RA and Choosing A Biologic Drug
I get an injection once a month  and while I am not looking forward to week four (because previous injections have meant a miserable week four with a full return of symptoms and pain flairs from hell) I am enjoying enough benefits from my biologic medication to make week four worth it. Meaning: my joints don't hurt ... as much ...

(I do have to clarify because when I say "pain-free" people say "Oh yay, you're better!" ... and I don't say, "No, I'm not better, I will never be better, but I am maintaining my levels of pain to a manageable level" ... because to say something sarcastic like that would just be mean, right?)

... which means instead of pain of 7-8, not being able to maintain my balance, not walking up and down the stairs, not enjoying my life, I am leveling at a range of 1-2. Which is good, very very good. In terms of the average guy understanding it - this medication takes my RA from feeling like the worst flu I've ever had in my life 24/7/ for the last 2 years to feeling like I ran two miles and I ache a little...

So, yes, I'm enjoying being on Simponi...
But choosing to take such a harsh medication was a hard decision...

I've had a lot of people say, "Why would you risk the potential side-effects (they mean cancer) when you can just take a pain pill?" And here's the answer... Pain pills numb more than pain. To mask the amount of pain I was in would require a high enough dose of narcotic to knock me out and if I'm asleep 24/7 I'm not living...

Other people have asked, "Isn't Simponi and Humira and all those other type drugs dangerous?"
They can be. Natural immunity drops making it (in some cases) impossible to fight off an infection, and liver or kidney damage can occur; so, I have to have my blood tested regularly.

When the doctor explained it to me he said basically, (paraphrased because its been months ago) "We don't know the long term effects of staying on this type of medication for long periods, but you have a very harsh disease, one that can disfigure you, permanently disable you, potentially kill you, and it's going to take a harsh drug to combat that."

What Is A Biologic Drug?
From Consumer Health Information Corporation The difference between biological drugs and normal prescription drugs is that biological drugs have almost “pinpoint” accuracy and can search out the diseased organs or cells that need to be treated.  These drugs of the future are being developed through advanced technology called “genetic modification” ... "


From WebMD Biologics are genetically engineered proteins derived from human genes. They are designed to inhibit specific components of the immune system that play pivotal roles in fueling inflammation, which is a central feature of rheumatoid arthritis.


Great links if you have or are close to someone with a chronic illness...


The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino


15 Things To Not Say To Someone With RA