After reading many post here about suppressed immunities, it has made me wonder. Which one of these drugs is worst for your immunity?
The whole problem with autoimmune arthritis is an overactive immune system. We WANT it suppressed to reduce the damage. It has the side effect of reducing our ability to fight off infection some, but it is either that or damage from disease.
So ALL the drugs are "bad" if you think suppressed immunity of any kind is bad. But that's what we need to stop the disease from wrecking us.
Actually the worst is prednisone, followed by MTX (but there are few if any studies to support a low dose increase) and last is the Biologics which studies have shown to have no HIGHER incidence of serious infections than without, but do have a problem with several types of existing infections or particular exposures. The risk is so low however of others as to be "not significant"
I agree........prednisone has the bad side affects....But if you have your throat closing up on you, asthma, cannot breath....you will take it, hepatitis?..i think they treat it with predn?
enbrel, longest track record, came about 1998, 1999
I truly believe, fear the disease, not the meds
I used to go downtwon to the granddaddy of all rheummies, he's gone now
but right next to him, is the Rehab institude, where you see paralyzed ppl coming out on stretchers, stroke, whatever disease...and i think, there is always someone worse off
and i have retired my Scooter store scooter for now, it's for museum trips with the grandkids