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• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 0-5 years >> Interview 20 >> Was alarmed at the change in an acquaintance who had been taking steroids, and relieved when her appearance later returned to normal.

Diagnosed September 2002 after few months of joint swelling/pain which was quite debilitating. Steroid injections helped and now pain and stiffness under control with Sulphasalazine (6 x 500mg/day) and Meloxicam (7.5mg/day). Life returned to fairly normal.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 21-25 years >> Interview 05 >> She tries to take the smallest dose of anti-inflammatories for fear of side effects although she hasn't experienced any.

RA diagnosed as significant symptoms after birth of 2nd child. Complementary treatments used. Takes Diclofenac 15mg & 2 Coproxamol daily. 10 operations: hips, knees & shoulder replacement/revision; neck, ankle & toe fusions, and removal of bone in 1 elbow.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 26 years plus >> Interview 17 >> Discovering a stomach ulcer.

Diagnosed 1970. After early years, had 15 yrs when relatively well on NSAIDs. Flared up 99/00. Methotrexate 25mg/wk, daily Rofecoxib 25mg, Tramadol 200mg, anti-depressants & HRT. Awaiting 1 hip & 2 elbow replacements, wrist & finger straightening surgery.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 16-20 years >> Interview 25 >> Thinks the benefit of a better quality of life from taking steroids daily outweigh the risks.

Juvenile chronic arthritis diagnosed '85, on steroids since. Hip replacements age 23 & 32, 2 knees together at 36 & wrist/hand ops. Currently Methotrexate, Prednisolone, Rofecoxib & Tramadol. Cinnarizine & Stemetil for side effects - balance loss & nausea.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 6-10 years >> Interview 26 >> Taking herbal remedies for stomach problems didn't seem to work but he had an MRI scan to assess the cause of his stomach bleeding.

Diagnosed '94 after flu like symptoms & joint problems for 6 weeks. Gold injections 50mg/week, slow release Voltarol 75mg/day, pain killers, Prozac 20mg/day (depression). Steroid injections when required. 3 bone removal operations from toes and ankle.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 11-15 years >> Interview 08 >> Describes ineffectiveness and side effects of anti-inflammatories including worrying chest pains from diclofenac.

Polyarthralgia 1983 & '90. RA diagnosed '91 after knee pain & general decrease in mobility. Side-effects from Gold injections & some NSAIDs; knee injections helped. Now Methotrexate10mg/wk (+folic acid) & Ibuprofen 1/day & pain killers. Sjogren's syndrome.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 21-25 years >> Interview 05 >> Experienced side effects of sickness and headaches from anti-inflammatory drug - Indocid.

RA diagnosed as significant symptoms after birth of 2nd child. Complementary treatments used. Takes Diclofenac 15mg & 2 Coproxamol daily. 10 operations: hips, knees & shoulder replacement/revision; neck, ankle & toe fusions, and removal of bone in 1 elbow.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 16-20 years >> Interview 25 >> Takes methotrexate at night, with an anti-nausea tablet to prevent nausea.

Juvenile chronic arthritis diagnosed '85, on steroids since. Hip replacements age 23 & 32, 2 knees together at 36 & wrist/hand ops. Currently Methotrexate, Prednisolone, Rofecoxib & Tramadol. Cinnarizine & Stemetil for side effects - balance loss & nausea.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 6-10 years >> Interview 30 >> A tip about eating before taking methotrexate helped him overcome the side effect of nausea.

Diagnosed '95 after severe ankle pain (maybe virus triggered). Subject in Anti-TNF trial. Pneumonia due to RA. Regular steroid injections prior to ankle fusion. Methotrexate/folic acid, Celebrex, Tramadol, Diazapan, Tomazapan, Prozac, Atenolol, Dothiepin.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 16-20 years >> Interview 14 >> Methotrexate caused uncomfortable mouth ulcers until she started taking folic acid as well.

Diagnosed '84 as sore fingers; main symptoms age 30+ & began DMARDs. Now Methotrexate 15mg/wk & daily folic acid, Meloxicam 15mg, Prednisolone 2.5mg, 6 Co-codamol & Lansoprazole. Operations; toe '90; wrist & finger fusions; 2 ankle replacements '01/03.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 6-10 years >> Interview 32 >> Better education is needed about the side effects of methotrexate and the reason for blood monitoring.

Diagnosed seronegative RA '97 but symptoms since '77 after flu-like virus. Took Opren but side-effects so chose homeopathy. Mid '90s significant disease progression & began DMARDS, but side-effects. Now 6 weekly Depomedrone injections (120mg), physio & hydrotherapy.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 0-5 years >> Interview 18 >> After increasing the dose of sulfasalazine he felt generally unwell, dizzy and 'as though he'd been drinking' [alcohol].

RA diagnosed October 2001 after reduction in mobility and general lethargy. Had side-effects from Sulfasalazine so is currently taking Methotrexate 10mg/wk +folic acid (2 tablets/week), Rofecoxib (NSAID) 25mg/day & Ramopril (blood pressure).

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 11-15 years >> Interview 08 >> Gold injections controlled the RA very effectively for several months before she experienced side effects.

Polyarthralgia 1983 & '90. RA diagnosed '91 after knee pain & general decrease in mobility. Side-effects from Gold injections & some NSAIDs; knee injections helped. Now Methotrexate10mg/wk (+folic acid) & Ibuprofen 1/day & pain killers. Sjogren's syndrome.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 11-15 years >> Interview 29 >> Penicillamine caused double vision, and not reporting it soon enough could have led to permanent damage.

RA diagnosed '90 & Juvenile RA age 8-11. Significant DMARD side-effects. Had breast cancer '98 & drugs also relieved RA. Methotrexate 15mg/week, folic acid 5mg 6/7 days, daily Diclofenac, Tamoxifen 20mg & Nibedipine 20mg. Paracetemol & Zantac as required.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 16-20 years >> Interview 14 >> Steroids made her gain weight.

Diagnosed '84 as sore fingers; main symptoms age 30+ & began DMARDs. Now Methotrexate 15mg/wk & daily folic acid, Meloxicam 15mg, Prednisolone 2.5mg, 6 Co-codamol & Lansoprazole. Operations; toe '90; wrist & finger fusions; 2 ankle replacements '01/03.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 26 years plus >> Interview 34 >> Taking steroids for 42 years made her skin thin and fragile.

Diagnosed 1957. Had one of the first knee replacements (R) in 1961 but restricted movement since. First left knee replacement lasted approx 30 years and revision 10 years. 8 toes removed. Has taken Prednisolone (5mg) for 41 years.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 16-20 years >> Interview 25 >> A bone scan identified early osteoporosis but now she takes calcium and her bone density has not changed for 2 years.

Juvenile chronic arthritis diagnosed '85, on steroids since. Hip replacements age 23 & 32, 2 knees together at 36 & wrist/hand ops. Currently Methotrexate, Prednisolone, Rofecoxib & Tramadol. Cinnarizine & Stemetil for side effects - balance loss & nausea.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 11-15 years >> Interview 02 >> Increased her steroids whilst on holiday to cope with the pain.

Polymyalgia/palindromic arthritis episodes '88-92, RA diagnosed '94 & OA. Daily Voltarol 75mg, Defalzacort 6mg, pain killers & Methotrexate 25mg/wk (folic acid 5/7 days). Some steroid pulses. 2 hips, 2 knees replaced due to OA & shoulder operation proposed.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 6-10 years >> Tara - Interview 53 >> She was 'amazed' to be given lots of information and advice about her anti-TNF medication. Says that she put her concerns about side effects of Humira

Following her diagnosis Tara was put on Methotrexate and this controlled her illness very well. She came off Methotrexate after deciding to have a second child. She describes her antenatal care as 'excellent' and felt safe and reassured. She is currently on anti-TNF treatment: Humira.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 16-20 years >> Melissa - Interview 50 >> She is more concern about the side effects of methotrexate than the anti-TNF drugs. Besides she will try anything to alleviate her condition.

Melissa was first diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and later with rheumatoid arthritis. She was on Methotrexate for about eight years. She has been on two Anti-TNF treatments: etanercepts (Enbrel) and adalimumab (Humira) and expects to be started on influximab soon.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 0-5 years >> Kate - Interview 52 >> Says that the benefits of her treatment outweigh any concerns she might have about side effects because she didn't have “much of a life anyway”.

None of her previous non-biologic treatments have worked long-term. Her condition deteriorated to such an extent that she was housebound and needed help with most things. Currently she is on Enbrel and Methotrexate and her condition is much improved.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 6-10 years >> Christine - Interview 64 >> Christine is convinced that the drug methrotrexate is responsible for her current breathing problems. Before taking it she never experienced shortness

On anti-TNF therapy; Cimzia and on medication for breathlessness. She attributes her breathing difficulties to another RA drug, methotrexate. Christinesays that living with RA is not her main health issue, but breathing problems do affect her physically and sometimes emotionally.

• Bones & joints >> Rheumatoid Arthritis >> Disease duration 21-25 years >> Interview 36 >> The RA got worse when she was a teenager. It affected her psychologically as well as physically and stopped her going to school.

Diagnosed 1979 as a young child. Currently on Methotrexate 10mg & folic acid, tramadol 100mg 2/day, solpadol 7/day. 2 hips and 2 knees replaced under spinal anaesthetic in succession over 2 years. Broken femur complication of last knee operation.