB test done, just waiting now for whatever the next step is. He’s proposed a 4 month trial. If it works, I’ll stay on it. If not, we’ll move on…
I am always amazed by how much we experiment with the body! I am hoping this experiment works. I would really like to be free of pain and fatigue! I hope that’s not unrealistic.