Danielle: Since I've had arthritis, I've been on these medications, which have been pills. And basically they're
an anti-inflammatory, which is something to take away the inflammation in your joints.
Dr. Cameron: As yet there is no cure for JIA. However, there are safe and effective
medications that can help you reduce your inflammation, relieve pain and swelling and
make it easier for you to stay active.
Danielle: I've been on sulfasalazine. Duncan: Naproxen.
Lindsey: Methotrexate. Neely: Prednisone.
Lindsey: Remicade, which I take every four weeks. Before Remicade, I was in a wheelchair and I was at home for three months on the couch.
And after, I was able to, you know, be average I guess. I was able to go with my friends and live a normal life, like day-to-day life.
It was easy. And all because of this one medication that really helped me.
Dr. Cameron: It is important for you to know the names of your medications, how they will help you, how and when you should take them,
what side effects you should watch for, and how long it takes for them to work.
Neely: It's very common for teenagers with arthritis, who take medication, to worry about what the side effects of those medications might be.
Lindsey: Every time I take them, I feel like I have to throw up. I found out that it's actually a side effect of the medication.
I mean, it's nice to know that it's a normal side effect, but at the same time, it's a normal side effect. But at the same time it's not enjoyable. And it's not easy to cope with.
Even to this day, like I don't like seeing those methotrexate pills. So there's these little yellow
pills and they're so teeny, but now I can't eat yellow candy just because I remember how sick I
would feel and that's just a lasting side effect of, you know, I'll probably carry for a long time.
Neely: A lot of kids with arthritis take steroids such as prednisone. A big concern is about the side effect
of weight gain and stretch marks and how that will affect their appearance.
Lindsey: When you're growing up and you're developing self-esteem, you're developing your own identity, that can be hard
to deal with because you look in the mirror and you're not sure if it's you or not because of all
these side effects are you're experiencing.
Neely: Talk to your doctor about your concerns before you make any changes to your medications.
Danielle: Sometimes your medications will change and the transition for me has been kind of hard between medications,
but now I'm on two that really help me and I hardly ever feel pain.
Duncan: At one point when my arthritis was getting bad, I had joint injections
where they stick an injection right directly into the joint, right directly into my knee.
And I remember I got all these awful side-effects and I wasn't able to walk for a while and I'd get
feverish feelings and I wasn't able to go out for Halloween and I remember that was really tough
for me. So although medication is good for you, it's, there are some points that work very good [inaudible].
Lindsey: So when I was growing up with arthritis, it really affected my jaw joints and so, one of the sides
actually didn't grow properly while the other one tried to and it got to a point where I had my jaw pushed back and
they were kind of worried about my chewing and my sleeping and so they had me into surgery to get my jaw fixed and
so now I have 26 pieces of metal in my face, which I think is amazing. I love the outcome cause it makes me feel less self-conscious.
[inaudible] look at me and say 'Oh, that girl, you know, has arthritis.' Where before, I think you would have wondered more.
Dr. Cameron: These medications also prevent or minimize permanent joint damage.
Lindsey: Since I was diagnosed so young, it was not unusual for my mom to handle my medications, find out what I have to take,
how often I have to take it. But as I got older, I kind of found that naturally I wanted to take
more responsibility. I wanted to know more and understand more so that I could be in charge
of my own health. And to do that I had to learn the names of my medication. I had to, you know,
kind of write up schedules of when I would take what pill or what eye drop and it actually made
me feel really good about myself because it made me feel like, you know, I was in charge and that I
was an adult in taking responsibility and so I kind of found, you know, something optimistic and
positive out of taking medication. The fact that, you know, I was being like an adult.
Duncan: I've made sure that I take my medicine and try to make it a routine that way.
Danielle: I forget my to take my medication a lot, so I try to come up with ways that would help me remember because when I didn't
take my medication, I would feel it a lot of my joints. So I got this bottle and it has every day
of the week and I put it a certain amount to know how much I should have left at each day and if
I look at the end of the day and there's still stuff left, then I know I didn't take it which
is okay just the next day I have to remember to take it.
Lindsey: So it's important to, you know, try and take what they tell you to take because they're just looking for your best interests and you know
you're just something you have to go through to find the right ones that will work for you.