Newest RA drug may be the most dangerous one of all
Having rheumatoid arthritis just got a whole lot more dangerous.
Along with having to deal with the exhaustion, swelling, pain and stiffness of RA, there are also the drugs used to treat it — incredibly dangerous meds that range from opioids to Rx anti-inflammatories to biologics that suppress your immune system.
And now, there’s Kevzara, the latest RA treatment to be OK’d by the FDA.
You’re going to be hearing a lot of hype from the media about how this injectable drug can take away your pain and possibly stop RA damage. Your own doctor may even recommend you take it.
But there are some other, very important facts about Kevzara you need to hear first.
When does a drug become just too dangerous to take?
Is it when it can trigger a potentially fatal lung or viral infection that can spread throughout your body?
How about being linked to a deadly cancer? Is that the final straw for a med’s “safety” profile?
Apparently not, because all those side effects — and many more — come straight off the labels of drugs used to treat RA.
I guess when so many RA patients are expected to take these risks, the FDA figures that another dangerous drug on the market won’t make that much difference. But if you’re the one who ends up suffering one or more of these horrific side effects, it’s going to make all the difference in the world.
Kevzara, the latest one to hit the market for this disabling condition, is coming out of the gate with a black-box warning about the “risk of serious infections” that can send you to the hospital…or worse.
It can knock your immune system for a loop, with one of its “most common” side effects called “neutropenia.” That’s an abnormally low count of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell needed to fight off infections.
When that count dips too low, you’re a sitting duck for almost any bug. Even common, normal bacteria from your mouth and GI tract could kill you.
If that’s not enough to worry about, other potential side effects of injecting yourself with Kevzara include: elevated liver enzymes, a low platelet count (which means you’re more susceptible to bleeding), different kinds of cancers, a tear in your stomach or intestines, and upper respiratory and urinary tract infections (said to be “common”).
Whew!
Despite all those dangers, many with RA will no doubt decide to give it a try. But meds such as Kevzara can take you from the proverbial frying pan into the fire — and before you know it, RA will become the least of your worries.
There are, however, some recent findings on ways to fight back against RA without resorting to these risky meds. Some may take longer to bring relief than a shot or a pill, but at least when they do, you’ll still be healthy enough to enjoy it!
For example:
- Last year we told you about research that found a Mediterranean-style diet can help improve the “quality of life” for arthritis patients. That includes cutting down on red meat, eating more servings of fish and veggies, adding a variety of nuts to your diet and using olive oil almost exclusively in your cooking and meals.
- Acupuncture — the oldest “new” treatment for pain there is! This ancient method of inserting the tips of needles to special “points” around the body is getting so popular that you probably won’t have any trouble finding one or more licensed acupuncturists in your neck of the woods.
- While the last thing you probably feel like doing with RA is being more active, even small increases in movement have been found to help. One study that looked at over 1,600 adults with arthritis found that just 45 minutes of moderate activity a week were able to significantly improve their ability to function. Swimming is said to be one of the best exercises you can do, even when you’re having an RA flare.
“FDA approves sarilumab for adults with rheumatoid arthritis” Marcia Frellick, May 23, 2017, Medscape, medscape.com
