How do I know if the Methotrexate is working?

[Guest guest]

I have been taking Methotrexate, five 2.5MG (with a small dose of

predizone),for more than six months now. My doctor told me the pain

and fatigue would get better, but the pain is worse and some days I

come home from work and go straight to bed. My nail portion of my

thumbs are turning to the outside of my hands and the joints directly

under them are enlarging and turning to the inside of my hands. Does

this mean that my therapy is not working? I have very thin hair from

the drugs and I hope it hasn't been in vain. I truly thank you, for

any advise.

nana 2 livi

[Guest guest]

Dear Nana- If you are having pain and deformity then MTX is not enough. You need to ask your doctor about either cyclosporine therapy or a Biologic. MTX will not stop RA but it slows the cells from dividing. I dont know how you can work through this. Look into getting onto a biologic. It basically stops the inflammation cascade (how the cells comminicate) with each other so the chain is interrupted. Used in conjuction with weekly mtx it should help you. Remicade is given via IV infusion once every 8 weeks. There are self injectibles also. You should take mtx at night before bed. The dr should have you on leucovorin to rescue you from the side effects of MTX (fatigue and hair loss). Taking folic acid will help but a multi vitamin is essential. Most doctors start you on this therapy but it isnt aggressive enough to stop the progression of the disease itself. www.arthritisfoundation.org may help answer more of your questions about the biologic. Yours, Deborah

On Jan 2, 2008 7:17 PM, nana2livi <s.p5315@...> wrote:

I have been taking Methotrexate, five 2.5MG (with a small dose of predizone),for more than six months now. My doctor told me the pain and fatigue would get better, but the pain is worse and some days I come home from work and go straight to bed. My nail portion of my

thumbs are turning to the outside of my hands and the joints directly under them are enlarging and turning to the inside of my hands. Does this mean that my therapy is not working? I have very thin hair from the drugs and I hope it hasn't been in vain. I truly thank you, for

any advise.nana 2 livi

[Guest guest]

Deborah,

Thank you so much for this information!!! What a help. I will print

this and take it on the 12th when I go for my monthly blood work.

You are an angel.

Nana

>

> > I have been taking Methotrexate, five 2.5MG (with a small dose

of

> > predizone),for more than six months now. My doctor told me the

pain

> > and fatigue would get better, but the pain is worse and some

days I

> > come home from work and go straight to bed. My nail portion of my

> > thumbs are turning to the outside of my hands and the joints

directly

> > under them are enlarging and turning to the inside of my hands.

Does

> > this mean that my therapy is not working? I have very thin hair

from

> > the drugs and I hope it hasn't been in vain. I truly thank you,

for

> > any advise.

> > nana 2 livi

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Nana- I am very happy to help. While MTX sees and reacts to the abnormal white blood cells and stops them or slows their division, a biologic works by interrupting how cells talk to each other. A TNF binding biologic or a B cells blocker (rituxan) will bind itself and block the chain reaction of inflammation that causes the disease. There are many different proteins, enzymes and acids the make up the process also so your diet can have an effect. Cyclosporine is an old drug. It is not a biologic but a transplant rejection drugs still used today. It keeps your body from rejecting itself and that is exactly what RA does. It attacks you instead of defending you. Your immune system sees you as the infection. When you think of scraping your knee, your white blood cells run to that spot and go to work to fix the problem. When the wound gets infected you have redness and swelling and the by product of white blood cells which is pus. Its usually white or yellow. MTX is very vital in keeping the cells in reset mode. If they get hit by something that stops them from dividing and it slows them down they will be less likely to find a way around your biologic. I was on Cyclosporine for 5 years before my body became smart and found a way around. When remicade came along it was nothing short of a miracle for me. It was like night and day. One day I was in so much pain I couldnt see straight. Flares for me are very intense and the pain can drive you crazy. Then after my first infusion I felt numb. Literally numb. I didnt have pain at all, and my brain was trying to find it to no avail. After a few days I started to feel better, more energy and no pain, no swollen joints. Most people dont have such a profound benefit immediately but I did. I started on Remicade in 2001 and I was really very good until 2004. Then my body started to experience severe fatigue, flu like symptoms and small but intense flares. My RA is terribly aggressive and I will explore a B cell blocker in the near future. My quality of life has lessened quite alot but I am grateful to be able to walk and do simple things. Despite the biologic and the MTX my body is still finding a way around. Now amazingly after recent xrays I have little to no damage, just weakness in hands and wrists and the normal wear and tear. I owe it to the biologic. I dont hold to needles so an infusion works better for me over all. Cyclosporine is a pill you take based on your body weight. It can be nephro toxic (affect the liver) so you will have to have blood and urine tests periodically. It is not invasive and it something to try instead of going straight to a biologic first. Good Luck. Deborah

On Jan 30, 2008 7:26 PM, nana2livi <s.p5315@...> wrote:

Deborah,Thank you so much for this information!!! What a help. I will print this and take it on the 12th when I go for my monthly blood work. You are an angel.Nana> > > I have been taking Methotrexate, five 2.5MG (with a small dose of> > predizone),for more than six months now. My doctor told me the

pain> > and fatigue would get better, but the pain is worse and some days I> > come home from work and go straight to bed. My nail portion of my> > thumbs are turning to the outside of my hands and the joints

directly> > under them are enlarging and turning to the inside of my hands. Does> > this mean that my therapy is not working? I have very thin hair from> > the drugs and I hope it hasn't been in vain. I truly thank you,

for> > any advise.> > nana 2 livi> >> > > >>