Hi I am new here. I was diagnosied with RA last May on my 43rd birthday. I have been on Pred and gained 14 pounds very quickly. So went off that and on Plaquinal did nothing for me. Now on Methotrexate for 6 weeks and still nothing. I know it can take up to 6 months to work. I am wondering what happens in the mean time? The pain is worse and it feels like my inflammation is getting worse.
Thank You.Hi and welcome to AI!
If you're in a lot of pain, it's still there. Sorry, don't mean to be a bummer. Did the doc say up to 6 months? And how long were you on the Plaq?
The first year is the worst. There's a lot of realigning life and loss. But, hang out here. We've got a bunch of people who's been sick a long time and they're still kicking butt! Ok, mostly mine...but you get my drift.
Hugs,
Pip
Thanks for your replay.
Yes the Rhumie told me up to 6 months for the plaq. I have been on it for 6 weeks now. How do you know if the joints are being damaged even more? Do you have to wait and wait for the meds to work and in the meantime your joints are being damaged?
I think x-rays are the only real way to know how much damage is occuring. Have you had any done yet??
BTW - Where in WI are you? We've got lots of folks here from MI, WI, IL....it's neat :) My mom and dad live in Columbus, and the rest of my fam lives in Spooner. (po-dunk town!)
I mean the Rhumie told me up to 6 months for the Methotrexate. I was on the Plaq. for 6 1/2 months.Methotrexate took about 3 months to work properly for myself, but unfortunately after 14 months, I think it has run it's cause. I'm on 20mg a week at the moment, plus Plaq.
The idea with the drugs is to not feel the pain but I have always had little flares with the occasional bigin.
I usually rely on Pred to knock the bigins in the bud.
You can tell you're in a flare, when its hard to get out of bed, button clothes, your joints, where its affected are super swollen, you're exhausted and in pain... tho after awhile, its true, we go into denial, lol and say really this is a flare? bc we just don't want it to be..
it takes months... yrs.. to get better.. little steps... and overdoing it, isn't worth it..
Xrays... i personally can't do the mri's in the machine, too freaked, tho i haven't tried the open one... yet... still freaks me... lol
really the best advice, i can give, is keep seeing your rhem dr often, be gentle w/ your joints.. and make sure you have pain meds.... and read or watch funny movies..
humor helps..shrug.. lol
My knees become super swollen that even my friends comment on them.
You have to learn to live a different sort of life now and thats the hardest part..
I changed apts, from upstairs to downstairs and boy that made a HUGE difference!!
Therapy is also good :)
hugs
Whispered2008-02-04 00:57:35I had x-rays and a bone dentisty test and a MRI (had a Zanax before that) there was some damage. My rhumie won't give me any thing but Tramadol for pain. That does not work at all! I have been in pain for 9 months it just seems to be getting worse, does that mean damage is happening? How do you know when you have over done it? When there is more pain after you have done something?
So I guess until your Meds are working there is damage being done?
I am in Milwaukee.
I can't believe your Dr won't give you anything for the pain!!!
My Dr gives me anything, I ask for: valium, vicodin, darvocet...
vicodin seems to work best, on the worst days and valium is great for sleep!
I would check around for another dr!... my sister is up there in Wi too :)
good ?, i don't know either if damage is being done or not, thats why I go super easy on myself.. I just refuse to risk my health and get worse....thats just me.. shrug..
I hear a lot of people say that, about the pain meds. He said you do not treat Arthritis with pain meds. Yeh well how do you treat the pain then? He will give me Tramadol or Darvocet thats it. Neither of them work! He is a good Doc otherwise.
I was thinking of going to a pain clinic?
I had a Hysterectomy last September and was given the strongest Vicoden and that worked on both my Ra pain and the surgery pain.
Up to a point your doctor is right in saying that you do not treat arthritis with pain meds.
BUT
It is my belief that your doctor should be making your life as comfortable as possible while going after the medications that will treat the disease in a manner that will required you to take less of the pain meds, if at all possible, take none.
Your doctor knows that nobody can function properly while in constant discomfort or outright pain.
If what he has prescribed for you is not working, then he should be trying you on something that does work.
Unless there are other medical reason as to why you cannot take something a little stronger, then I would be seeking another opinion.
This is all just my thoughts.
I just wanted to say hello and welcome.
I'm coming up on my 1yr anniversary myself. I don't know if my RA is getting worse or better. All I know is that I always seem to be in some sort of pain. (RD mentioned fibro last visit. Bah!) I hope you're able to get your pain controlled quickly. Have a superfantastic and extra-comfortable day!
Mrs A Thanks for the welcome.
Bodak...Can you come to the Rhumie with me.
I feel my Arthritis is getting worse and hope the damage is not to bad before I get the right Meds.
I think its best to listen to your body. What level of pain are you in and how stiff and painful are the morning? I think the hard part for me, during the first or second years was not "is the RA getting worse" but how effective were the meds (MTX/Enbrel) at slowing it down. Its hard when you have a progressive disease like RA to know how well you are doing and whether it would be faster, or slower, if you didn't have the meds.
Secondly, I think its total BS that you shouldn't treat the pain. I'm on the most aggressive meds I can buy to get my RA under control and I still have difficulties. Its not that I'm not paying attention or that I'm not trying! To say that if you have the RA under control then you don't need pain meds is over simplifying the reality of RA - RA is not easily or sometimes not able to be controlled no matter how hard we try.
Try not to dwell on your pain, but learn to listen to it. Its a better diagnostic tool than any of the clinical or blood tests that RDs use.
You know I don't get that either, If some of these Doc's( not all) were in pain you know they would self medicate.Welcome to AI, Masonsnana!
Hope to see many more posts from you!Hi Masonsnana -
It may just be my doctor's rules, but she felt that if mtx wasn't working in 12-16 weeks after an increase to 25mg, that it was time to add a biologic to minimize damage, so I added Enbrel just a little over 16 weeks. The combination seems to be working, but hoping I'll have new xrays at my next appt to see how things are looking.
I'm new to RA, just reaching my 1-year anniversary, but the more I read about RA, it does appear that early, agressive treatment is the best. Some of the more seasoned veterans may have more insight on the length of time for meds to work, but that's what I have read.
Take Care
Cathy
I am only taking 10mg once a week. That is one thing I noticed he is not very agressive with my treatment.
Thanks for the welcome Joonie.
I agree peanut, if they were in our shoes it would be a different story!
I listen to my body and it is always Screaming at me!!
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