Independent Specialty Pharmacy

Welcome To Your

Rheumatology

Patient-Centered

Pharmacy

Hub

We've teamed up to complete the link between your specialty pharmacy, insurance company, doctor, and you.

How quickly you reach your health goals can depend on how well your specialty pharmacy serves your needs and reacts to changes. That is why GHLF and CreakyJoints has partnered with your specialty pharmacy to provide you resources, support, and answers to your questions.

About CreakyJoints

CreakyJoints is a digital community for millions of arthritis patients and caregivers worldwide who seek education, support, advocacy, and patient-centered research. We represent patients through our popular social media channels, our website CreakyJoints.org, and the 50-State Network, which includes nearly 1,500 trained volunteer patient, caregiver and healthcare activists.

As part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, CreakyJoints also has a patient-reported outcomes registry called ArthritisPower^® with nearly 25,000 consented arthritis patients who track their disease while volunteering to participate in longitudinal and observational research. CreakyJoints also publishes the popular “Raising the Voice of Patients” series, which are downloadable patient-centered navigational tools for managing chronic illness. For more information and to become a member (for free), visit CreakyJoints.org. To participate in our patient-centered research program, visit ArthritisPower.org.

Definitely not at all. Drug manufacturers are required to tell you about all those potential side effects, but there's a less than 10 percent chance that an individual patient will experience a side effect of any FDA-approved drug, says Kathryn Dao, MD, associate director of clinical rheumatology at Baylor Research Institute in Dallas, Texas. The chance that you'll experience a serious side effect — such as an infection that requires being hospitalized — is even lower: less than 5 percent.

My medication came with an insert that includes a long list of side effects. Am I guaranteed to have one or more of them?

There are many different medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis and prevent disease progression. It’s important to understand the possible side effects. Download our RA drug side effects chart to learn about the common and serious side effects by various drug classes.

The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. CreakyJoints.org is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Your Biggest Questions,

Answered

Side effects aren't always preventable, but oftentimes you can work together with your healthcare provider team to minimize them.

Talking to your specialty pharmacist about a medication’s potential risks and benefits — and how those fit in to your treatment goals and preferences — is part of what's referred to as 'shared decision-making'. You can speak to your specialty pharmacist about your concerns and prepare to talk to your doctor about your health history, lifestyle, other medications you take, and other diseases you have in order to better understand which side effects are more likely to be an issue for you.

Here are 10 questions you may consider asking your specialty pharmacist:

Your Biggest Questions, Answered

Is there anything I can do to lower my risk further?

Yes. It starts by picking the right drug, which means working with your doctor to choose the option that you both think will work best for your condition and be safest given any other conditions and risk factors you might have, says Kevin Winthrop, MD, a professor of infectious diseases and public health at Oregon Health & Science University.

What if I'm especially concerned about a specific side effect?

Tell your doctor. There are many treatments to choose from. Each drug has a different side effect profile. Tell your doctor what's on your mind and they can help you choose a medication that's less likely to cause the problem you're worried about, says Dr. Withrop.

DOWNLOAD THE RA DRUGS SIDE EFFECTS CHART AND CHECKLIST DOWNLOAD THIS CHECKLIST FOR YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT

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How might this medication help me?
Does this drug interact with any other medication or supplement I take?
What are the most common side effects of this drug?
Is this drug associated with any serious side effects?
How likely is it that I will experience any of these side effects?
Can I do anything to reduce the chance of experiencing a side effect?
If I'm not comfortable with the possible side effects of this drug, what are my options?
How long has this drug been on the market?
If I start this drug and experience side effects, how quickly can I change course?
What should I do if I experience a side effect?

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Evolutionary

Pharmacy

Services

How the right pharmacist, from the right pharmacy, can help you manage your health

Here are 11 key ways that a full-service specialized pharmacy like your specialty pharmacy provides optimal care for those living with a chronic inflammatory condition:

Knowledgeable pharmacy staff who understand your specific disease and the medications that treat it
Pharmacist available by phone 24/7 to answer any questions
Personal support from a pharmacist you know and trust
Option to request regular phone calls to make sure you're successfully taking your medications and to see if you have any concerns
Dosing and administation counseling so you're comfortable knowing how to take your medication, especially for injectable drugs
Medication delivery that works for your schedule
Tips for remembering your medication, regardless of how often or how many different medications you take
Side effect counseling to help you find ways to make everyday life easier
Medication review to prevent potential harmful interactions
Insurance assistance, including prior authorization coordination between your insurance company and your doctor, and alerting you if medication filling delays may occur
Financial assistance coordination to make your medication more affordable, when possible

A specialty pharmacy is much more than just a medication dispenser. It’s an accessible, qualified resource to ensure you are effectively managing your health and chronic conditions.

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Don’t Let Side Effects Scare You.
Here’s What to Know and What to Do.

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Welcome To Your

Rheumatology

Patient-Centered

Pharmacy Hub

CreakyJoints is part of the non-profit Global Healthy Living Foundation and is a 20+ year online patient community dedicated to providing free education, support, advocacy, and patient-centered research.