I have had RA for ten years (diagnosed at age 20).  I was first put on an extremely high amount of prednisone (steroid) 20mg a day and some really expensive RA medicine (don't remember the name). I finally got to a good Rhematologist and he put me on methotrexate and lowered the prednisone to 10mg.  They call Methotrexate an "oldie, but goodie"... it's rough on your liver though and I had liver panel run every three months which always came out fine.  I almost went into remission of RA on methotrexate, but we wanted to have a baby so I got off of it in 2003.  I was on nothing for a few years while we ttc unsuccessfully. Finally, my RA doctor suggested Enbrel. I take an injection once weekly and did take prednisone (down to 5mg a day) up to my WLS. I started decreasing the prednisone and have not taken any since surgery in October 2007. I now ONLY take Enbrel; however, my RA is rearing it's ugly face again.  Over 140 pounds weight loss has helped, but the RA is still there.   I am finding that some of the vitamins I take POST OP may be helping the symptoms (hence my reasoning to come to this board), but I don't know for sure about those yet. Anyway, I hope this helps and I'm sorry to hear you have RA. I hope you find the right med for you. 

WELL I GUESS BY NOW YOU HAVE HAD YOUR KNEE REPLACEMENT AND I KNOW YOU ARE IN A HUGE AMOUNT OF PAIN. I HAD ONE IN 06 AND THEY WANT TO DO THE OTHER ONE BUT UNTIL I CAN'T WALK ON IT ANYMORE I WON'T DO IT. I HAVE ARTHRITIS FROM MY FEET UP TO MY NECK. AND I GET SHOTS IN MY BACK AND ON LOTS OF PAIN MEDICATION AND LOTS OF DEPRESSION. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU ARE DOING! ! I WENT IN FOR SURGERY IN 03 BEFORE MY REPLACEMENT AND  DOCTOR DISABLED ME AND I HAVE HAD A HARD TIME AJUSTING FROM WORKING ALL THE TIME TO NOTHING. PLUS WENT THROUGH A DIVORCE AFTER 18 YEARS AND THEN AFTER A COUPLE YEARS MY KID MOVED OUT AND GOT MARRIED. SO NOW I'M ALL ALONE. THE DOCTOR SAID DEPRESSION CONTRIBUTES TO PAIN AND HE SAID IT HAS CAUSED FIBROMYALGIA TO, I'M ON A STRONG PAIN MED, AND A BREAK THROUGH PAIN MED, SLEEPING MED, NERVE MED,  MUSCLE RELAXERS AND CYMBALTA THAT ARTHRITIS IS NO JOKE, IT'S A VERY PAINFUL AND I'M ONLY 46, I THINK THAT'S YOUNG TO HAVE IT THIS BAD MY RIGHT LEG STARTED WHEN I WAS MID TEWNTIES, IT'S A HARD THING TO GO THROUGH   EVERYDAY OF MY LIFE, CONSTANTLY ESPECIALY AT NIGHT IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE AND IN THE MORNINGS OH BOY I FEEL LIKE I AM FUSED. I WISH EVERYONE GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ARTHRITIS.  SRHAND,,OR   SHARON

I went to my doc and he thought I had arthritis in my right knee.  After reading and reading some more, it seems to me that I have a torn meniscus.  sometimes the Clebrex helps temporarily sometimes not.  I have a great deal of pain when I sit (riding in a car) or walking.  I know I know, I have to get it re-x-rayed.  I've been putting this off because I literally have to be knocked out (claustrophobic).  Has anyone ever encountered pain like this or had this?  I would really love to join Curves but I don't know if this would hinder it or not.  I'm walking like I am 105 years old sometimes. Debbi

I am another one that cannot take tramadol. El Poucho really doesn't like it!  I don't take NASID's so basically I hurt and it if is really bad I use a heating pad or ice pack.  Sometimes one works better than the other.  I am having my right knee replaced next Tuesday and with have the left sometime in the future.  Scared of the pain of surgery, but really looking forward to that new knee!

Hi Stacey,  I too found out last September that I have RA. The rhumy put me on 5 mg of prednisone.. I take that first thing in the morning and it does work-actually they say its the drug we love to hate-its because it does work but some of the side effects are bad.. and its a bit of a reason that I have put my weight loss on the back burner. I gained about 1 lbs with this drug but boy does it keep the pain at bay! He also put me on plaquenil, I noticed that if i dont take it at my scheduled time, I start feeling a bit achey and once I take it, I feel better. There are lots of  meds out on the market.. its up to you if you want injections, pills or rather go the natural route. Are you on any meds? Irene