Stelara round two

[Fred]

Heeeerm I didn't hear you say that about me  

Old Norfolk boy in a pink tutu V Young Dutch girl in a leather one piece.

Come on  

Yep hard luck Caroline looks like you lose  

[Caroline]

Heeeerm I didn't hear you say that about me  

Old Norfolk boy in a pink tutu V Young Dutch girl in a leather one piece.

Come on  

Yep hard luck Caroline looks like you lose  

[carol]Well, i am not so sure that I am losing...[/carol]

[jiml]

Heeeerm I didn't hear you say that about me  

Old Norfolk boy in a pink tutu V Young Dutch girl in a leather one piece.

Come on  

Yep hard luck Caroline looks like you lose  

[carol]Well, i am not so sure that I am losing...[/carol]

[bfrt] well I don't know who would I choose
Mmmm yes you're right. You win [/bfrt]

[Fred]

OK I'm back from my appointment with my dermatologist, and she was as disappointed as me to see the state of the psoriatic arthritis.

My bloods have shown there has been an inflammation flare up, what caused it we don't know but it is slowly going back down again and I did manage to drive today which was nice as I'm not a good passenger. Mrs Fred was pleased too and she said she noticed I was moving a little better toady.

So back to the appointment, she gave me 5 options.

#1 Yep you guessed it Methotrexate. I refused.
#2 Small Methotrexate injection. I refused.
#3 Go to Rheumatology and see what they say. I've booked an appointment for April to coincide with my next dermatology appointment, as I already know the answer from the last time I went to see them "You have psoriatic arthritis and we prescribe Methotrexate" so that will be a waist of time.
#4 Stay on Stelara and ride out the inflammation with some anti inflammatory pills as and when I feel I need them. I've taken the prescription for the pills just in case I do feel like giving in and taking them.
#5 Give Stelara another try on a double shot again over 3 months instead of 45mg on two months. I wasn't keen as last time I tried 90mg it made me feel like a zombie, but this is what I'm going to do.

I asked about Simponi (only available via Rheumatology) she phoned them and had a chat, but they said NO as I have had a reaction to both Remicade and Humira in the past and they felt the risk was to much as it's a similar product.

I asked about Fumaderm and it's not available in France, and as far as I could work out the trials have been stopped.

I asked about Psorinovo and that is not registered for use in France.

So I'm stuck really, and unless I take Methotrexate with Stelara just to help the psoriatic arthritis there isn't much else they can do for me.  

I'm a stubborn old sod and will not take Methotrexate, I may not even take the anti inflamotories (but will hold onto them for amunition) but another thing I can be is determined and that is what I,m going to do.

I will be concentrating on getting myself back into positive mode, I will take my 90mg of Stelara at the weekend, possibly take an anti inflammatory if needed and just get on with it.

 

[jiml]

Little choice there Fred , but I'm glad you are moving better
Let's hope the Stelara will start to work again.... An antiinflamatory may well give you some relief. Let's hope so, you did well to refuse methotrexate, I also hate it but I will never say never. Perhaps if all else fails ( and I'm hopeful it won't) a low dose of methotrexate together with Stelara might help. ..... Unless your rheumatology department can offer anything else.


Edit jim turns and runs for,the door

[Fred]

Little choice there Fred , but I'm glad you are moving better
Let's hope the Stelara will start to work again.... An antiinflamatory may well give you some relief. Let's hope so, you did well to refuse methotrexate, I also hate it but I will never say never. Perhaps if all else fails ( and I'm hopeful it won't) a low dose of methotrexate together with Stelara might help. ..... Unless your rheumatology department can offer anything else.


Edit jim turns and runs for,the door

No it looks like I've run out of options Jim.

I don't hold out much hope with rheumatology they didn't help before.

But all is well Jim, I've just ordered a new Pogo Stick.  

[jiml]

Little choice there Fred , but I'm glad you are moving better
Let's hope the Stelara will start to work again.... An antiinflamatory may well give you some relief. Let's hope so, you did well to refuse methotrexate, I also hate it but I will never say never. Perhaps if all else fails ( and I'm hopeful it won't) a low dose of methotrexate together with Stelara might help. ..... Unless your rheumatology department can offer anything else.


Edit jim turns and runs for,the door

No it looks like I've run out of options Jim.

I don't hold out much hope with rheumatology they didn't help before.

But all is well Jim, I've just ordered a new Pogo Stick.  

Fred you never run out of options...... You may run out of preferred options but there will always be options
What about otezla that's a tablet and for PSA can't you request that or isn't it approved yet

[Fred]

Fred you never run out of options...... You may run out of preferred options but there will always be options
What about otezla that's a tablet and for PSA can't you request that or isn't it approved yet

Nope nothing else approved for use in France Jim, the French don't hurry themselves when it comes to introducing new treatments. They let others do all the hard work and then may do a trial usually a few years behind the rest.  

Although we read drugs are approved for use in Europe, that doesn't mean France have approved it for use.

It's France Jim you get used to it after a while, there is no rush.  

[jiml]

Fred you never run out of options...... You may run out of preferred options but there will always be options
What about otezla that's a tablet and for PSA can't you request that or isn't it approved yet

Nope nothing else approved for use in France Jim, the French don't hurry themselves when it comes to introducing new treatments. They let others do all the hard work and then may do a trial usually a few years behind the rest.  

Although we read drugs are approved for use in Europe, that doesn't mean France have approved it for use.

It's France Jim you get used to it after a while, there is no rush.  

Another option is the way Joane in Poland does buy your psorinovo from Holland Joana new to forum .. But that will be expensive

[Fred]

Fred you never run out of options...... You may run out of preferred options but there will always be options
What about otezla that's a tablet and for PSA can't you request that or isn't it approved yet

Nope nothing else approved for use in France Jim, the French don't hurry themselves when it comes to introducing new treatments. They let others do all the hard work and then may do a trial usually a few years behind the rest.  

Although we read drugs are approved for use in Europe, that doesn't mean France have approved it for use.

It's France Jim you get used to it after a while, there is no rush.  

Another option is the way Joane in Poland does buy your psorinovo from Holland Joana new to forum .. But that will be expensive

No I'm not going that way I have faith in the French health care system and will stick to what is available under their system, plus Psorinovo may not even work for me and they won't be to happy at the hospital when I go back with my tail between my legs asking to go back in their system.

I'm on the long term illness protocol here and get my treatment free, should I go for a medication not recognised by them I would no longer get 100%. That would result in very expensive blood tests, and should I want to go back onto to Stelara if Psorinovo didn't work then it would end up costing me around €30,000 a year.



Nope my mind is made up, I have my choices and now have to move on.