I have been diagnosed with PA in the late summer, with no skin problems, but pain mainly in my left joints...foot, toes, both knees, and my left hand. My sed rate and c-reactive protein tests are high, x-rays are good, and every other test comes back fine. I started MTX 3 1/2 months ago with no results yet. How much longer should I wait????? I am up to 20mg per week. Thankfully, I have not experienced the side effects I have read about from alot of you. But am still taking a ton of arthritis Tylenol and another anti-inflammatory as well as a muscle relaxant at bedtime, all while waiting for MTX to work. I am starting physical therapy tomorrow, but am at a loss for what else to do. I am only 40 and have no family history that I know of for any arthritis. I would appreciate anyone else's input! Thanksi am 40 also and just diagnosed. i was prescribed metho and have not started it yet. as i am so scared of the side effects. sorry i dont have any answers to your questions, still learning all i can about this crappy disease. I have fibromyalgia also, cant distinguish which symptoms are from that and which are from arthritis. I slo only have a few psoriasis spots, more of the sweeling fingers, pain in joints,achey all over and major fatiuge! I am going to start my metho this week somtime if i can get the courage up. I have heard it can can take months before you begin to notice a difference. how long have you been diagnosed?
Hi,
I've posted about mtx in the newbie with PA thread but just wanted to say I think 3.5 months is too long to wait and maybe it's not right for you. I think they say 4-12 weeks for an effect. Maybe you (platym) need to try a different treatment? I have PA and I had mtx on it's own, I couldn't get a high enough dose so now I take mtx (7.5mg) and have infusions of infliximab (remicade) every 8 weeks which really helps for about 6 weeks of the 8, 75% seems a good result to me! I'm trying to convince them to give me infusions every 6 weeks at the moment but they're not keen... One of the things about PA is that x-rays and blood work can come back normal, it can be tough to diagnose and is often found out by elimination of everything else and looking at the pattern of joints affected. Anewbeginning I hope you've plucked up the courage to take your mtx and I wish you both all the best - I've done lots of research on PA so feel free to ask me any Q's!
KT
I am going to take my first dose of metho. on friday. i will let you know how i do. i guess i am still in the stages of deniel, thinking maybe i dont have this. But have had symptoms for a long time, mine has been just a gradual form. and the doctor says i am in the beggining stages of it. So here goes, i am commiting myself to friday. I will take the medication! should i start taking the folic acid a few days before the mtx? I will keep you posted KT. thanks for all the ionfo!Hi,
Well done - brave you! I hope it goes well for you... I don't know what your Dr has said about the folic acid and I know from here that there is conflicting advice but here's what I was told (and it made sense to me). The reason you take folic acid is that the mtx depletes it in your body and you need it to be healthy. You take a massive dose (usually 5mg a day compared to the 400micrograms that pregnant women take) to make sure that your body gets some even though the mtx "fights" it. The effect that the mtx has on the folic acid is greatest on the day you take your mtx, therefore there's no point taking it on that day as it might interfere with the proper absorbtion and action of the mtx. So take the folic acid on all the days you don't take the mtx. I would start taking it maybe on monday or tuesday if you're starting the mtx on Friday. Folic acid helps stop you getting mouth ulcers, nausea and hair loss so well worth it!
Denial is normal, and understandable! There are people here who have been through or are going through similar things and can help you...
Good luck for Friday - be brave! Let me know how it all goes and ask if you think of any more queries... You may have been in denial but fight it all the way now!
KT