My R/A always does bloodwoork on me every eight weeks, so between looking at me & checking blood work, she can tell when the meds are not working anymore.

My RA said I need bloodwork every 3 months but that is to check liver and kidney toxicity. Have you tried to add Anti-Inflammatory supplements to your diet ? I will make a few suggestions also SOME of us take Hemp Seeds, CBD oil, too. You can try the following as well: Get Food Allergy testing and keep a diary. when you have a flareup write down what you ate the day before. My allergist had me to for blood testing for food allergies - I am sensitive to quite a lot so that may very well add to my swelling Supplements to try: TUMERIC or CURCUMIN supplements, Boswella, Quercitin, Omega 3 Fish Oil (you want about 2,000 mg so you have to look at the label on the back, most have only 300 mg.) I get mine online at Amazon Pharmax Fish oil (has 1,975mg of Omega 3). TART CHERRY Juice or the gel tablets. TRY TO ELIMINATE ALL DAIRY and SUGAR those are big triggers for Inflammation. I also do a liquid fast 1 day a week drinking only purified water and I also make BONE BROTH (recipe is online by Chef Michael Symon who has an Immune Disorder, maybe he has RA). A lot of people swear by bone broth. I make a batch every week in my crock pot, fill up my thermos and drink the entire thermos throughout the day. My goal is to get off this damn Methatrexate and back to what worked for me for the entire year after I was diagnosed which is everything I wrote above. It is WORK but if you say to yourself I'LL DO ANYTHING TO FEEL BETTER, then this is all worth a try

Sounds like your meds are not working. An MRI will show if anything else is going on so I guess not a bad thing. I agree that regular blood work will show Sed levels increased or not which determines your level of inflammation. And yes not bad for Canada ugh it’s great to have health care but sometimes the waits just suck

Instead of upping pain pills, it seem like he/she should have discussed with you the possibility of adding a biologic or increasing your methotrexate dosage. Pin meds are only going to hide what's going on not treat the diseasee

SusanWard6,With me my doctor does blood work every 6 months.So when I complained I’m getting in pain again he does blood work and says it shows my levels are going back up.I was put n Humira in Dec.and it worked after 6 months.I was sleeping through the night with out pain and able do do things with out pain but I am starting to get into the pain again and I don’t see my doctor till September 5th.So I feel that my meds.arent working again😪.