How long does it take? | Arthritis Information

I started on MTX, Hydroxychlor and Sulfasalazin. My question is, how long does it usually take for the meds to start to take effect? I'm hoping to feel better soon, as I had to send my kids away today because the pain and stiffness are still so bad, and my husband is gone 12-14 hours a day.
Thanks!

Hi Kizzie,

I think it can take a few weeks to get the full benefit but it varies with the individual, a pharmacisit will be able to give you a more definite answer. I hope you feel some benefit soon, I've been on Methotrexate for about 10 years now and it made a big difference to me.

take care,

Lynne

xxxxx

Kizzie. I cannot speak for the other two drugs but hydroxychloroquin takes about 6 months to get the full effects. Something that I don't understand though is why doctors start 3 DMARDS at the same time. How do they know which one works and which one may not. Isn't it wiser to start one, give it a chance and then work up from there. How does one ever know which drug has which side effects and which drug is not tolerated and which one is. This does not make sense to me. I know they want to be aggressive but this seems like a bad practice to me. Lorster, I was thinking the same thing. There's absolutely no way to know which dmard is helping. Kizzie, you may be taking several unnecessary meds. I'm surprised that the RD didn't start off with just one dmard and the others could be added as needed. Did your RD give you a reason for starting all three at once? It's a lot of meds to hit your system at once. MXT can take up to 3 months to respond and Sulfasalzine up to 6 months. Lindy
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