Just diagnosed ??????? | Arthritis Information

Share
 

I was recently diagnosed with ra and the doc prescribed methotrexate 10mg a week. I am a little worried about taking this due to all the side effects. I have requested a gout test from the doc and he has refused it. I have 2 questions... 1) can gout give you an ra factor of 685 is it even possible?? 2) anyone taking methotrexate have these terrible side effects?? It has only been since April that the pain started so I am getting a quick start on it. Any help or information would be greatly appreciated.well i have JRA and i take methotrexate.about 15 mg a week, maybe a little more, idk.

but i havent had many side effects, i dont think its caused any
 
most of my side effects r from the prednisone lol
and those ones r terrible
 
but maybe since ive only been taking it since the middle of May, the side effects didnt start yet lol, cuz i got JRA in the middle of April
 
but the medicine works
Good Post, StarPerson, my young friend!!
 
I take 20 mg MTX every week.... I have no side effects, though briefly I had hair thinning.. but that dissipated rather quickly... I also take it at dinner time or w/ a snack at bedtime and sleep through what I understand to be the "worst of it".
Best to you and welcome, Dawn
babs102009-06-19 05:45:00Welcome to AI. From my point of view the devastating effects of RA are more of real-time threat than the possible side effects of MTX and/or other therapies.

I am thankful everyday that my physicians have MTX et al to combat this insidious, destructive disease.

Early, aggressive treatment is the best recommendation. Add to that Lynn49's mantra of "tight control" and the goal of remission is the in-a-nutshell achievement we are all looking for.

Best wishes, Shug
I don't know if a positive RF is connected to Gout or not.  Sorry!
 
As for the Methotrexate, it's hard to say.  Everyone reacts differently to the different types of medications and, unfortunately, all of the RA medications list various side effects.  Some medications even have very serious side effects.  It's kind of like being caught between a rock and a hard place.  You just have to try a medication and hope/pray that your body won't react in a negative way.  If, by chance, you do have bad side effects with the Methotrexate, just inform your RD, so he/she can change you to a different medication. 
 
I'm so sorry that you have RA.  I remember how scary it can be in the beginning.  The best thing you can do is be well informed about your disease.  Read everything you can, so you can make informed decicions regarding your care.  Coming here was a great place to start!  Hang in there, you're not alone! 
I'm newly diagnosed with RA also.  I've been doing MTX injections for the past 3 weeks because the oral MTX really made me feel awful.  I've been doing them every Friday morning but am thinking about changing that to Friday evening.  Is is possible to "sleep through the side effects"?
 
Thanks.
I have a very low RF (18), but my doctor insists that I have RA, even though I am fortunate to have few problems or pain so far.  But she also insists that I will develop full blown RA someday. 
 
 
Edited to correct typo
Nancy R.2009-06-19 10:42:37Welcome Dawn. I take 20 mgs. of MTX with no side effects. I always take it after I have eaten a full meal and I drink 16 oz of water before and 16 oz of water with the pills.
I think we have all been where you are in fearing MTX. Getting an RA diagnosis sends you on a real roller coaster ride. MTX has been around a long long time- I have come to feel comfortable with it now. A very high percentage of people use it who have RA and I don't read any horror stories about it.
I don't know about the gout thing but isn't that usually just in your big toe? What are the rest of your symptoms?
Best of luck to you.
The rheumatoid factor can be elevated with gout but it is not normal for it to be elevated with gout.  What symptoms are you having that makes you think it may be gout?
 
MTX's list of side effects can be scarey but also keep in mind  that those side effects most often occur at the much higher cancer treatment doses.  Most people tolerate MTX quite well when used to treat RA.  MTX is also by far and away the most tested medication we use.  The short and long term side effects are well known and almost all are relatively minor and will resolve themselves with changes in dosage or simply stopping the drug.  As Shug said  the potentially devestating destruction of RA needs to be taken seriously

Hi Dawn, sorry you've had to find yourself here but its a very informative site and there are lot of people here willing to offer advice and support where they can. My RF is 219, one of the many tests they did was for gout and at a recent flare they tested for it again. It presents very similarly to RA and you can get in your toes and also your knees and wrists too. My cousin has it in his toes, knees and thumbs. He says when he's having a bout of it you cant even breath on the skin without being in agony.

I've been on sulphasalazine for the past 19 months and unfortunately its not worked and so will be starting on 17.5mg  MTX next week. So I am also reading the replies about useage and effects with interest.
Hello to all and welcome!  Please listen to what Shug has to say... she has the right of it!  MTX can be scary, but the devastation from uncontrolled RA is so much worse.  I took my MTX at night and was a little fatigued the next day but, for the most part, felt fine.  It is a great drug for RA.  It has been around for - well, IDK honestly how long - but long enough to know all the problems it could potentially cause!  I took folic acid and biotin to help with the side effects.  I can tell you I felt good when on MTX, it is a great DMARD.

Take care all, and I am sending wishes for better days to you all.
>>THIS<< article, discussing the "window of opportunity" may be of interest.

[quote=waddie]
Take care all, and I am sending wishes for better days to you all.[/quote]
Hear! Hear!


Edited for syntax.
Spelunker2009-06-20 07:44:33Perhaps, just perhaps, there may be some useful information available on this >>>THIS<<< site that will add to the wealth of information available right here of AI.

the symptoms that seem familiar... when i drink alot of beer or eat shellfish i seem to swell up the next day in either my left hand or right i never know which one it will affect. also, from what i have read ra is symetrical and gout is not, it affects different joints and that seems to be how i am. started in right foot after working out for 3 weeks went to knee then 2 weeks later moved to left hand and left there and went to right hand. it seems to just jump around.

MTX sounds very scary when you read all the information on it out there, but for as much scary there is positive too.  I've taken 20mg for almost a year.  I take it late Sunday afternoon with Dinner.  Sometimes I notice stomach discomfort for a short bit right after taking it other times not.  Sometimes I feel slighlty nauseaus that night and next day but nothing serious enough to prevent me from working or taking care of my family.  I also take 1mg Folic Acid everyday, if I miss a day I start to get those sores in my mouth.  No hair loss or thinning for me.  I have blood drawn  every 8 weeks he checks Blood Count, Creatinine, Sed rate, Liver function.  I would definately tell your RD of any concerns/problems you have with the med.  For me it has stopped my pain and inflamtation in its tracks (with the help of Prednisone in the begginning).  I feel some twinges in a few joints during coming storms, humidity, over doing it phyiscally, and sometimes around that time of the month but other than that things have really improved since last summer. 
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com