One Month Later | Arthritis Information

Okay, so I go back to the RD on the 12th. I have been on the meds for a month (Methotrexate 10mg once a week, Plaquenil 200mg 2x a day, and the dreaded Prednisone 5mg 2x a day) I have also modified my diet and lost weight and added Folic Acid (for fatigue). I have had the most stressful month of my life to add to it. My son graduated, a goose flew into my car

I am so much better than I was. I don't think my toes (where it started) will ever be pain free but I can live with it...

Glad to hear you are soo much better.

Yeah, you can be pred free. There are a couple of members on here who have never took pred long term... Lovie is one of them.

Pred does tend to mask some pain and other problems, but most times if you still have visual swelling then your other meds are not doing what they need to be doing and pred is just masking that.

I know before I started Humira, and was only on 5mg of pred, due to not having insurance, I did not have much pain and felt ok, better than I did before the 5mg of pred, but I did have very visible swelling. One time while on only 5mg of pred, my right knee swelled up to a grapefruit size, and my GP at the time was worried about it and had me get x-rays of it. He said it was just inflammation. The funny part of it was... it did not hurt that much.

I am not sure if everyone will flare when tapering off pred. I know I did not flare until the dreaded, but much needed rain came rolling into town. Now I am swellled non-stop and hurt even more, but I am sure I would hurt more if I was not on the 2.5mg of pred.

Yeah, the rain and I are no longer friends!!! I always feel worse during the rain. I live in CT and I hope I deal better with the snow Don't give up on your feet just yet! I was diagnosed last August and can now walk without the orthodics I had for years. At the time of my diagnosis I could barely walk. My so-called fallen arches turned out to be pain from RA inflammation. Now, with my MTX, the vast majority of my days are now pain-free. Took over 6 months to get to this stage, but it was worth the wait. Heck, I even flirt with heels on occasion!!

Hey Sparky - I'm so excited someone else from CT! Woohoo - I'm a loner no more!

I live in a small town in Litchfield County. Where do you live?

Hi, Yes you can be free of prednisone. If you can, get a perscription for the 1 mgs, and start decreasing down by 1/2 of the 5 mgs, and so on at a rate that suits you. YOU"LL know when you've decreased it too much. Good luck, I just got off of 15, then 10, and on down to zero. Lynda

I agree that you could be pred free. The only medication I have taken is (so far) is MTX and I am pretty much pain free at the moment except for that fact that I have osteoarthritis in my big toes. Most of the time they do not bother me but sometimes they are painful. They have been like that for about 15 years now. The pain doesn't make it so I can't function.

It is so great to hear that you are feeling better...

Glad to hear you are feeling better! What a month you have had! Good luck to your son on his surgery and I hope for a speedy recovery.

Sure you can be pred free. I finally did it. I was on it ohhh 7 months I think. When you talk to your rd about it...he/she will set you up on a taper schedule to get off the pred.

Congrats on the weight loss!! Keep on taking the folic acid since you need to take it not only to help with fatigue but also because you are on mtx. Mtx can cause a nasty folic acid deficiency.

Let us know how your rd appt. goes!

I am so glad to hear you are feeling good. I started on 5 mgs X 2 a day and that was July of 2006. It virtually took away all my pain.

For me there was a down side to this because I had sleeping problems with it. Benydrl worked for me which I took every night. If you end up with sleeping problems talk to your doctor. Your sleep is so important to your health.

I am off off prednisone completely now. It took awhile to taper off.
But one year later I am free of it.

I watched my weight carefully and I am the same weight now as when I started Pred 137 lbs.

Thank you for all the positive feedback. I really love and look forward to hearing from each of you. Hillhoney - I live in Tolland County -

I agree with the food affecting my RA - with elimination and then adding foods I really see what causes a flare. My husband at first thought I was crazy but just having something like a couple of beers will put me into a nasty red hot wrist flare

I will post more after I see the RD tomorrow morning!!!