I finally got my appeal accepted by my insurance for them to pay for Actemra. I will be giving myself a shot once per week. I picked it up two days ago but haven't worked up the nerve to give myself that first shot! Lol. I don't know why I'm so freaked out by it either. I used to take Enbrel but it was an auto injection pen. This is just a prefixed syringe you have to jab yourself with and I haven't worked up the nerve! I have heard great things about Actemra and that's why I chose to try It. Best of luck to you!

I've been on 11 mg Xeljanz XR since late April and the improvement was so dramatic that they think Pfizer should be paying me to be their poster girl. It's a daily pill, and right now, I'm also taking Methotrexate, but that may be eliminated soon. I have suffered no side effects with the Xeljanz, and the improvements were evident within two weeks. I have gone from 16 of 18 joints being inflamed, to only 2, and those are in the fingers of my right hand. The real glitch is that Xeljanz is super expensive, and once this clinical research study that I'm in is over, I don't know if I will be able to afford the co-pay. If your insurance will cover most of the cost, I highly recommend that you try it.

I've recently been enrolled in a clinical research study using Xeljans XR - the daily pill - and have been on it about three weeks. So far, the results are extraordinary! My first pill (along with continuing 25 mg of Methotrexate) was on April 4th, when I was in so much pain, I was icing wrists, hands, shoulders and right knee. As of April 20th (2 weeks/2 days) I was limber enough to go on a zip line, which involved climbing 67 steps of a spiral staircase to the first platform. Today I felt great - no ice needed. Tomorrow, I am going out with neighbors on their boat. No side effects so far, but it's early days. See if there are any clinical research studies going on in your area that are overseen by your rheumatologist. The Xeljans XR will be provided free, and it's worth a try.

Have been on Actemra for about 5 months. Once a week injections. Tried the Simponi with an injector. Not good now I’m using the needle and find it much easier. Once u are over the initial fear of self injection, it is very easy. Good luck!

I have been on Actemra 12 weeks /8 weeks they doubled dose after 12 weeks and I feel almost back to my normal self. My hands still don't make a fist but have had no pain can get up and out of a chair and walk. I had been on infusion for sarcoma cancer then they gave me a flu shot pneumonia shot and my infusion all on the same day the next day I woke up with rheumatoid arthritis to the extreme. Luckily my cancer seemed to be in control they quit giving me my infusions for that and started now with Actemra and right now it is working beautiful. Never give up let your doctors know how you feel and what you need to correct it is an experiment to get the correct amount and the correct drugs but somewhere out there there should be some kind of really for you it's amazing what they can do. Keep a watchful eye for any changes in your body side effects are brutal and sometimes they're non-existent everyone is different. I swim every morning I work nights as a security guard I walk 10 to 20,000 steps a day I don't give in I just move on.