Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Journey

Take charge of managing your RA

Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is complex, but help is available. Use these resources to determine your next steps with your rheumatologist. 

Jump to where you are in your RA journey:

Ready to start RA treatment

Whether you’re undiagnosed, recently diagnosed, or getting ready to start your first treatment, it’s important to know you have options to navigate and overcome the challenges of RA. 

Understanding your RA symptoms and how they impact you is key to getting back to what you love, faster. 

A rheumatologist will help build
a treatment plan that fits your goals.
Find a rheumatologist >

Still experiencing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

If joint pain or other unresolved RA symptoms are still affecting your everyday activities, it might be time to talk to your rheumatologist.

Are you on a TNF blocker and still experiencing symptoms after 3 months? Stop the progression of joint damage before it’s too late. Reevaluate your treatment with your doctor and find an option that works for you.

Remember: You don’t have to stick with a treatment plan that isn’t meeting your goals.

How do you know when it’s time for a treatment change? Dr. Jain offers some advice in the video below:

Music track throughout

DR. JAIN: I would give a patient about three months on a new treatment to see how it’s taking effect. But I rely on you to tell me how you’re feeling.

So some key words or phrases that I’m on the lookout for to indicate a treatment change:

  • – “Doc, I don’t think this treatment is working anymore.”
  • – “I’m finding myself waking up in the middle of the night with pain.”
  • – “Is this my life now? Is this my new normal?”

So those are just some of the clues that I’m always on the hunt for when it comes to figuring out is my patient on the right treatment, or is time to make a change?

Evaluating RA treatment options

It’s important to explore all your options

While moving to a second tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker is common, it's a good idea to discuss alternative treatment options with your rheumatologist.

TNF blockers like HUMIRA® and ENBREL® work similarly, so if you still have RA symptoms after 3 months, switching to another TNF blocker may not help.

If you’re on a TNF blocker, assess how you’re feeling about your treatment with the 2 Minute Appointment Pre-Check > 

ENBREL® (etanercept) is a registered trademark of Immunex Corporation in the US.

Don’t settle for ongoing RA symptoms

Continue to partner with your rheumatologist to take on RA and get back to what matters to you.

RA doesn't have to win.
You can live your life and
enjoy your life.”

Stacey, living with RA

Living with long-term RA

In addition to finding the right treatment for you, there are other things that you can do to help manage your RA symptoms and the impact they have on your everyday activities

No symptom change is too small for you or your rheumatologist to consider. 

When you notice something different, bring it to your rheumatologist proactively so you can stay ahead of symptoms and any changes you may need to make to keep them under control. 

Life changes, so your RA treatment goals should too. 

For example, if you start a new job, does that alter any of your treatment goals? Or maybe a grandchild is on the way—what does that mean for how you look at your goals? 

Additional steps you can take while living with RA

Ready for something different?

One option is RINVOQ, which is a JAK inhibitor and works differently than TNF blockers. RINVOQ is indicated for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in whom TNF blockers did not work well.

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