What are side effects for arthritis medication?
All medications, including the ones that you buy without a prescription, have the potential for side effects. Arthritis drugs are no exception. It’s not possible to list all the side effects of arthritis drugs because different drugs cause different side effects and different individuals respond differently to medications. According to Arthritis Foundation, some of the more common side effects of the different categories of drugs used to treat arthritis are:
– Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Edema (swelling of the feet) heartburn, stomach upset and stomach ulcers and possibly higher risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke.
– Cortiocosteroids. Cataracts, elevated blood glucose and blood glucose levels, increased appetite and bone loss.
– Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Stomach upset and increased susceptibility to disease. Other side effects vary from drug.
– Biologic agents. Injection site reactions, including redness and swelling; infusion reactions (difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, rapid or weak pulse) and increased risk of serious infections. Other side effects vary from drug.
When prescribing drugs, you and your physician will have to weigh the possible risks against the benefits you expect and expect to attain. You should talk with your doctor about ways to minimize drug side effects, like adjusting the dose or time of medication, taking it with meals or taking another medicine to counteract the negative effect.
Ways to manage NSAIDs side effects
The pain associated with RA can also drain you mentally, physically, and emotionally as well. It does not help that the prescription medicines you are taking could deplete vital nutrients from your body, making you susceptible to further health problems. There are various nutritional and herbal supplements that can help you reduce your pain and need for medication. Of course, you need to work with your doctor for this, but you should know about the options you have. You need to understand the key nutrients you may be losing due to your medications and how you can make up for their loss.
NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): Often seen by most of us as being relatively harmless, this category includes everything from the simple Aspirin to the more sophisticated Cox-2 inhibitors. The rationale for using selective COX-2 inhibitors originated from the negative gastrointestinal (GI) effects of nonselective NSAIDs and aspirin. But, the COX-2 selective inhibition exhibited by certain NSAIDs can raise the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease. Further, NSAIDs can deplete folic acid, vitamin C, iron, potassium and sodium from the body. This depletion could lead to a range of symptoms, such as cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint pain, Irregular menstrual bleeding, anemia, fatigue, headache, hair loss, and quite a few more.
Supplements that you can consider to restore the lost nutrients include Vitamin C, potassium, sodium, iron, and folic acid.
Consult with an expert on the right dosage and frequency with your particular symptoms.
Manage corticosteroids side effects
Corticosteroids (cortisone like medications) are utilized to give relief for inflamed areas of the body. They lessen swelling, redness, itching, and allergic reactions. They are usually used as part of this treatment for a range of different diseases, such as severe allergies or skin problems, asthma, or arthritis. Corticosteroids may also be used for other conditions as determined by your physician.
Your body naturally produces certain cortisone-like hormones that are essential to keep good health. If your body doesn’t produce enough, your physician may have prescribed this medicine to help make up the gap.
Corticosteroids are very strong medicines. In addition to their helpful effects in treating your medical problem, they have side effects that could be quite serious. If your adrenal glands aren’t producing enough cortisone-like hormones, taking this medicine is unlikely to cause problems unless you take a lot of it. If you are taking this medicine to treat another medical problem, make sure you discuss the risks and benefits of the medication with your physician.
They work by suppressing the immune system. Many Individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (a condition in which the body attacks its own joints) are prescribed corticosteroids. However, the relief is temporary and there are severe side effects. So, even physicians use them with caution. Corticosteroids can deplete calcium, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc.
When you drop these nutrients, you can face symptoms such as muscle cramps, insomnia, irritability, depression, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, and many more.
Dietary supplements that can help for restoring the lost nutrients include folic acid, potassium, sodium, selenium, Vitamins C & D3, magnesium, and zinc. You will need to consult with a health expert on the dosage and frequency.
Manage analgesics side effects
Analgesics work by disrupting and masking the pain signal, but do not eliminate the underlying inflammation. They have many side effects also. The nutrients they deplete comprise the body’s master antioxidant glutathione, vitamin B9, and folic acid.
Supplements that help manage these side effects include glutathione and folic acid. It is quite possible that a good multi-vitamin may already include these nutrients to avoid shopping individually.
