Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis Almost a Year Later

People ask me about my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Most days I smile and say something to make them feel better, because really that’s why they’re asking. I went from 60 to zero in a matter of days. I went from running, loping really, long distances to needing naps twice daily and being unable to uncurl my hands. I was fit and trim, and then inactivity and medicines left me bloated and queasy. The uncontrollable parts of it all makes me uncomfortable, and I sense it does the same for the people around me. …

60% Good News

This morning the news I got was 60% good. After posting about the problems with getting my prescription now that CVS Caremark is administering our prescription coverage I got some really great advice from my readers. I started with a very long phone call to my State Insurance Commissioner. During the phone call they detailed for me the process of filing a complaint, which begins with contacting the plan administrator. The plan administrator was extraordinarily kind. So much so that when I detailed the series of events I ended up …

How CVS Caremark Puts Patients at Great Risk

Last summer I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I went to see a rheumatologist after the pain in my hands became so unbearable that I was taking ambien and handfuls of Advil while attempting to uncurl my hands and sleep with them under my stomach. The Advil helped with a bit of the pain, the Ambien allowed me to sleep through worst of it. Sometimes. I was plagued with fatigue and felt depression moving in as my ability to function lessened. I guess what I’m saying is that RA wasn’t about me feeling achy. It was …

Simponi Injections

As we first discovered my Rheumatoid Arthritis (I say “we” because I have an amazing team of doctors) biologics were one of many treatment methods. I’m pretty sure that because of my age and their ability to arrest the disease the biologics were my physicians preference. I resisted and we tried Methotrexeate first, but it didn’t work well for me. One of the reasons I wanted to try the Methotrexate was because I was terrified of needles. One of my readers was kind enough to give me her phone number …