When I started this regime, my rheumy had me take 500mg sulfa each morning for a week, then increased to 500mg also in evening for a week. Then 1000mg mornings for a week then 1000 mgs evenings. Thats where I am now, 2000mgs daily and have had no side effects apart from increased gas
Otherwise I am getting on well but today I had trouble getting my arms up to hang out some washing so this is when I have a problem with the word ' remission'. lolol
Hope all works out for you. Actually, Id best go back and read your post again, I think Ive forgotten something.
IO, I think all of my problems are stemming from the pred. I've never in my life been on a dose higher than 60mg daily for one week, then cut to 40mg, then 30mg etc, until done with the prescription. I was on about 20 or 30mg daily that was given to me by my PCP that had to do me until I saw a rheumatologist. When I saw her, she gave me Kineret and put me on the wait list for Enbrel. (this was back in 2001 or 2002 when it was in short supply)
Kineret didn't do squat. But enbrel did and I was able to reduce the pred to 5mg. As I said, I believe that my problems are all from the pred. The MTX and Enbrel don't help when I take them either. I'm going to have to suck it up and reduce the dose until my immune system can start to bounce back a bit. Until then, it looks like I'm SOL.
By the way, thanks everyone about the Sulfa advice.
Bob
hi Bob,
I wanted to say I too, was allergic to sulfa. Found out the hard way. Also to mtx, plaqenil didn't work, did humira 8 months and didn't work. Tried pred. I hated it. (I thought my heart was gonna pop out and my eyes, my head throbbed and I threw up. I now have been taking enbrel for a year and feel pretty good unless it's a bad weather day and everything is throbbing and hurting. I had to go off enbrel twice. Once for cyst surgery and once for tooth extraction. This second time the enbrel isn't helping like it used too and the ra is migrating again. They say the first few years are the worst. How long have you had it?
Going on 4 years in Sept.
I wish you well. I hope you find your right mix soon.
take care
24 years this past December. It was bad in the beginning, I went for a long time where nothing helped. Looks like I'm getting it again as this flare is going on six months soon.Geez, that's a long time. I'm so sorry about your flare. I hope it goes away soon and you feel better. i took sulfa drugs along time ago. i guess they helped some. i believe i was on them for a few years. wow i have had RA for 22 years this month and i am having a difficult time too. when i first got it i could not walk to the bathroom at night then it seems i got some relief after many years of suffering with enbrel then it quit working then i got some more relief with remicade. i have been on it 5 years i think it has quit working and twice now i have had severe reactions yet my doctor does not want to stop it yet.?. please wean yourself to a more reasonable dose with the steriods. i have taken steriods for 18 years and now again but never to the magnitude you do. best wishes. i hope you get some help soon and some relief. wonderwomanJust FYI, when my RD was going over options other than MTX before going to biologics, he mentioned sulfa as a possibility, and said that he isn't sure why, but it's used more in Europe that the US.
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