HOW DO I KNOW IF MY RA MEDICATIONS ARE WORKING?
RA medications are better than ever, but may take time to work. In many cases, medications have to be adjusted or changed until your doctor finds the right regimen for you. It can be a slow process, but here are some ways for you to tell if your medications are working.
The goal of your RA medications is to decrease your symptoms as much as possible. In some cases, it may be able to achieve remission, where RA becomes completely inactive. Therefore, watch for improvements in your symptoms.
Medications that are working well will lead to major symptoms:
- Decreased joint pain
- Decreased stiffness
- Decreased joint swelling
- Improved function
- Better energy levels
If you find that you become completely symptom-free, then you have achieved remission, where your RA becomes completely inactive. In many cases, however, improvements may be more subtle, as symptoms may come and go or improve very slowly. Blood tests can help monitor changes in disease activity to provide additional evidence of improvement.
Medications may take a few weeks to start working, but it may be several months before you really know if your regimen is working.
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