Hello, I am new to the chat rooms ( my 1st time) but evrybody I know is sick of my disease , RA, and suggested the chat rooms to talk to people who know what I am going through. I saw my doc today. I have been taking Humira, methotrexate. Today is the last injection, I am happy about that. The Humira has not seemed to work as well as I had hoped. He said the swelling was better but that I have scerosis (?) or sclerosis of the bones.Well, I knew I was getting the formations cause i can see and feel them. I have trouble sleeping because of heel, ankle, knee (baker's cysts) pain.He prescribed upping the dosasge of Methotrexate and lexapro for my constant pain and xanex at night. When I got home I looked up the Lexapro and see it is an anti-depressant. Has anyone used this for pain?Does it work on pain? If I was not in so much pain, I would not be depressed.
lexapro is 1 of many antidepressants and these are often used, in small doses, for pain. try it, allowing say 3 weeks for it to become effective
xanax is a short acting valium type med that would help getting off to sleep but wouldnt keep you asleep for long
I got help for my artritus from a product called seatone, a shellfish extract
recovered former longtime anxiety and panic attack sufferer and helper of other sufferers but no training or qualifications in medicine or psychology, any remarks that may be taken as advice must be confirmed with doctor or other health professional
Dear Ach,
Antidepressants are a very very good ADJUNCT to pain management. Especially those of a chronic type. The lexapro works by manipulating the neurotransmitters that send pain impulses. For chronic pain, an antidepressant is a good idea...but it should not be the only pain med. It may also help with sleep as well.
Are you on any other analgesia? Tylenol, lorcets, percocet?
I say the same thing too, "well Doc, if I could walk right and do things without pain...I'de be a pretty darn happy person."
I understand being up all nite. It's the worst. My joints hurt so bad that laying in bed hurts...can't get comfortable and that makes trying to fall asleep nearly impossible. It's a vicsious cycle.
Have you been on Enbrel or Remicade?
I was on enbrel for a year and progressively got worse after 6 months. On Humira now for one month already. Still hoping for good results.
Take Care
Erin
Welcome! I can certainly understand how people get sick of hearing about your disease...I have the same problem.
Antidepressants can really help you manage your pain. I think taking to someone in addition to that can really be beneficial. I was on antidepressants for a few years and they did help, I was able to cope with the pain better which in turn, helps you sleep, function, be able to talk about things OTHER than the constant agony you are in. 
I know I should have been on them for most of the last 4 years and I can tell how worse I get when I am having a flare or dealing with continuous illnesses....If I could only stay healthy, I'd be much happier......it's true!
Now that you are stopping the Humira, what is the next step in drug therapy?
**
The thing is , i would not consider myself clinicly depressed. Lately I have had more pain than usual. The kids started high school and kindergarten, husband working a different shift so i don't have the xtra help he usually provided. No, i was not given any other pain pills.I have hydrocone already, but there is no point in taking it. It makes me really sick when i take it because of the metho and it does not alive the pain anyway. When i was thirty i was diagnoised with a ruptured disk ( L5 - S1) was pregnant so i could not do very much treatment, by the time i could there was no synovium fluid , just bone on bone so i had to have a fusion.Through the whole thing ( lasted about one 1/2 yrs) the docs were so stingy with the pain meds! So they gave hydrocodone. Had a part. hysterectomy and again, codine for home. The stuff does not work on me now.The doc told me to come back in three wks and raised the metho to a total of 6, 2.5's. I am only 35. It has taken a whole year of increasing pain, going from doc to doc trying to get a diagnoises trying to get some one to listen. Now, is it all starting again with these docs? I go in and tell him how much everything hurts and he gives me anti- ds. What should i ask for, what helps y'all?
gosh do i hear the despair in your voice.
honestly, you are doing the right things...on a TNF drug, on MTX, have pain meds and have access to an SSRI.
the frustrating thing, is even though we are doing everything in our capabilities... the pain of the joints and everything else doesn't seem to get much better.
i would say give the Humira and MTX some more time. it takes sometimes years for people to go into some sort of remission.
i've been waiting since May. and before May 2005 i was really really bad for 2 years.
it's not a fair disease, especially when we hear of people getting greta success in such little time..they can work, walk, do normal things.
but we will all have our time! never forget that. it might not be this month..it might not be in 3...but it has to happen.
i preach this to myself everyday for the past few weeks. hoe could this possibly get any worse?...and then it does!! but i believe it will be like a pendulum...slowly moving forward again.
keep on the Humira and MTX...wait it out at least 6 months to a year. if you're not happy with the progress, change meds. you never know which one will work for you until we try it.
will be praying for you! i know how you feel. when it's bad...it's real bad.
never never give up hope
erin
honestly, you are doing the right things...on a TNF drug, on MTX, have pain meds and have access to an SSRI.
the frustrating thing, is even though we are doing everything in our capabilities... the pain of the joints and everything else doesn't seem to get much better.
i would say give the Humira and MTX some more time. it takes sometimes years for people to go into some sort of remission.
i've been waiting since May. and before May 2005 i was really really bad for 2 years.
it's not a fair disease, especially when we hear of people getting greta success in such little time..they can work, walk, do normal things.
but we will all have our time! never forget that. it might not be this month..it might not be in 3...but it has to happen.
i preach this to myself everyday for the past few weeks. hoe could this possibly get any worse?...and then it does!! but i believe it will be like a pendulum...slowly moving forward again.
keep on the Humira and MTX...wait it out at least 6 months to a year. if you're not happy with the progress, change meds. you never know which one will work for you until we try it.
will be praying for you! i know how you feel. when it's bad...it's real bad.
never never give up hope
erin
Thank you. That is very nice Erin. I prob will not stay w/ the Humira. I was in a clinical trial and was recieving treatment free 
. I have good ins. (thank GOD) but the injections are about 1200 or 1400 a month. My insurance co. will deffinately want me to try other treatments first. I have steadfast refused to go on the pregna steroid. Mostly due to vanity reasons. The doc mentions every visit. Erin, i have been taking the xanex for 2 nights now. I am quite the night owl but i don't think i have woken up at all during the night. i have a lot of discomfort in all the pressure areas and the feet and ankles, but after passing out (literally) i haven't woke in pain in the middle of the night and end up having to get up because of the discomfort. Maybe for u? I am not looking forward to the cold though. I'm in Tx, it is still 97/98 degrees here so, it's all good. Thank you for your reply. There is no spell chk, forgive.
. I have good ins. (thank GOD) but the injections are about 1200 or 1400 a month. My insurance co. will deffinately want me to try other treatments first. I have steadfast refused to go on the pregna steroid. Mostly due to vanity reasons. The doc mentions every visit. Erin, i have been taking the xanex for 2 nights now. I am quite the night owl but i don't think i have woken up at all during the night. i have a lot of discomfort in all the pressure areas and the feet and ankles, but after passing out (literally) i haven't woke in pain in the middle of the night and end up having to get up because of the discomfort. Maybe for u? I am not looking forward to the cold though. I'm in Tx, it is still 97/98 degrees here so, it's all good. Thank you for your reply. There is no spell chk, forgive.
Ach, I hear ya - I'm 35 as well and going through or have gone thru a lot of what you are discussing. In the beginning, I spent 2 years going to doctors and specialists tryign to figure out what was wrong, they told me to see a shrink. That was partly my reason for being against the "depression" comments when they wanted to stick me on meds for it. I finally got a clue. Paxil worked well for me as well as Elavil (but that made me tired and loopy.)
Whether or not you decide to go on anti-depressants or not, continue to push the doctors to find the root cause of your pain and continue to find the right treatment. You may not feel CHRONICALLY depressed, but there are many levels and kinds of depression out there. The stuff you mentioned going on in your life right now could cause it as well....and it doesn't mean you have to be on it forever. Sometimes people aren't on them for more than a year - just long enough to adjust. I'm not for pill-popping, but I do understand the need to help yourself.
If you found Humeria worked for you, possibly you can work w/your doctor and insurance to continue treatment as there is already proof of it's success with your body.
Good luck.
**
I have discovered that a newer anti-depressant called Cymbalta works on the chemicals in your brain ofr both depression and pain tollerance!! I was bed ridden for over three months and was able to get up on my feet after starting this medicine. I know everyone is different and I have noticed it's effects aren't as strong as before bu hey it gave me a couple more months of life on my feet and able to chase after my five year old so anything is worth a shot!!!
Hi Ach,
I too wanted to welcome you to HW. I see the others have jumped and given you some good pointers. As you can see we support each other, give pointers, listen to each other vent when we need to, aw heck we even have pity parties and everyone is invited when I have one. LOL. I think you get the idea how great this place is and the peeps as well. No one can understand your situation fully, unless they have been there.
Its like Erin said, the chill pill will help with the pain to a certain extent and any potential depressed moods, kind of like getting a 2 for 1 deal. LOL. Not often do we have that happen. Chronic pain will cause depression and it can hit you right out of no where and knock you to your knees. I was on 300mg of Effexor a day, for depression and it can help w/pain. We just changed me to Lexapro last week, my other was beginning to not help as much as it did in the beginning.
Margarita Witt commented on Cymbalta. Yes, it is also good. I take 60 mg a day for the PN in my hands and I can now hold my grandbaby and my hands no longer go numb. Before Cymbalta, I could only hold him while sitting.
Yes, you are just too young to have gone thru what you have. I am 52 and have had chronic pain for a good 25yrs. I do have disc problems in my neck & back, impingement of r-shoulder, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral ulnar nerve entrapment, need 2 knee replacements, have PN in both hands, osteoarthritis, facet arthropy at L5-S1 level, crohns disease & CHF. The last 3 yrs of my life have been awful, had too many surgeries in the past 3 yrs, lets see 7 total. My poor body is just worn out.
I am under the care of a wonderful pain mgt and had a morphine pump put in June 29 of this year. I think if I were you I would consider a consultation with a good one. Enough for now, but wanted to welcome you. Hope you will hang out with us. Gentle hugs coming your way.
Susie
Straydog..WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I have looked everywhere for you. LOL, thought you had deserted us. You all missed chat tonight too. (sad face)
flopsie
Don't walk in front of me....I may not follow
flopsie
Don't walk in front of me....I may not follow
Don't walk behind me....I may not lead
Walk beside me..and be my friend...
Albert Carnus
and Lord, put your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth
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co-moderator for Arthritis and Anxiety/Panic
No kidding, where HAVE you been?
Sorry I missed chat - 5:30 is such a bad time for me!
So sorry it has taken so long to thank y'all and reply. My computer was at the doc- total meltdown 
. Thank you for all the support and advice.I stopped the humira. Every injection was a new infection.We raised the mtx dosage. I take folic acid for the side effects, but still have sores in mouth, swollen tongue and swollen glands ( or lymphs,i dnt know wch is wch). Does anyone else get that? Okay, about 3 visits ago my doc siad he thought i was feeling more pain and tired than i should be.He hit me w/the maybe a secondary condition, fibromy. I was actully mad. I figured your bones deforming and all the other goodies were probably what was causing my pain, i blew his theory off. Then the last visit he said i was depressed, but in denial. He said the lexapro would work on the pain. Then i find out it is an anti-depressant and i felt like he had pulled a fast one.Well, too my surprise and ALL KNOWING mind it has cut some of the pain. My hands and feet are still bad but my elbows, shoulders and knees feel 30% better. The xanex is awful. Don't sleep long and wake up w/an all day hang over. My attitude is better but is it the decrease in pain or depression or some kind of bad chemical caused by pain. Don't know. Go back to see doc next week. Will see what the next step is. Glad this is here for us, thank you. Hangloose 
. Thank you for all the support and advice.I stopped the humira. Every injection was a new infection.We raised the mtx dosage. I take folic acid for the side effects, but still have sores in mouth, swollen tongue and swollen glands ( or lymphs,i dnt know wch is wch). Does anyone else get that? Okay, about 3 visits ago my doc siad he thought i was feeling more pain and tired than i should be.He hit me w/the maybe a secondary condition, fibromy. I was actully mad. I figured your bones deforming and all the other goodies were probably what was causing my pain, i blew his theory off. Then the last visit he said i was depressed, but in denial. He said the lexapro would work on the pain. Then i find out it is an anti-depressant and i felt like he had pulled a fast one.Well, too my surprise and ALL KNOWING mind it has cut some of the pain. My hands and feet are still bad but my elbows, shoulders and knees feel 30% better. The xanex is awful. Don't sleep long and wake up w/an all day hang over. My attitude is better but is it the decrease in pain or depression or some kind of bad chemical caused by pain. Don't know. Go back to see doc next week. Will see what the next step is. Glad this is here for us, thank you. Hangloose
It is a positive domino effect - the lesser pain (no matter how it came about) causes a more positive mind set...a more positive mind set (probably helped to stay constant by the meds) will help you deal with the pain better.
I'm glad you gave it a shot and I'm glad you received some relief!
**