Is anyone on just MTX and nothing else. I know at least one person on this board is but I am wondering if that is a regular practice and if so does that seem to help the RA. I started out with the MTX and the enbrel so I wouldnt know if just the MTX would do the job and I am wondering if it does for anyone. HI Thinkthin, i think it does the job for me but I can rarely tolerate it for too long and have to come off of it, then I know all about it, so yes I reckon it does work on its own for me. regards Janie.
TT~I'm currently on just MTX. I've been on numerous DMARDS over the years and about 5 years ago started MTX. Once I got up to about 17mg I also added Humira. Six months later I started using HUmira weekly as well as increased MTX to 25mg.
Eventually I decreased my MTX back down to 20mg and was doing really well. I ended up having to stop the Humira because it was thought to be the cause of some numbess I was having.
SO; to get to my point, I'm currently on MTX alone. I've increased it back up to 25mg and have been doing really well until a few weeks ago. I'm afraid it's not going to hold me much longer though. I'm going to have to add something else next month.
BUT, to answer your question YES. I did quite well on MTX alone at first. Evenutally like everything else I've taken it only lasted so long for me.....but it did work.
HI, i WAS on just MTX for years, and was doing so well I can't tell you , sometimes I'd only take 10mgs, sometimes go up to 20, but really no problems, then my big heart operation, and all these other super meds are needed. I'd sure like to get back on ONLY MTX.....I hope some day. SarahDo you adjust your MTX up and down according to how you feel Sarah?Lovie, I suggest adding minocin. I can show you a study that showsi am currently on mtx, and prednisone. just saw my rheumy thursday, she told me that the mtx isnt working so she increased it and gave me a prescription for enbril. I wanted just to increase the mtx, But i think she thinks its not going to do the trick alone. i have heard they work better together than just alone. I dont know when i will start the enrbel, have to see inf insurance will cover it. But she said that my 10mg prednisone was toto much to continue taking it, she thinks i will be able to slowely devrease the pred. once these other meds kick in.
kel
Be careful about the minocin. If you read drug interactions with MTX, minocin is on the list.
Kel; originally my doctor said the same thing. Once I got up to 17mg he said more wasn't going to be good enough so we added Humira. He has however let me be on 25mg since having to stop the Humira.
I think you probable just reach a point where so much just isn't enough anymore. It's happened with every DMARD I've been on so far.
Thank you Gimp & Less131. I'm looking at options and appreciate your input.
I haven't seen that one, Less131. Can you direct me to it? I'm on both of them right now so I'd really like to know.I currently am taking only 12.5 mg of mtx. I started off at 5 mg last July and gradually increased over 6 mo. to 12.5 mg/wk. I've tolerated it very well and feel great. A few weeks ago I was prescribed minocycline for a skin infection but after about 10 days ended up with hives from head to toe that lasted for about 5 days. The dr. wasn't convinced it was from the minocycline and felt certain it wasn't the mtx. The dr. wants me to retry the minocycline but thus far I'm too chicken! The hives are the worst I've ever seen - Not one area of my body was spared. I lived on mega doses of benadryl for a few days.
I posted the other day to see if anyone had attempted to stop mtx but I haven't found my post to see the general response. I really feel fine and hate taking medicine if unecessary.
I take MTX and nothing else. That is all I've taken since I was diagnosed one year ago in August. I started with 7.5 mgs. and am now at 10 mgs.
It has been wonderful. It changed the quality of my life.
Ari33...just use the search feature and do a search to your post. You had many many responses to it. Only on 25 mg of MTX and it put me in a near-remission state within 6 months.Ari: here is a link to your thread. I HOPE you see this. I'll PM it to you also because you did have a lot of responses and they all gave really good advice.
http://arthritisinsight.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8196&a mp;PN=3
Thanks Lovie, I didn't have much time to search around last time I was here. I appreciate each response and I've decided to NOT take the break - not yet anyway. My last appt. with the Dr. was a month ago and I only have to go to the lab for blood work this month. He's giving me a reprieve from his office until later in June at which time I will suggest my taking a break. I continue to feel great and I've been doing all the things I love to do - gardening being the most physical type labor. I'm leaving tomorrow for an extended vacation and will quickly find out how I tolerate all the fun in the sun type activities that I so love.
Happy summer (not yet official)!
Enjoy your vacation Ari! I think you're wise to wait and talk to your doctor and do the reduction slowly. I think you're ready....just don't do it in a manner that will mess up everything that you've worked hard to acheive so far.