I think of my RA as a chronic disease.  If I go into remission because
of medications, I have to stay on the meds or lose the remission.  I
never, ever forget how I felt in the past when things were not going as
well. Yes, I have read about people going into a remission, but I have
never met one of them.  Did they really have the disease to start with?
If I didn't trust the RD I am seeing I would certainly get another
opinion to confirm the diagnosis. Denial doesn't make the pain or the
damage go away.

Ann

In my eleven years with RA I have had 2 remissions. One was with my
pregnancy. A complete, med-free remission that lasted the entirety of the
pregnancy and for a few months beyond. The second was a medicated remission
shortly after starting Enbrel 4 years ago. That one lasted about 2 years. I
have had small flares in the 4 years I've been on Enbrel, which are nothing
like the ones I had before.

The disease did damage that can't be undone and some stiffness, etc. is a
result of that old damage and I'll have it forever. My goal is to not let
this disease take any more of what I have than it already has. Some meds.
don't seem to work as well if we go off of them and then try to start up
again. It makes sense for me to keep taking my meds., even when I feel good,
as insurance for the times when I feel bad.

A medicated remission is good enough for me and I am happy to have them. I
will not risk going off my meds altogether and my RD wouldn't ask me to. I
know from the times I've been ill and couldn't take my Enbrel that it only
takes a couple of weeks for the RA monster to raise its ugly head and bite
me.

I hope this helps,
Kelly C.