besides treating your symptoms, the meds can prevent permanent damage to your joints. I was diagnosed 30 yrs ago at 23! I wish I had taken meds other than steroids sooner. I have so much joint damage now!

I totally understand where you are coming from. I have tried some treatments, like Humaria and the relief I got was not worth the potential side effects. Methrotrexate is the only medication I have taken continuously. The side effects of it arent bad. The one thing I did not know when I was first diagnosed is RA is about a lot more then just swollen joints, pain and discomfort. It can affect your lungs and your heart. It is important to keep in under control for the whole picture not just the swollen joints. Just something to nkeep in mind.

Kimmy- I felt the same way! I couldn't afford the drugs when I first started, and was afraid of them too! I went without for about 7 years.. The Tylenol and Ibuprofen also ,have side effects! Bad kidneys, liver damage- If you have a magnifying glass next mtome you go to the store, read them... I found a doctor who prescribed the Microdose Cortisone program, I took 8 months of classes to learn how to self-medicate.. suddenly, I had a slight remission! after about 5 years on the program, I started to develop deformities... My bicep started to hang around my elbow,, I started to get strange "nodules" on my elbows, My knees would fill up with fluid and I had to have them drained.. Eventually my rifgt hand got so bad I had to have surgery... I didn't think I was any worse off than some of the "girls" on Remicaide (one of the strongest and also a real kidney-killer!) They seemed to experience more pain than I did! When I hqad to have hand surgery, I decided that If I wanted hip replacements, foot surgery, knee replacements, elbow surgery and back surgery, I'd better do more than just Cortisone...

I'm with you. I'm someone who would never even take ibuprofen or Tylenol for a headache. When I was first diagnosed 5 years ago I was able to use just enbrel to control my disease. I was completely happy with that. After having my second child 15 months ago I've been in what I term as a "perma flare." I hate taking all these medications methotrexate, prednisone, enbrel, ibuprofen and Vicodin. But I hate this disease more and I'm determined to fight it unfortanetly with the help of the meds. 😊

RuthMills, when I see my rheumy in June, I am also seeing a hematologist there. I saw one here, and he said that the treatment for low white count could make me sicker. ??? My rheumy's concern is because my WBC was low before I was started on Methotrexate. It actually came up from 2.4 to 3.2 after starting methotrexate and folic acid. She increased the folic acid and cut my methotrexate dose until I see the hematologist.
I still play golf, and I am pretty good. I am a 7 handicap. Golf is very important to me. My husband loves playing with me, because we are pretty close in handicap. There is a state sponsored bunch of tournaments in WV that are open to men and women. We play different tees, but I love competitive golf.