HgHiggins. l agree 100%! All of the biological as well as methotrexate have their side effects- Some mild ones can really have a positive effect on your illness making the drug tolerable. As far as pain meds/ I take very little in the way of tylenol or NSAIDS—-they all can be terrible for your liver also lead to stomach issues. I feel very comfortable taking minimumly the low dose oxycodone prescribed dose under the doctors care. In NY State you must sign papers and forms before even permitting your drs prescription. I suppose some people are not candidates for these meds; for me. when in extreme pain( not every day but when l start to feel the pain level l just can’t take., this is what takes the edge off and at times stops the pain. I am
not a big pill popper or pusher- l ve just learned that controlling my pain makes my life easier, allowing me to do more be more active. . Even travel and do things l haven’t done for 20 years. Just understand the importance of all possibilities and of having caring drs who least of all do not want their patients to be in pain and suffer. l truly hope everyone finds something that provides relief for you
By the way, each day morning and late in
the day I try to meditate and do mindfulness exercises. Maybe that helps as well, both physically and emotionally

Prednisone has serious side effects with high doses and/or long term therapy. Take as little as you can for as short a time as possible. That said, sometimes we need it for flares.

Reference:
Prednisone
"The recommended first-line treatment for RA is disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), but these drugs can take eight to 12 weeks to start working. Prednisone is often used as a "bridge therapy" to provide relief before DMARDs take effect.

Prednisone typically starts working in about an hour and stays in your system for about a day. Repeated doses should bring noticeable relief to an arthritis flare in 24 to 48 hours.

The downside of prednisone: Unlike DMARDs, it doesn't target a specific cell or biological function. Instead, it works systemically, flooding the body and affecting many different types of cells and functions.

So while prednisone provides fast relief, it has a number of side effects that limit its use, particularly over a duration".

Hope this helps. xxx

I've learned to never take this long term very short term as possible. It makes you gain weight fast. So I dont take it no more than a few days to a week if my ASTHMA clears up fast enough for me to stop. It's very helpful for inflammatory issues and Asthma issues. But it does help & take a told on other aspects of your body like your weight some folks swell up if the dose is too much. Just be very careful try your best if possible to not take it long term on in short spells as needed. If it's ok with your doctor & you definitely see how it's making you eat alot more swelling up or showing large amounts of weight gain since taking them if so I'd talk to your Dr about seeing if theirs something else you can take with out these side effects. Just my opinion since I've taken them on & off since 2009 when I got diagnosed with Asthma and after my 1st car accident. Good luck please be careful with prednisone period. The patches I've had some but not sure about the CV ones you have. Just always write down different symptoms your seeing or experiencing so you can share with your Dr to make sure everything is fine or maybe it needs to be stopped or changed. Ok God bless & Good luck with everything 🙏🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾👍🏽👍🏽😊

All drugs have side effects but for most of us none or just a few.
But don't let the information about drugs and Biologicals scare you to death or you'll suffer immensely. I like alot of others didn't realize I needed stronger and more effective medications and used alot of over the counter medications for years.