Today I saw my rheumatologist and we decided it is time to try MTX. I am taking 7 2.5 mg tablets a week. I hope and pray that this drug works. At the appointment, I also got a steroid injection for bursitis in my left hip (it hurt!!!) and a pneumonia vaccination.
The pain has been really, bad. As long as I don't have major side effects on mtx, things can only get better. Right?
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I had hoped metho would have worked for me but my system broke down in two days. I went to a 102 fever right away, malaise, extremem fatigue and so on. I just couldn't take it. So now it's plaquenil & avara along with pain med, muscle relaxer, pepcid and all my "must take" vitamins to kick back the deficiencies.
ReplyDeleteThey must come up with a better drug... they must. Hugs/ Tazzy.. who wishes you good luck with metho!!
Bravo for starting on MTX! Far more people take the stuff without incident than have serious side effects. And it does seem to work pretty well for a lot of them (the reason MTX is always referred to as "the gold standard of RA treatment" I guess).
ReplyDeleteI have hip bursitis, too, though I've not taken any steroid injections for it, yet. I hope your pain level drops dramatically because of that and then stays down because of the MTX. Best of luck!
-Wren
Beth,
ReplyDeleteI got diagnosed with RA back in July 2003 at the age of 44 and I was in bad shape...could barely walk or make it across the room, and the pain throughout my body was excruciating. I started taking MTX after I finally got into see my Rheumy Doc (a couple months wait while on the steroids I hate - but they do work so use as needed but no more), and all I can say is give it a couple months to work, take your Folic Acid everyday, and it will work great.
I am still on it and almost pain free now even though I had a sed rate of 99 when first diagnosed (it took a couple years for all the pain to go away). But some things I discovered on the way that may help you:
- Take an Omega 3 pill each day (after food)
- Take about 1000 IUs of Vitamin D every day
- Cut out any foods that really cause pain (for me it was gluten, corn products, and potatoes).
- Try to find a warm water therapy class.
- Take a Tai Chi class (much easier on the joints than yoga)
- Migrate to the biologic drugs as you can (and can afford): I waited nearly six years to start on Enbrel and it was a miracle! My body completely loosened up in about 4 days (felt like I could almost run again - but no, by knees are shot!...lol). But the biologics work great.
So take your meds, slowly get your body moving again, and don't hesitate to take a biologic. Things WILL get better - I can't believe how far back I've come - everyone says they can't believe how much better I move and look now. No kidding - never lose faith in tomorrow:). My sed rate now is in the low teens (better than your "normal" person out there). I believe in multiple plans of attack!
All the best to you and you aren't alone,
Sharon
P.S. - Forgot to put this in....if you have any questions that I can help you with, just visit my website and you can send an email to me from there.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Sharon