Is it unreasonabe to ask RD | Arthritis Information
I have an appointment with my Rheumy this afternoon. I havent had any real RA problems for 2 years since I started my meds. I am on Methotrexate and enbrel.
I want to stop my enbrel and see what happens. After a year they found nodules on my lungs and I am suspicious of enbrel. Is anyone on just methotrexate?
Thinkthinn2008-07-09 09:14:46I spent several years on just MTX and did well for I guess two years. Then went on Humira for two years and then went off of it for a year. During that year I managed pretty well. It wasn't until the last three months that I began to decine. I'm now back on both.
How much MTX are you on? I know when I was on Both and was doing really well my RD had started to decrease my MTX some. Once I stopped the Humira I had to increase it again as my symptoms returned again. I had to be taken off of Humira for unrelated problems that have since been resolved. My doctor would prefer to slowly decrease the MTX and see how that goes first. Yours might be like that as well; but to be honest, it's your decision to make. You do want his support; but you are the one in control.
Can't the MTX cause the lung nodules? Is there any evidence that the Enbrel does?
Hi Lovie,
I thought it was the enbrel that caused the lung nodules but if any knows for sure please post.
I am on a low dose of 10MG of the methotrexate. I really want to give it a try. I think he will go along with this expeiriment. After all i'm not gonna die without the enbrel.
I would think it far more likely that the lung issues were a reslut of the MTX as opposed to the enbrel but like Lovie asked do you know for sure?
I would suggest that you back down the meds before stopping anything entirely
but absolutely hae a conversation with your doctor..thats what you pay him for
It could be the Enbrel - searching PubMed you get two studies.
This one doesn't show anything (buried science again?) but if you look at the related links you can find other studies.
Here's the second - with more links
There are 54 cites for MTX
Pip
MXT could be the culprit and not Enbrel. MXT is known to cause pulmonary problems. Like everyone else said, talk to your doctor. They may want you to taper MXT. Some doctors want you to stay on meds, others will suggest taper off, I'm not so sure that any of them will suggest you just stop your meds and see what happens. My RD said I could start lowering my dose of MXT once I had 6 normal labs and was still in clinical remission. Are you in clinical remission? Lindy10mg MTX isn't much. I'm guessing that's not helping you that much and the Enbrel is pulling most of the weight at this point. Dropping it all together might be a painful mistake. Suggest decreasing the Enbrel verses stopping it. How do you take that? Twice a week? Is that the dose schedule? Maybe you'll be able to just go to once a week for a while and see how you do.
Well, I am back and the Doc agreed to do an experiment. Every other week for a month, then call him and then if all is O.K. then go off and see what happens. He will be monitoring me with visits and of course blood tests.
I love this guy. He has such an open mind.
Anyway, I don't really know what was causing the nodule thing. I go back to my Regular doctor in September and he is taking one more MRI to see if there are any changes. Then if not I wont need anymore MRI"S.
I have disc degeneration and something going on with my periformis muscle. None of this is RA related and I am glad of that. I am doing yoga for that but no meds.
I will let you know how it goes. I may be back here crying in pain but, it will be worth it just to know.
If anyone has been taken off enbrel because blood tests were good and no symptoms I would hope they post.
Thanks
Good Luck!! Hope everything goes well.So far this experiment is going well. I haven't had any flares
so how many doses of mtx have you skipped so farI'm not skipping mtx. Just enbrel. Had 1 shot in two weeks.
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