Finding What Works for You
It's easy to be confused by so many treatment options. There is a lot to consider as you and your doctor try to find the right medication for you. To start, your doctor will prescribe one or more medications based on the type of arthritis you have and your level of disease activity. Beyond that, it comes down to trial and error until you establish a satisfactory response to treatment.
Arthritis is a variable disease. Patient response to arthritis treatment is also variable. When choosing a medication, any allergies you have or other medications already used to treat existing conditions should be considered. Even cost and convenience may be a factor for you.
Ask Questions about Your Medications
Asking your doctor questions about your medications will help you feel more informed about the choices being made. You should ask:
Why your doctor chose the drug prescribed over another
What the possible side effects are and are they common or rare side effects
What you should do if you experience any side effects
What tests will be routinely ordered to monitor for side effects
When you should expect to notice some benefit from the medication
You can also discuss concerns with your pharmacist, who has vast knowledge of medications, and can also advise you on possible side effects, interactions, and other factors such as how to take your medications.
Pay Attention to Your Response
Be compliant with the dosing schedule assigned to each of your medications so that you can accurately assess their effectiveness. If you're not getting a good response, you may need to consider a medication change. Talk to your doctor.
Keep a medication diary so you can track how your medications make you feel. Always inform your doctor about any problems you are experiencing. An adjustment of dosage or a medication change may resolve the problem. Because you are the one taking the medications, you are the one who must communicate how you are responding or not responding.
By trying various drugs and making adjustments as needed, you and your doctor are trying to determine the fine line between optimal treatment and overtreatment. There are two sides to consider: Drugs have potential risks of undesirable side effects, but can also offer tremendous benefit. The possibilities become magnified when you add more medications into your treatment regimen. You must always be aware of how you react to the medications you are taking.
Essential
The main categories of drugs used to treat arthritis are NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), analgesics (pain medications), corticosteroids, and DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs). The newest categories of drugs are COX-2 inhibitors (a subcategory of NSAIDs) and biologic response modifiers (a subcategory of DMARDs).
Understanding Trial and Error
Before you find what works, you may have to try several medications within the same class of drugs. Though intuitively you may think all drugs in the same class are equally effective, you may experience a different response to several drugs within the same class. It may also be your experience that you have problems with one drug class but not another. It's important for you to learn about the different classes of arthritis drugs and expected response to them.
