YEP. D-Day. Will be taking the plunge...and just curious if anyone else here will be on same schedule so we can compare notes....
BTW, I am sooo scared of this unknown that I actually set my alarm for 5:00 am today so I could get my morning stiffness jail time out of the way in order to get as much as possible out of what is supposed to be a BEAUTIFUL day - just in case I end up too sick feeling from the side effects to ever care again....
OK Melly - Try not to worry too much - I'm sure you'll be fine. I too, was terrified about the MTX on my first dosage, but had no probs. And I'm still just about the same every time I have a change in dosage, or a new med. But not quite - I know now and appreciate how much they do for me. Much as I hate taking it all - it comes down to quality of life, and I'm still up for that.
Have a beaturiful day. ANd BTW - I don't live in stiffness jail anymore since taking MTX!
I understand your apprehension and I may be joining you on the MTX soon! I remember my nervousness when I took my first Plaquenil pill - I felt like Alice drinking from the little bottle labeled "Drink Me." It certainly takes a leap of faith. I also felt a surge of relief that I was finally doing something that might make a difference (um, still waiting on that).Alley...please let us know what the doc says. I will be thinking of you tomorrow.
Melly dahlin how ya be? How was the big plunge?
Being tired is one of the biggest side effects I always hear of. I inject and pretty much lie around the next day snoozing off and on. We call it the "down day" in our house and all activities are planned around it.
Sarah...sorry to hear about your poor little fingers. Hoped the pred helped you out. The lakefront today was just gorgeous wasn't it!!! Well...Lake Michigan was...I don't know which one you walked...but it was a beautiful day here! FINALLY! BTW...Sarah is my oldest daughters first name and my middle name lol!
I was supposed to start this past Friday, but unfortunately I'm still not over my head/chest cold that I've been fighting for the past 12 days. I called the Rheumy and he said to give the cold a few more days before starting. Since I want to stay on a weekend schedule I'll be taking my first dose this coming Saturday, April 28th.Hey - thanks for well wishes all!
OMG Alleycat, the "Alice" analogy describes exactly how I was feeling....
I am so psyched as I guess I am going to be one of the lucky ones....Other than feeling kind of drowsy (which honestly, after all the prednisone insomnia, actually feels like a bit of a relief) and only mildly queasy all day yesterday and even less so today, I guess I would have to say I am having no real ill side effects....YAY!
Of course what I am really paranoid about is potential hair loss which I don't know how long that might take to show up....but I am taking the prescribed folic acid....so I guess that is just wait and see...but I am feeling really positive because of the lack of side effects so far...
What is the shortest amount of time that anyone has experienced the medication working? What/how/when did you notice what? Not that I expected an overnight change, but in addition to the lack of side effects, I haven't experienced any effect, period - like no reduction in swelling, stiffness and/or pain....
I noticed after starting the injections ( I was so sick on the pills only thing I noticed was how nauseous I was and all the vomiting I did) it took about 4 weeks for me to feel affects. I had less swelling and more energy.
This is one of those meds that has to build up in your system and it takes some time for it to work. I know you want to feel better, but please hang in there for a few more weeks and it give it time to work.
Melly--it took me about 3-4 weeks before I noticed any improvement from MTX, and then it was gradual. I kept feeling a little bit better each week. Probably took about 3 months before I felt the full benefit of the MTX.I just started back on MTX last night. I stopped taking it when I started Humira cuz my hair was thinning and it made me really irritable. Then psoriasis started coming back and I called the doc and he said I should have never stopped it and needed to get back on it immediately. Well today, I feel like I got hit by a bus. I'm so tired and achy!! I hate this stuff. But it's true, I don't want the psoriasis to be full blown again.
Good luck with it. I will say that the side effects did get better with time...so I guess I have that to look forward to.
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