Patient Stories

FELLICIA

ON-SCREEN TEXT:

The patient featured in this video shares her experience taking CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) and living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Every patient is different and responds differently to therapy – so your results may vary. Talk to your rheumatologist and find out if CIMZIA may be right for you.

FELLICIA:

My name is Fellicia and I’m here to talk about my experience with rheumatoid arthritis.

0:25 MY MOTIVATION

I have my husband and then my three children; a lot of my journey and a lot of making sure that I stay healthy is for them.

I was worried about not being able to pick up my kids and not being able to hold their hands because them holding my hand and squeezing it would hurt. I was worried about not being able to go on walks or not being able to go to the zoo or the parks or play, even.

I have to make sure that I’m doing what I need to do, to help myself.

0:56 DEALING WITH RA SYMPTOMS

My attitude towards dealing with my RA symptoms is that I can get through it and it doesn’t own me.

Some of my everyday symptoms that I could deal with include stiffness in my fingers and my wrists, pain and stiffness and swelling in my ankles, my elbows, my — my neck and my back. Just that stiffness pretty much all throughout my body.

1:22 FINDING THE RIGHT RA TREATMENT

Finding the right treatment for myself is probably one of the most important things that I’ve done in my life.

Some of the changes that I started seeing with CIMZIA –– I’m not having the stiffness that I was having before; I’m not having the pain that I was having before. I was able to go to the grocery store. I was able to lift things again. I’m able to turn the little handles on sinks now and faucets. I used to drop my toothbrush a lot when I was brushing my teeth. I don’t drop it anymore. So, I’m able to grip a lot better.

Medication can be expensive. I use the CIMZIA co-pay card to help offset my costs. And that just makes it, you know, that much easier for me to continue on treatment.

2:05 HOW I GET THROUGH TOUGH DAYS

Having a positive mental mindset helps me through the day tremendously.

Yeah, I’ve had to take all of these medications before, but I think if I would have had a negative attitude about it, I may not have continued going and I may have just said, “Oh well, it is what it is and that’s it.”

Having the positive attitude allowed me to find CIMZIA because I didn’t stop. You know, there’s something out there.

2:32 MY ADVICE: ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF

For someone seeking new treatment, I would say be open and — and be loud and be heard.Make sure that, you know, whether you’re seeing a new rheumatologist or you’re telling your rheumatologist about what’s going on at the moment or wanting to find a new medicine, make sure that you are talking to them and telling them exactly what’s happening.

Your family and your support system can really be there to help you. Even though you may not know anybody with RA, you’re not alone.

AUSTRALIA

ON-SCREEN TEXT:

The patient featured in this video shares her experience taking CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) and living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Every patient is different and responds differently to therapy – so your results may vary. Talk to your rheumatologist and find out if CIMZIA may be right for you.

AUSTRALIA:

My name is Australia, and I’m making this video in hopes that it will help someone else live a better life with rheumatoid arthritis. If it’s only one person, I would like to make a difference in their life by telling them there is hope. So, I’m super excited.

0:34 WHEN I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH RA

I remember when I first learned that I had RA. I started to develop symptoms when I was a senior in college, and it started off, um, in my feet. Actually, like, the ball of my foot on one side felt like I was walking on golf balls.

But it wasn’t until I began to experience pain in my shoulders that I actually went to the emergency room and the doctor diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis. And I was, like, completely devastated. I’m getting ready to, you know, start my career, take over the world, and I had all of these dreams. I t was just life — life changing for me.

1:12 FINDING THE RIGHT RA TREATMENT

There were various medications I tried that did not work. Some worked for a while, and then they would stop working. But when my doctor introduced me to CIMZIA, I was so excited.

Since I’ve been injecting myself with CIMZIA, I’ve noticed that, uh, my pain level is not as great. It’s helping with the inflammation, and the inflammation is what causes the pain.

At this point I have noticed a reduction in the symptoms. It’s less pain. I’m able to move my joints even more.

But early treatment is very, very, very important. I cannot stress that enough. The longer you wait, the more damage you can experience to your joints. And you — you don’t want that, because once the damage is done, it’s irreversible.

You know your body. My rheumatologist tells me that all the time. You know what symptoms you’re having. You know about the fatigue and — and the pain. So, having a — a doctor who can actually, um, listen and understand helps a lot.

2:20 MY ADVICE: KEEP PUSHING

When I’m going through a flare, I continue to take my medication, and I tell myself, “You can do it.”

I own my own newspaper. I share a lot of my personal experiences. And it’s given me the opportunity to write articles to inform people about rheumatoid arthritis and how to live with it.

I am also a teacher, so I spend time with a lot of students within the school system. I’m also a foster mom – and I take pride in that.

There are times when I have to just take it, like, one day at a time... One hour at a time... One minute at a time. And then there are days when it’s like, one second at a time. But I keep pushing.

I’m a fighter. I got this. I got it. And you can have it, too.