Last week my rheumy asked for me to get a new blood test called Vectra DA. The vampires take out three tubes a blood a month, what's another one. So I had the test done. Easy peasy for something that costs 900.00. Thankfully insurance covers it or I would never have had it done.
What the test does is gives a number to my RA's activity level. Lower the number the less active it is. I have been feeling pretty good recently, but that could also be this high dose of Tramadol, so I figured my RA was under control and that the Remicade has been working.
Boy was I wrong. I get a call today from my rheumy (it's always bad when he calls) and he tells me that according to this test, my RA is still very active and not as under control as we thought it was. He said that there is still a lot of inflammation that the normal blood work has not picked up.
We talked about what to do next. I am at the max dose for Remicade, so there is not raising that up. I asked him if we can make it every 4 weeks instead of every 6. He would like me to go on Actemera. It's a once a month infusion that only takes an hour to do instead of three hours like my Remicade infusions. It also goes after a different protein in my body that the Enbrel and Remicade do not. My rheumy said that this particular protein is very high and the Actemera is made to go after that.
So, for now I am having my Remicade raised every 4 weeks while I think about switching biologics. I just hate to hear that another medicine has failed. Having RA sucks. FURA!
First published 4/24/13
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