u/busquesadilla

Hi everyone! Could use some emotional support that this amazing community is legendary for. Thanks in advance :)

I’ve had a horrible RA journey. Diagnosed in Oct 2024 by blood tests with my PCP and started methotrexate. I was in really bad shape at the time, had to get a wheelchair, was using a cane, and cried getting out of bed due to pain. I was in increasing levels of pain for 2-3 years before being diagnosed but no one took me seriously due to weight/age.

Saw a rheumatologist in Jan 2025 and have been on 5 other medications since:

- Methotrexate made me so sick, I had to stop.
- Lefluomide was next, failed that for neuropathy after 2 weeks
- Abalimumab/Humira biosimilar was next, it didn’t do enough.
- Actemra was after that, it was amazing for my pain. My cholesterol shot up, but I gained my mobility back. However, I still didn’t get enough full relief, but it was a lot. Insurance took me off it at the beginning of 2026.
- Tyenne the biosimilar was next, that did nothing for me.
- Kevzara is what I’m on now for the past 2.5 months I’ve been on Kevzara and my CRP is shooting back up, my pain is going up week after week.

I complained to my rheumatologist about how I can feel my body starting to fall apart again and she set an appointment with me last minute last week. She basically said she didn’t know what else to do, and asked me if I wanted to try to insurance to approve Orencia (they’ve already rejected it in the past) or do infusions of some kind. Despite her being a rheumatologist at a top 20 university hospital in California, she’s giving me awful care. I’m waiting on a new rheumatologist appointment at a different hospital, but it’s still a ways away.

Has anyone else failed a lot of meds? Not looking for medical advice, just looking to commiserate with others who have hard to treat RA. Appreciate it, thanks all.

Hi folks - does anyone here have experience with Pacific Rheumatology Associates or any other concierge rheumatologists in SF?

I’ve been a patient at Stanford Rheumatology for 1.5 years and it’s getting truly terrible, I’m shocked at the low quality of care. The doctors and nurses keep messing up basic things. Waiting on an appointment at UCSF in September, but wondering it’s worth it to pay for a concierge rheumatologist because my case is so complicated. Any advice specific to rheumatology is welcome, thanks!

Hi all - are there any Mexican or Mexican American folks in this sub who can help me out? I recently have become a people manager for software engineers in Mexico City. I was their indirect manager before, but now I’ll be their direct manager. I am one of those CC people who has been traveling pretty minimally and I mask 100% of the time indoor/outdoor. I care really deeply about being a people manager at my job because I want create a good working environment, so I apologize if this is coming across badly, I am coming from a good place.

If I go to Mexico City for work to meet them, how will my masks be perceived? Will I be hurting my working relationship with these engineers more than if I just stay home and only speak to them remotely? So far I have avoided all work travel for six years because our HQ is based in the Midwest and they all think I’m weird for masking (not to mention, they’re all coughing and sick constantly and coming into work!). Balancing taking on a new role and not making things worse. I’m Asian, so masking is more common/not thought of as weird. Thanks in advance for the help!