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Suffering From Rheumatoid Arthritis. Having Pain And Swelling In Joints. How To Get Rid From This?

Posted on Sun, 4 Nov 2012

Question: My wife is suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis since 3 years. she is having pain in joints with swelling in specially joints of hands and legs. This time the problem is controlled by medicines by a specialist of this type of illness.Doctor has given medicines for very longtime and problem is only controlled by medicines.how much time it will take, it is not known to doctors. This time medicine given by a specialist are continued for 4 months are ACENT-P ( 3 tablet a day), PRAZODON-DSR ( 2 tab a day),HQTOR (2 tab a day) , POLITROL-CTZ ( 2 tab a day) . I want to know about the maximum period of the treatement of this type of arthritis and precautions / suggestions to get rid off from the such long treatement. ANTI CCP RA TEST RESULT ON DATED 9-6-12 WAS 46.3 U/ML AND NOW ON 11-9-12 IT WAS CAME 10.3 U/ML. WILL THE ILLNESS BE CURED AND END OF TAKING THE MEDIICINES OR THE TREATEMENT WILL CONTINUE FOR WHOL LIFE AS MY DOCTOR HAS INTIMATED THAT IT WILL GO FOR LONGLIFE PERIOD. KINDLY SUGGEST ME FOR THIS TO GET RID OFF FROM THE ILLNESS.

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (1 hour later)

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

Before answering your query, I would like to tell you about nature of the disease so that you can better understand the disease.

It is an autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue and is also a long-term disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues.

Yes as your doctor has said, it requires lifelong treatment in form of medication (like anti-inflammatory drugs, Disease modifying antirheumatoid drugs and biological), physical therapy, exercise and possibly surgery.

Early, aggressive treatment for RA can delay joint destruction.

So your wife needs your support, life style modification, education about the disease, regular exercise, and physical therapy to fight the disease better.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you have any more concerns.

Wishing you good health.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Saurabh Gupta (9 hours later)

kindly let me know about genuineness of the medicines being given by my doctor as i have mentioned and at present the condition of the patient as per reports of different dates as mentioned by me. kindly also suggest me about the drinking and eating things which helpfull in this desease and further precautions to be taken in this regard and to avoid which items/ things in this case.

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (10 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query again.

Your doctor had started-
* Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAIDS)- Acent-P to reduce the inflammation and pain control.
*Disease modifying anti rheumatic drug(DMARD)- Hydrochloroquin(HQTOR)- to control disease activity.
*Prazodon( antaacid) & Politrol-CTZ (calcium& vit D3)- To combact the effect of these drugs.

So these drugs are genuine.

Anti ccp level decreased in three month duration indicating remission period of disease.

Take diet XXXXXXX in Omega 3 fatty acid , complex carbohydrate, Vit-D &calcium,fruits and vegetables.
Take low fat diet.
Drink ample of water.
Watch your weight.
Exercise regularly.
Have a positive attitude.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you have any more concerns.

Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.

Wishing you good health.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saurabh Gupta (13 hours later)

VERY VERY THANDKS TO YOU FOR YOUR VALUABLE ADVICE. YOUR ARE ACTUALLY GENIOUS AS I AM VERY SATISFIED FROM YOUR KIND BEST ANSWER/ADVICE. I WILL BE FURTHER THANKFUL TO YOU IF YOU FAVOUR ME TO ADVICE ME FOR BEST PLACE/HOSPITAL AND BEST DOCTOR IF ANY IN YOUR BEST KNOWLEGE/EXPERIENCE FOR THIS TYPE OF TREATEMENT . FURTHER KINDLY ADVICE ME SOME THING MORE AS IN MY RECENT VISIT TO MY RHEUMATOLOLIST DOCTOR GOT AGAIN TEST REPORTS OF MY WIFE REGARDING ESR ,CRP AND RA TEST ON 13-10-12 . IN THIS TEST IN BRIEF IS ESR = 20 MM /1HR, HAEMOGLOBIN= 11.4 GM% AND CRP(QUANTATIVE)= 0.49 MG/DL AND BLOOD RA = NEGATIVE .
AFTER THIS REPORT THE DOCTOR HAS STOPPED THE MEDICINES ACENT-p AND POLITROL-CTZ. NOW SEING THIS REPORT THE DOCTOR HAS CONTINUED HQTOR (2 TAB IN A DAY) AND PRAZODON-DSR ( 2 TAB IN A DAY) ONLY IN THE PRESCRIPTION FOR NEXT ONE MONTH PERIOD AND ALSO ADVICED FOR TAKING MILK, CALCIUM ITEMS AND SUN BATH ETC.
KINDLY ADVICE ME WHTHER THIS STEP OF THE DOCTOR IS IN RIGHT DIRECTION AFTER THE REPORTS CAME ON 13-10-12 AS TREATEMENT BEFORE THIS WAS RIGHT IN RESPECT OF THE CONTROL OF DESEASE OF MY WIFE AND KNOW IT IS REDUCED. FURTHER ADVICE ME REGARDING ANY POSSIBILITY AND TIME PERIOD TO GET RID OFF/ FULLY CURE FROM THIS TYPE OF DESEASE AFTER PROPER TREATEMENT AS MY PRESENT DOCTOR HAS SUSPECTED THAT MY WIFES DESEASE IS FULLY CURABLE AFTER SOME TIME. FOR PROPER TREATMENT THE PLACE/HOSPITAL AND DOCTOR MAY BE SUGGESTED FROM YOUR KIND VALUABLE LONG EXPERIENCE.

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (21 hours later)

Hello,

Thanks for following up.

It is good to see that value of ESR and CRP has reduced & RA become negative - It points that drug HQTOR is effective for your wife to modify the disease.

Now your wife disease going in direction of remission, therefore your doctor had stopped Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and continued DMARD (HQTOR) to prevent flare of disease.

As I see, your current doctor is doing a good job and treating her in the right direction; so trust him. I do not feel there is need to rush to a different hospital or doctor.

Boost confidence of your wife. She will feel better.

Hope this answers your query.

Regards

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad