Do You Struggle with Arthritis Treatment Decisions?

Going to the rheumatologist can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when you are given multiple options for the treatment of your arthritis.  How can you decide what is best?  It is not like the days when aspirin was the standard of care.

Your rheumatologist will, of course, give you his/her professional opinion on which treatments you should pursue. However, it is ultimately up to you to decide if the treatment is best for you and your body.

Here are some tips to help you decide:

1. Make sure you understand your treatment options
2. What are the positive and negative aspects of those treatments? (Do your research)
3. How long before the treatments are expected to work?
4. Will your health insurance cover the treatment?  If not, can you afford the treatment?
5. Are you willing to commit to the treatment?
6. Will the treatment conflict with any other health problems?
7. Are these my only options?

The good news is that you do not need to make a decision immediately.  Making a decision without all of the facts does not do you or anyone else any good.

Ask for a couple of days to think about it.  Go home and take some time to go through the steps.  Do your research. Then, make the decision that is right for you.

One more tip: When deciding between multiple treatment options, you may want to write/type these steps in a more visually-appealing format such as a grid or spreadsheet.  This will help you to compare your options.

Hope this helps! Good luck!