为什么我们的RA并不是在缓解中

There are more new treatment options and approaches than ever — but not everyone is using them

经过Lene Andersen, MSW 病人倡导者

有风湿的人关节炎(RA)应该做得更好。我们有更多的治疗方法比以往任何时候,这导致了一个改变治疗条件的方法。合并,这应该是这么多体验remission,或至少降低疾病活动。还有更多应该能够带来更好的生活。

他们为什么不呢?

一种原因

Ra是一种悬闹的条件。有时,它根本没有回应目前市场上的治疗方法。由于我们没有测试来帮助确定哪个治疗最佳,我们必须通过试验和错误期间,通常具有多种药物。

你这样做的时间越多,它就越多,它越大,ra相关残疾风险就越多。

Biologics每年花费成千上万美元,因此保险公司有关于您应该允许的Meds采取的意见,要求您首先“失败”,更便宜的选择。如果您没有保险,则有其他资金来源,但他们也花时间贯穿系统。

在等待时,RA相关残疾的风险增加。

然后是如何治疗Ra。理想情况下,医生应该遵循一个治疗目标方法,连续调节药物,直到您在缓解中,或者如果您的RA特别粗糙,直到已经实现了相当不错的控制水平。来自美国风湿病学院的RA治疗指南中建议使用该方法。然而,最近的一项研究表明,那些报告表明对其风湿病学疾病活动提高的症状的人,全面的三分之二没有药物调整。

投资股息

在没有治疗的时间里,我在自身免疫性关节炎上长大。我首先知道未经治疗的RA对自己身体的影响,并目睹了这种情况的衰弱效果对其他许多人。我们有工具避免这种工具,但它们被不均匀地应用。

你可以看到妥善治疗RA的影响so many people who are working full time, participating in strenuous exercise, having children — all unheard of in the past. Instead, the old method of waiting persists instead of将RA视为医疗紧急情况, as so many at the forefront of the field consider it to be. The cost of this is devastating, not just on a personal level, but on a societal one, as well.

ra成本为我们的社会每年193亿美元。不使用最有效的药物和治疗方法导致更多的人受到ra的深刻影响。它会导致残疾,严重系统影响,并发症,甚至缩短了生活跨度。RA devours lives — the lives of the person who has the condition, of their family, of friends, colleagues, and community.

投资于前期的治疗,包括早期使用生物学,将是昂贵的。但它还将抵消医疗保健系统的其他成本,损失生产力,更多。它会保护与RA,他们的朋友和家庭,同事和社区生活的人的生活。

这是一个简单的计算。When more people who live with this condition are effectively treated, they go to work, participate in the economy, don’t file for medical bankruptcy, don’t require Medicare before age 65, and don’t become frequent flyers in the healthcare system.

这是人力计算。留下数十万人生病,残疾,甚至面临早期的死亡,当它被阻止是,非常简单,不人道和残忍。

这些是真正的人,可以生活更好的生活。

你可以做些什么来创造改变

这种知识的挫败感足以让你想要隐藏在洞穴里。相反,让我们去寄生和战斗 - 为我们的亲人为自己而战,因为这一社会丢失了我们可以贡献的东西。

Talk to your elected representatives and, whenever you can, make it an election issue. Read up on new treatments and new approaches and talk to your doctor. Help your family and friends understand what you’re going through and how things could be different. Then ask them to climb over those barricades with us.

遇见我们的作家
Lene Andersen, MSW

Lene Andersen is an author, health and disability advocate, and photographer living in Toronto. Lene (pronounced Lena) has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since she was four years old and uses her experience to help others with chronic illness. She has written several books, including Your Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Tools for Managing Treatment, Side Effects and Pain, and 7 Facets: A Meditation on Pain, as well as the award-winning blog, The Seated View. Lene serves on HealthCentral's Health Advocates Advisory Board, and is a Social Ambassador for the RAHealthCentral on Facebook page, facebook.com/rahealthcentral. She is also one of HealthCentral'sLive Bold,现在生活英雄 -看着她与ra的令人难以置信的生活之旅。