I have been on MTX since 11/06. I started at 7.5 mg and in January my Doc increased it to 10 mg. For the next 4 weeks I after that I got strong pain in my wrists and hands 24 hours AFTER I take the MTX. I saw my Doc last week and he said in rare cases the MTX first causes a flare-up but still works over the long run (I do agree that my RA is better). He said it happens in people who have nodules (yes he found one on my wrist that day. Oh goody, doesn't that mean I have the most severe RA possible??) Well, now he wants me to take 10 mg. of pred right before I take the MTX for the next two weeks. If that works he wants to increase the MTX to 12.5 mg. I do have to call and talk to him ebfore I go up to the 12,5 mg of MTX.
Today I started but only took 5 mg. of pred. I have been stuck at 3 mg. of pred. each day since last June and I want off. So, I have no interest in taking 10 mg, even though it is only once a week. He did let me decrease from 3 mg. to 2 mg. of pred each day.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? I was hoping he would take me off the MTX and try a biologic instead.
I began taking 15mg MTX in Oct 2005, and did really well on it for about 6 months. Then, one night, out of the blue, I had the worst flare up ever. Every joint and tendon in my body was on fire, I literally couldn't move an inch without agonizing pain. I couldn't get out of bed to go to the bathroom, even with my wife's help. Twelve hours later the worst was over, and 24 hours later it was as though nothing had happened. I haven't had anything like that happen since. My RD said that's happened to many of his patients. He gave me a prescription for Oxycontin in case it ever happened again.