The Face of Arthritis

"Well she doesn't LOOK sick.".....Yeah, if I only had a penny for every time I've heard that. Or how about this one..." SHE has arthritis? Are you sure??" Nah, I'm actually not sure. We just like injecting her with poison. I have also been accused of making it up. Because you can make this stuff up right? I can CREATE this crap in my child's body. Sorry folks. Mama Bear is having BAD day. It annoys me, angers me, FRUSTRATES the HECK outta me and today it all seems to be piling up on me for whatever reason. Just because you can't see the arthritis, OR the Uveitis, doesn't mean it's not there!! What in the world is it that people are expecting to see anyway? Thankfully she doesn't have any outward signs. No walker, cane, heaven forbid a wheelchair. Currently she has no visible swelling. Does that mean she isn't suffering?? Does that mean she doesn't feel pain that YOU can't SEE?? Does that mean that she doesn't have to adjust to what the world is doing to make her more comfortable? NO. NO. And NO. The really sad thing? Kids like my Bean have been in pain so long that they don't even know any different. I recently heard in a video that I watched online, a JRA Mom say, that when she was in labor, it was the worst pain she had ever felt. But at least she knew that it would end. The pain would be over. These JRA kids have no end in sight. They can't look forward to a day that their pain will end. And typically it only gets worse as they get older.

We went to the park today so that the kids could ride their scooters. They have been looking forward to this for days now. Well, guess what? It was a disaster. I thought if anything it may hurt Bean's knees or her hips. It hurt her HANDS. *sigh* I kept trying to get her to maybe hold on with a looser grip, take breaks, it just kept hurting her worse. And don't think that this just affects her. Bub was having a great time zipping around on his scooter. But then we had to leave because Bean was in pain. We tried just walking while Bub rode his scooter but something happened that hadn't happened in a LONG time. Her legs gave out and she just collapsed. I tried my hardest to hide my horror and shock. Not sure how well I did, but I did say that it was time to go. I gave her a nice warm tub, and then gently lotioned her, and now she seems fine. But Mama is far from fine today. I'm just angry. Angry at the disease, angry at ignorance, and yes angry at families that have perfectly healthy children (okay maybe not angry with but certainly jealous of). That may not sound fair. That may not sound right. But today I just want to be honest. *sigh* Church tomorrow. I'm in need of some good church.

Can't Leave Out Methotrexate

And thanks to all of these lovely side effects Bean also gets to take daily, folate and Prevacid. The folate is to prevent the mouth ulcers and hair loss. The Prevacid is for the horrible stomach pains. Unfortunately for Bean she got to experience these because her injectable meds were increased without anyone catching that her daily, oral meds weren't.

Important Warning:

Methotrexate may cause very serious side effects. Some side effects of methotrexate may cause death. You should only take methotrexate to treat life-threatening cancer, or certain other conditions that are very severe and that cannot be treated with other medications. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking methotrexate for your condition.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had excess fluid in your stomach area or in the space around your lungs and if you have or have ever had kidney disease. Also tell your doctor if you are taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as aspirin, choline magnesium trisalicylate (Tricosal, Trilisate), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), magnesium salicylate (Doan's), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or salsalate. These conditions and medications may increase the risk that you will develop serious side effects of methotrexate. Your doctor will monitor you more carefully and may need to give you a lower dose of methotrexate or stop your treatment with methotrexate.

Methotrexate may cause a decrease in the number of blood cells made by your bone marrow. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a low number of any type of blood cells or any other problem with your blood cells. Your doctor may tell you not to take methotrexate unless you have life-threatening cancer. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: sore throat, chills, fever, or other signs of infection; unusual bruising or bleeding; excessive tiredness; pale skin; or shortness of breath.

Methotrexate may cause liver damage, especially when it is taken for a long period of time. If you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol or if you have or have ever had liver disease, your doctor may tell you not to take methotrexate unless you have a life-threatening form of cancer because there is a higher risk that you will develop liver damage. The risk that you will develop liver damage may also be higher if you are elderly, obese, or have diabetes. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications: acitretin (Soriatane), azathioprine (Imuran), isotretinoin (Accutane), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), or tretinoin (Vesanoid). To decrease the risk of developing liver damage, do not drink alcohol while you are taking methotrexate. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: nausea, extreme tiredness, lack of energy, loss of appetite, pain in the upper right part of the stomach, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or flu-like symptoms. Your doctor may order liver biopsies (removal of a small piece of liver tissue to be examined in a laboratory) before and during your treatment with methotrexate.

Methotrexate may cause lung damage. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had lung disease. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms: dry cough, fever, or shortness of breath.

Methotrexate may cause damage to the lining of your mouth, stomach or intestines. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had stomach ulcers or ulcerative colitis (condition in which part or all of the lining of the intestine is swollen or worn away). If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking methotrexate and call your doctor right away: mouth sores, diarrhea, black, tarry, or bloody stools, or vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds.

Taking methotrexate may increase the risk that you will develop lymphoma (cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system). If you do develop lymphoma, it might go away without treatment when you stop taking methotrexate, or it might need to be treated with chemotherapy.

If you are taking methotrexate to treat cancer, you may develop certain complications as methotrexate works to destroy the cancer cells. Your doctor will monitor you carefully and treat these complications if they occur.

Methotrexate may cause serious or life-threatening skin reactions. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: fever, rash, blisters, or peeling skin.

Methotrexate may decrease the activity of your immune system, and you may develop serious infections. Tell your doctor if you have any type of infection and if you have or have ever had any condition that affects your immune system. Your doctor may tell you that you should not take methotrexate unless you have life-threatening cancer. If you experience signs of infection such as a sore throat, cough, fever, or chills, call your doctor immediately.

If you take methotrexate while you are being treated with radiation therapy for cancer, methotrexate may increase the risk that the radiation therapy will cause damage to your skin, bones, or other parts of your body.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests before, during, and after your treatment to check your body's response to methotrexate and to treat side effects before they become severe.

Tell your doctor if you or your partner is pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you are female, you will need to take a pregnancy test before you begin taking methotrexate. Use a reliable method of birth control so that you or your partner will not become pregnant during or shortly after your treatment. If you are male, you and your female partner should continue to use birth control for 3 months after you stop taking methotrexate. If you are female, you should continue to use birth control until you have had one menstrual period that began after you stopped taking methotrexate. If you or your partner become pregnant, call your doctor immediately. Methotrexate may harm the fetus.

Some Humira Facts For Y'all

Humira, when used in combination with the right dose of Methotrexate, is what FINALLY made my Bean's eyes quiet and flare free. It was something that we thought we would never achieve. However, this all comes at a price. We have to worry daily about her exposure to all the germs that we can't see. Part of life with a child that has a medically supressed immune system. That cold that made your child miss a day or two of school? My child will likely miss the entire week, two weeks, last year she missed nearly the entire month of January. Also, please pay close attention to the link about cancer in the 3rd paragraph.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a term for a group of childhood disorders characterized by joint inflammation (arthritis) beginning before 16 years of age. JIA includes childhood arthritis known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).

As a parent of a child with JIA, rest assured you're not alone. JIA is the most common form of arthritis in children. JIA, though, can affect each child differently. The disease can range from a mild short-term condition causing stiffness and minor inflammation to a severe disease that causes serious permanent joint and tissue damage.

HUMIRA is used to reduce the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children 4 years of age and older. HUMIRA can be used alone or with methotrexate or with certain other medicines. HUMIRA is available by prescription only. There have been cases of unusual cancers in children and teenagers using TNF-blocker medicines.

Learn More

• About HUMIRA
• myHUMIRA

Important Safety Information About HUMIRA^® (adalimumab)

What is the most important information I should know about HUMIRA?

You should discuss the potential benefits and risks of HUMIRA with your doctor. HUMIRA is a TNF-blocker medicine that can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. You should not start taking HUMIRA if you have any kind of infection.

• Serious infections have happened in patients taking HUMIRA. These infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some patients have died from these infections. Your doctor should test you for TB before starting HUMIRA, and monitor you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with HUMIRA. If your doctor feels you are at risk, you may be treated with medicine for TB.
• Certain types of Cancer. There have been cases of unusual cancers in children and teenagers using TNF-blocker medicines. For children and adults taking TNF-blocker medicines, including HUMIRA, the chance of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. Some patients have developed non-melanoma skin cancer; tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.

What should I tell my doctor BEFORE starting HUMIRA?

Tell your doctor about all of your health conditions, including if you:

Have an infection, are being treated for infection, or have signs of an infection Get a lot of infections or have infections that keep coming back Have any open cuts or sores on your body Have diabetes Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB, or were born in, lived in, or traveled where there is more risk for getting TB Live or have lived in an area (such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys) where there is an increased risk for getting certain kinds of fungal infections, such as histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, or blastomycosis

Have or have had hepatitis B Are scheduled for major surgery Have numbness or tingling or have a disease that affects your nervous system such as multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome Have heart failure or other heart conditions Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. Patients receiving HUMIRA should not receive live vaccines Are allergic to rubber or latex, or any ingredients of HUMIRA Are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding

Also tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, especially Kineret (anakinra). Some medicines that suppress the immune system may increase your risk of serious infections.

What should I watch for AFTER starting HUMIRA?

HUMIRA can cause serious side effects, including:

• Serious infections. These include TB and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria. Symptoms related to TB include cough, low-grade fever, weight loss, or loss of body fat and muscle.
• Allergic reactions. Signs of a serious allergic reaction include skin rash, a swollen face, or trouble breathing.
• Hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients that carry the virus in their blood. Symptoms include feeling unwell, poor appetite, tiredness, fever, rash, or joint pain.
• Nervous system problems. Signs and symptoms include numbness or tingling, problems with your vision, weakness in your arms or legs, and dizziness.
• Blood problems. Symptoms include a fever that does not go away, bruising or bleeding very easily, or looking very pale.
• New heart failure or worsening of heart failure you already have. Symptoms include shortness of breath or swelling of your ankles or feet, or sudden weight gain.
• Immune reactions including a lupus-like syndrome. Symptoms include chest discomfort or pain that does not go away, shortness of breath, joint pain, or rash on your cheeks or arms that gets worse in the sun.
• Psoriasis (new or worsening). Symptoms include red scaly patches or raised bumps that are filled with pus.

Call your doctor or get medical care right away if you develop any of the above symptoms.

Common side effects of HUMIRA include injection site reactions (redness, rash, swelling, itching, or bruising), upper respiratory infections (sinus infections), headaches, rash, and nausea. These are not all of the possible side effects with HUMIRA. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Remember, call your doctor right away if you have an infection or any signs of an infection, including:

A fever Feeling very tired

A cough Flu-like symptoms

Warm, red, or painful skin Open cuts or sores on your body

This is the most important information to know about HUMIRA. For more information, talk to your health care provider.

Information You Should Know About HUMIRA^® (adalimumab)

HUMIRA is a medicine called a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker. HUMIRA is taken by injection and is available by prescription only.

HUMIRA is used to:

• Reduce the signs and symptoms of:
  • moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. HUMIRA can be used alone or with methotrexate or with certain other medicines. HUMIRA may prevent further damage to your bones and joints and may help your ability to perform daily activities.
  • moderate to severe polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children 4 years of age and older. HUMIRA can be used alone or with methotrexate or with certain other medicines.
  • psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adults. HUMIRA can be used alone or with certain other medicines. HUMIRA may prevent further damage to your bones and joints and may help your ability to perform daily activities.
  • ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adults.
  • moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) in adults who have not responded well to conventional treatments. HUMIRA is also for these adults who have lost response to or are unable to tolerate infliximab.
• Treat moderate to severe chronic (lasting a long time) plaque psoriasis (Ps) in adults who are under the ongoing care of a physician, have the condition in many areas of their body, and who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet light alone or with pills). When considering HUMIRA, your physician will determine if other systemic therapies are medically less appropriate.

Please see the full prescribing information, including the Medication Guide, for HUMIRA.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visitwww.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you cannot afford your medication, contact: www.pparx.org or call the toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) for assistance.

Legal Notices/Privacy Policy. Copyright 2009, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois, U.S.A. If you have any questions about Abbott's HUMIRA.com Web site that have not been answered click here. This website and the information contained herein is intended for use by US residents only, is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace a discussion with a healthcare provider. All decisions regarding patient care must be made with a healthcare provider and consider the unique characteristics of each patient.

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Caitlin Ryan Story

Another Way To Donate!!

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Meet our Hero, Bailey... made with love by her parents

Juvenile Arthritis Facts

Just the facts Ma'am.

Juvenile Arthritis Facts