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Hello,

 
I was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.  I was noticing some weird things going on for about a year but one day I woke up and could barely get out of bed.  I saw my PCP who gave me prednisone and sent me to a rheumatologist.  The rheumatologist made the diagnosis based on some blood tests and by looking at my joints.  He wants me to start taking methotrexate but I am scared because I know it has lots of side effects.  I am currently taking 10 mg prednisone a day and some OTC pain relievers.  My question is are there any safer treatments that can work just as well?  Are there any alternative treatments anyone has had any luck with?  I have read about some like acupuncture and antibiotics but my rheumatologist said there is no proof these things work.  I need to do something because I have a family to take care of and its no good when dad can't move.  Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.
 
Jim
Hi Jim
 
Methotrexate is a good med for RA, the side effects can be frightening but like any med you may not get any at all.
A lot of people on here take all sorts of things from just pain killers/ anti inflamatories to biologics and infusions. Some do take antibiotics but its not for everyone.
You need to discuss your options with your rheumy and work out what will be best for you.
Good luck
Jim,
 
I used Methotrexate for 71/2 years with no side effects.  My sister-in-law has used it for over 10 years with no problems.  All meds have side effects, but not everyone experiences them.  I know a great many people here who use MTX, hopefully they will share their experiences. 
 
 But in the end, only you and your RD can decide on what is the best course of treatment.. Just don't wait too long.  Damage from RA can and does happen very quickly.....

Hey Jim

Sorry you got the DX.... glad you found this site.. loads of info!
I have been taking MTX for 20 months..... I had some mild hair loss initially but that is no longer and I've regained what hair I had "lost" ....
Once you "see" some damage occuring.. you will want that MTX asap!! to prevent continued issues!
best to you.
I too was only too glad to jump on the MTX bandwagon when I saw the x-rays of the erosions in the joints of my hands, wrists, feet, and ankles.

I certainly understanding being fearful of DMARDS, but for me, prednisone had more deleterious effects that MTX.

Best wishes for a speedy resolution to your problems, Shug
Hello,
Welcome to the board!  Sorry you had to find us this way.  As stated above, every medicine has side effects.  In fact, I would rather take MTX than Pred any day.  Pred has a  lot of side effects, including diabetes.  Pred is also hard to get off of.  Talk to your Rheumy and come here for any questions.  Good Luck!
Phats
Howdy, Jim! Welcome to the group! The new diagnosis and all the stuff that comes with it is very overwhelming. You've come to the right spot though.
Prednisone, in my opinion, is a temporary fix. I can appreciate a burst and taper pack, but longterm pred is not an option for me. (Turns me into the mega-b! haha) I believe you definitely need something that can be administered for a longer duration until remission is achieved.
MTX is usually one of the first meds RDs prescribe. I took it for a little over a year until I started having side effects I couldn't manage. Treating RA aggressively when first diagnosed is definitely the way to go. Most treatments carry side effects. However, you never know how your body will handle something until you actually take it. Some folks take meds and have no issue, others (including myself) are more sensitive to medications.
As far as alternative treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis that have no side effects, I really don't know of any that are going to prevent erosions or damage. There are some alternative methods in leiu of pain killers - heat, ice, epsom salt soaks, etc. Some people change their diets to try and prevent flares. Personally, I haven't noticed any foods that make me flare - yet.
Hope you're having a superfantastic and extra-comfortable day!
Hey Jim!  Welcome to the board.  I think just about anything you take has possible side effects.  Even Tylenol carries a certain risk.  What you're facing is the possiblitly of an adverse reaction and in that case you can stop the med, or almost certain crippling damage to your joints.   I would rather that I didn't have to take these meds, but I am also very thankful to be able to.  And by the way, I don't have any side effects from either the methotrexate or the enbrel.  I hope you'll stick around and let us know what you decide to do, and how it works for ya.Thanks everyone.  Losing my hair would be a non-issue LOL.  The doc said the methotrexate could take anywhere from one to six months to work and I could stay on the prednisone until it kicks in.  It just seems like there are no good options.  I do want to avoid permanent damage, so I am going to strongly consider methotrexate.  Thanks again for your quick relpies everyone!

Jim
RA_stinks -
 
I'm what we call an APer - those who use antibiotics to treat our RA.  I have a slightly different version - I'm Palindromic.  AP will work for all autoimmune diseases because all the big AI diseases (RA, Lupus, Scleroderma, Crohn's, AS etc) use the same pathways. 
 
Sad to say, you will get very little support on AI for non-traditional treatments. 
 
If you want diet info, I'd suggest www.celiac.com - most RA peeps say going Gluten free helps and other diet types also hang out there - dairy intolerant, etc.
 
If you want info on AP - the use of antibiotics to treat rheumatic disease, go to www.roadback.org and lurk.  Recently diagnosed people are usually early responders - I was - and have a lot less to 'undo' than those who went the traditional meds route at first. 
 
Good luck in how ever you decide to treat your disease.
 
Hugs,
 
Pip
 
Edited to remove double wording
Pip!2009-05-07 20:48:07Or - you can read thru 222+ pages of the 'Requesting New APer's" thread for the nuggets buried in the dreck.Hi Jim, Nice to see another bloke on the board............

If I was to advise another in a similar situation to your self,  I'd say jump on the MTX bandwagon now.
The sooner you start the sooner you will (hopefully) see and feel the results.
It can take a few months to start working as has been mentioned.

While all this is happening you can continue to research other options...
As far as the pred is concerned, the less the better.
From what I understand the body produces up to 7.5mg all by itself and the dose needs to be under this so the body does not shut it's own supply down.

I'm on 25mg MTX and 3mg of pred.
I've been in this game for near on 2.5 years and am 58.
Jim, I just wanted to add that I have done it tuff in the beginning and this disease affects blokes a little differently that our counterparts.

If you feel that things start getting on top of you give me a holla through the PM mechanism
on this board, and I will pass on my email so we can have a no crap conversation.
I've been in the pits Jim and climbed back up, well, sorta.

I have a little tit bit of and article here.
With a bit of luck you will be fine.
Hey Jim,

I am also newly diagnosed and my rhuemy prescribed both MTX & Prednisone. The only
side effects I have is a constant desire to eat (from the prednisone) and I had loose bowels the first week on MTX. I gotta say I am noticing the effects of the MTX after only 3 weeks of treatment. Previous to treatment I could not walk more than 5 feet; but today I walked all the way around the block!

I am currently taking:
MTX: 0.8 ML once a week
Prednisone: 20mg a day
Folic Acid: 1 mg a day

Good luck with whatever treatment you decide is right for you and welcome to the board! Thanks Bodak.  I think I will probably give the MTX a try and hope for the best.  The prednisone has kept it pretty much in check so far, but I do want to get off of it when I can. 

Pip, I did as you suggested and read some (not all) of the 222 page post, and I have to admit I do not understand why the AP treatment is so controversial.  I plan on checking out the road back website but haven't had a chance yet. 

Again thanks to all for your responses.

Jim
There is some information that may be of benefit in your research re: RA available HERE.

Best wishes, Shug


Welcome RA_Stinks!  Sorry for your diagnosis.  RA really does stink, doesn't it?

I was on MTX for a short time.  I started on 7.5 mg and worked my way up to 15 mg.  I didn't have any side effects until I reached 12.5.  I had hair loss and was a little tired the day after I took it.  My hair loss didn't last long.  I contribute that to the 5 mg of Biotin I took every day. 

Unfortunately, it didn't work well for me.  So, I added a 3rd drug called Enbrel.  Once the  Enbrel kicked in, I slowly reduced the MTX until I was completely off it.Hi  sorry  about your diagnosis  i would just like  to  say  that  my experience  with methotrexate as  been pretty  good  and i  dont  suffer  much side  effect  with it apart  from when i  first started  with it 
It made me  feel  a bit  sick  at  first but  i got over that at  i take  folic  acid daily  and i am currently on 7methotrexate   tablets  a week 
Good luck   oh and  its not  affected my hair  at all   so hopefully  you will  do well on it

RA Stinks What a apprppriate name!!! because it really stinks and there no other words for it.  Welcome to the board.  Lot of info and great people who are willing to help with ur questions.  I found this board two months ago and got lot of info and able to make informed decsions. 

Just curious how much  prednisone  are  u on? Because 15  mg is not helping me.
Hi Veenu -

I am on 10 mg of prednisone right now.  Weaned down from 20, then 15, and have been on 10 for a while now.  Tried to go lower but I can always feel the symptoms returning so I go back to 10 right away.

My rheumatologist said I can not try Embrel until I have been on methotrexate for a while and it doesn't work.   That is how my insurance works I should say.   I can not affort to pay the full price for it. 

Thanks and I hope you all have a nice weekend.

Jim
Hey Jim -
 
Nobody can get thru that 222+ page thread but if we stop it and start a new one, a lot of the good info is lost.
 
Agreed - I have no idea how people with this disease could remotely trash something that works for so many - yet they do.  Long term therapy might get to the bottom of it but with most of our budgets strained with paying for meds... I'm guessing not a lot will avail themselves of navel gazing.
 
Hope you decide to lurk.  Good luck in your chosen path.
 
Pip
Jim,
 
Rheumatoid arthritis is a very serious disease that causes bone and joint damage as well as vital organ damage. Sorry, but that's the truth. It can affect your lungs and heart, veins and arteries. Certainly not something to play with. Palindromic rheumatism is not a version of rheumatoid arthritis and is as different from rheumatoid arthritis as chicken pox and small pox. No damage to joints, bones or organs.
 
from April Chang-Miller, M.D.

Palindromic rheumatism is a rare type of inflammatory arthritis. Treatment can be challenging because the attacks are so difficult to predict.

Palindromic rheumatism is characterized by sudden and recurrent attacks of painful swelling of the joints and surrounding tissues. Attacks may last for several days or just a few hours. Between attacks, pain and swelling completely disappear.

Once an attack starts, treatment may include:

To help prevent attacks, your doctor may prescribe:

Although palindromic rheumatism can recur over many years, it doesn't usually cause permanent joint damage.

 
New Here? Useful Links and Information
 
LEV
[QUOTE=RA_Stinks]I have to admit I do not understand why the AP treatment is so controversial.  I plan on checking out the road back website but haven't had a chance yet.  [/QUOTE]

It is not AP that is controversial on this site, rather it is the exaggeration that has somehow become part and parcel of the discussion surrounding AP that is controversial.

I am a 'fan' of AP and was on the protocol for 18 months. Unfortunately, I did not experience the wondrous success rate discussed elsewhere, however that does not mean I would not recommend gathering together pertinent information and engaging in a serious discussion with your physician about adding antibiotic therapy as part of a combination treatment for someone who is recently diagnosed.

[quote=levlarry]Rheumatoid arthritis is a very serious disease that causes bone and joint damage as well as vital organ damage. Sorry, but that's the truth. It can affect your lungs and heart, veins and arteries. Certainly not something to play with.[/quote]
As I discovered, much to my horror. Thanks for the reminder, Lev.

Cheers, Shug[QUOTE=RA_Stinks]Thanks Bodak.  I think I will probably give the MTX a try and hope for the best.  The prednisone has kept it pretty much in check so far, but I do want to get off of it when I can. 

Pip, I did as you suggested and read some (not all) of the 222 page post, and I have to admit I do not understand why the AP treatment is so controversial.  I plan on checking out the road back website but haven't had a chance yet. 

Again thanks to all for your responses.

Jim
[/QUOTE]
Jim.. glad you've made the choice for MTX..  According to most RDs it is the Gold Standard of beginning treatment.......
 
IF I may interject here...
I'll use no fancy words... not hiding behind innuendo.. straight up.
 
AP is a good treatment for SOME types of AI diseases.......  it is NOT the chosen treatment by MOST RDs for rheumatoid arthritis.... 
 
the controversy on the 220 plus thread for "APers" is this.
Pip made statements she cannot back up.. she said she has "75% or 90% success" with "her peeps"  .. and we have asked for documentation of that "success" ...... she has failed to provide such..she said it is on this site..... when asked that she find it for us.. she says she won't..   I searched all her posts for the last year........... there is NOT documentation of these claims.... only more of the same claims.........
 
I didn't want to post this on your intro thread... but when Pip alluded to something else being an issue.. such as people being against AP I felt the need for clarification.
 
for the umpteenth time:
 
Success with remission in RA is wanted for all...... we would be most happy for anyone who finds success with their RA treatment whatever it is...........
 
thanks, Jim..
 
best to you.

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