Guest guest Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 Hi, Thanks for all the kind greetings! What is mobic? What is remicade? I was interested in the comment about prednisone causing weight gain. Does it cause bloating or an increase in appetite. Does it come on immediately or over time? (bloating or increase of appetite?) I've only taken one dose of methotrexate so far, will be taking a second dose tonight. I've been told the goal is to wean me off the prednisone and then I will be taking the methotrexate only. Is anyone taking this with success? I was slowly decreasing the amount of prednisone I was taking til I got to 1.5 tabs, and my symptoms starting coming back. That was unpleasant. And unwelcome. The doctor told me I could increase the dosage until the symptoms were relieved, so I went back to 2 tabs (5 mg each) and feel good again. Once again, taking the prednisone until the methotrexate takes over. I'm wondering what to expect. Dones RA arrest with medication or does it continue to worsen? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? I'm so grateful to be feeling so much better, I haven't really focused on what the future might hold down the road. One other thing, is there anything I'm taking that makes me so darn tired at the end of the day??? My eyelids get so heavy around 4-5 pm I wonder if I can actually get in the car and drive home some nights. Glad to meet all of you, hope I won't drive you all crazy with all my questions! Suzanne (in NW *foggy* FL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 Hello Suzanne! I just read your letter, as for me, predisone has made me gain ALOT of weight. I have gained about 80 pounds in one year due to it. I was able to be maintained on only 5mg for along time along with metrotraxte. I was on one injection of metrotraxte of 0.5 once a week. Now my rheumy increased it to 0.8 injection once a week. Along with 20mg of predisone, and this new med for me called mobic. As far as I know, it is for ostarthritis, but my rheumy said that it also helps RA. The only difference that I can see so far, is that the horrible burning that I get, is so much better. My rheumy is hoping to get me off the predisone all together, as I gain SO much weight from it. Do you take folic acid? My rheumy put me on it, he said that metrotraxate can cause anima, which makes a person feel so tired all the time, and I am totally wiped out by mid afternoon, so i hope that it helps me. have a great day! Love, <>< ( sorry for all the typos, my daycare kids are distracting me) LOL< yea right! LOL -- [ ] Hello back to all Hi, Thanks for all the kind greetings! What is mobic? What is remicade? I was interested in the comment about prednisone causing weight gain. Does it cause bloating or an increase in appetite. Does it come on immediately or over time? (bloating or increase of appetite?) I've only taken one dose of methotrexate so far, will be taking a second dose tonight. I've been told the goal is to wean me off the prednisone and then I will be taking the methotrexate only. Is anyone taking this with success? I was slowly decreasing the amount of prednisone I was taking til I got to 1.5 tabs, and my symptoms starting coming back. That was unpleasant. And unwelcome. The doctor told me I could increase the dosage until the symptoms were relieved, so I went back to 2 tabs (5 mg each) and feel good again. Once again, taking the prednisone until the methotrexate takes over. I'm wondering what to expect. Dones RA arrest with medication or does it continue to worsen? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? I'm so grateful to be feeling so much better, I haven't really focused on what the future might hold down the road. One other thing, is there anything I'm taking that makes me so darn tired at the end of the day??? My eyelids get so heavy around 4-5 pm I wonder if I can actually get in the car and drive home some nights. Glad to meet all of you, hope I won't drive you all crazy with all my questions! Suzanne (in NW *foggy* FL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 Suzanne: Some people like myself are able to control flares and can continue living life normally. Others have more problems. It is really individualized to that specific person. Colleen >From: " Suzanne " <suzshay@...> >Reply- >< > >Subject: [ ] Hello back to all >Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 05:27:31 -0600 > >Hi, > >Thanks for all the kind greetings! What is mobic? What is remicade? > >I was interested in the comment about prednisone causing weight gain. Does >it cause bloating or an increase in appetite. Does it come on immediately >or over time? (bloating or increase of appetite?) > >I've only taken one dose of methotrexate so far, will be taking a second >dose tonight. I've been told the goal is to wean me off the prednisone and >then I will be taking the methotrexate only. Is anyone taking this with >success? I was slowly decreasing the amount of prednisone I was taking til >I got to 1.5 tabs, and my symptoms starting coming back. That was >unpleasant. And unwelcome. The doctor told me I could increase the dosage >until the symptoms were relieved, so I went back to 2 tabs (5 mg each) and >feel good again. Once again, taking the prednisone until the methotrexate >takes over. > >I'm wondering what to expect. Dones RA arrest with medication or does it >continue to worsen? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? I'm so >grateful to be feeling so much better, I haven't really focused on what the >future might hold down the road. One other thing, is there anything I'm >taking that makes me so darn tired at the end of the day??? My eyelids get >so heavy around 4-5 pm I wonder if I can actually get in the car and drive >home some nights. > >Glad to meet all of you, hope I won't drive you all crazy with all my >questions! > >Suzanne (in NW *foggy* FL) > > > Check out my website at: http://www.geocities.com/callyanne21/ _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2002 Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 Hi , Good to hear from you. My doctor warned me the prednisone might make me gain weight. That would *NOT* be a good thing. I'm already fighting excess weight, having lost 30 lbs over a year ago, but still need to lose more. That's why I was asking what effect it had on you. Did you gain weight without any change in your normal diet/routine, or did it increase your appetite? I'm trying to monitor my behavior and appetite to try to catch anything unusual in my responses. Yes, I am taking folic acid. I hadn't heard the anemia aspect, just that folic acid would counter 'side effects'. Isn't that a scary word, or what!!??! I've heard people talk about flare ups. My situation kept me in pain all the time. I was really beginning to understand why people give up. I'm pretty much a " pollyanna " optimist type, but after battling progressive pain, stiffness and increasing inability to do the most common tasks (put on shoes, put on a blouse, wash my hair, step in and out of the shower, turn on faucets, open doors, sit for long periods of time, be able to get up and not lurch along like enstein, drive long distances in the car, bend down to pick something up off the floor, the list is endless) I was becoming very depressed and totally focussed on my misery. Not a pleasant way of life. I have found it is exhausting to battle pain and all consuming. I really feel like I have my life back right now, even if it is only temporary. Do people with flare ups have good periods without pain, then bad periods with much infirmity? My misery seemed pretty steady. What is mobic supposed to do? Is it for pain? An anti inflammatory? Something else? I am concerned about how tired I feel at the end of the day. Don't know if my body is just trying to adjust to the medications I'm taking or it's something else. I haven't slept well in well over a year, now that I can go to bed and not experience pain, maybe my body is just trying to catch up on all the sleep it was deprived?? Nice talking to you, have a great day! Suzanne [ ] Hello back to all > > Hi, > > Thanks for all the kind greetings! What is mobic? What is remicade? > > I was interested in the comment about prednisone causing weight gain. Does > it cause bloating or an increase in appetite. Does it come on immediately > or over time? (bloating or increase of appetite?) > > I've only taken one dose of methotrexate so far, will be taking a second > dose tonight. I've been told the goal is to wean me off the prednisone and > then I will be taking the methotrexate only. Is anyone taking this with > success? I was slowly decreasing the amount of prednisone I was taking til > I got to 1.5 tabs, and my symptoms starting coming back. That was > unpleasant. And unwelcome. The doctor told me I could increase the dosage > until the symptoms were relieved, so I went back to 2 tabs (5 mg each) and > feel good again. Once again, taking the prednisone until the methotrexate > takes over. > > I'm wondering what to expect. Dones RA arrest with medication or does it > continue to worsen? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? I'm so > grateful to be feeling so much better, I haven't really focused on what the > future might hold down the road. One other thing, is there anything I'm > taking that makes me so darn tired at the end of the day??? My eyelids get > so heavy around 4-5 pm I wonder if I can actually get in the car and drive > home some nights. > > Glad to meet all of you, hope I won't drive you all crazy with all my > questions! > > Suzanne (in NW *foggy* FL) > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2002 Report Share Posted February 3, 2002 Hi Suzanne and welcome to the list. My name is and I think maybe I am the token guy on the list as women usually get RA more often than guys. Anyway, I was initially started on 60 mg of Prednisone and am also on Celebrex. I slowly had to decrease the Prednisone to get off it, too, but no one told me it would take 13 months, though! I finally got off of it December 1. I also started on Methotrexate last year and I am thinking it takes a couple of months to build up in your system. Now I feel great, if I didn't know better I'd say I was getting better (NOT). I am also taking folic acid with the Metho, which you should be too, as a defense against some of the possible side effects of the Metho, mainly mouth sores. I was weaning off the Prednisone so slowly that when I finally got off it after taking Methotrexate for months, I didn't notice any problems. I am currently taking 8 2.5 mg tabs weekly which some have said is a lot but at my last rheumatologist vist a few weeks ago he said I am doing extraordinarily well and better than he expected. The only problem is that it is possible at some point for the treatment to not be effective anymore and then they have to try and find something else which will work. So I am making hay while the sun shines, as they say, and trying to get my basement remodeled so I can build my big model railroad set up which is my hobby and passion. As far as the Prednisone causing weight gain I can't say for sure because, in my case I am a Type-2 diabetic and had to start taking insulin because the Prednisone throws off you blood sugar so much. I gained about 30 pounds or sosince but the doctor said that was because of the insulin and not the Prednisone. As for the tiredness, I have read and heard that fighting the pain and the RA causes fatigue. At the time I wasn't feeling tired, I thought, I just didn't feel like doing anything and moped around the house. But I would fall asleep watching TV or reading the newspaper, then I couldn't sleep at night. The rheumatologist says that was from the RA. I still get tired in the afternoon some time after lunch and have to take a short nap. If I try to ignore it the tiredness doesn't seem to go away. I don't know at this point if I really need to sleep or if I have just gotten into a bad habit. The rheumatologist says sometimes the RA goes into remission and he thinks maybe that is where I am right now. It's kind of like having a little time bomb in your body that you never know when it might go off. I also am in the process of trying to get Social Security Disability Insurance but I am starting to have my doubts. I definetely qualified when all this started but am starting to think that now I don't because of the treatment. The person who convinced me to sign up and that I qualified gave the impression that basically I had it, it was on their list of " impairments " , and all I had to do was prove I had it. NOT - I was informed through another list which deals with disability that thousands of people have RA and continue to work. I have to basically prove that it keeps me from doing ANY kind of work in the national ecomony, which at the moment it doesn't. I think instead of disability insurance they should call it " total unemployability insurance " which would be a lot more accurate and keep a lot of confused people from thinking they qualify. That's government stuff for you. You have found a good and helpful list here and if you have any questions just ask. I am still learnig about this disease and there is a lot of knowledgeable help and experience here. Welcome aboard! At 06:10 PM 2/1/02, you wrote: > >Thanks for all the kind greetings! What is mobic? What is remicade? > >I was interested in the comment about prednisone causing weight gain. Does >it cause bloating or an increase in appetite. Does it come on immediately >or over time? (bloating or increase of appetite?) > >I've only taken one dose of methotrexate so far, will be taking a second >dose tonight. I've been told the goal is to wean me off the prednisone and >then I will be taking the methotrexate only. Is anyone taking this with >success? I was slowly decreasing the amount of prednisone I was taking til >I got to 1.5 tabs, and my symptoms starting coming back. That was >unpleasant. And unwelcome. The doctor told me I could increase the dosage >until the symptoms were relieved, so I went back to 2 tabs (5 mg each) and >feel good again. Once again, taking the prednisone until the methotrexate >takes over. > >I'm wondering what to expect. Dones RA arrest with medication or does it >continue to worsen? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? I'm so >grateful to be feeling so much better, I haven't really focused on what the >future might hold down the road. One other thing, is there anything I'm >taking that makes me so darn tired at the end of the day??? My eyelids get >so heavy around 4-5 pm I wonder if I can actually get in the car and drive >home some nights. > >Glad to meet all of you, hope I won't drive you all crazy with all my >questions! > >Suzanne (in NW *foggy* FL) Kossart - RA, Type-2 Diabetes Peru, Il, USA [Please refrain from sending any unsolicited attachments, pictures or forwards - Thanks!] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2002 Report Share Posted February 4, 2002 .... I know what you mean about waiting for a time bomb to go off... I feel like I am in a remission...but you never know. Colleen >From: /Celine Kossart <kozys@...> >Reply- > >Subject: Re: [ ] Hello back to all >Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2002 13:14:09 -0600 > >Hi Suzanne and welcome to the list. My name is and I think maybe I am >the token guy on the list as women usually get RA more often than >guys. Anyway, I was initially started on 60 mg of Prednisone and am also >on Celebrex. I slowly had to decrease the Prednisone to get off it, too, >but no one told me it would take 13 months, though! I finally got off of >it December 1. I also started on Methotrexate last year and I am thinking >it takes a couple of months to build up in your system. Now I feel great, >if I didn't know better I'd say I was getting better (NOT). I am also >taking folic acid with the Metho, which you should be too, as a defense >against some of the possible side effects of the Metho, mainly mouth sores. > >I was weaning off the Prednisone so slowly that when I finally got off it >after taking Methotrexate for months, I didn't notice any problems. I am >currently taking 8 2.5 mg tabs weekly which some have said is a lot but >at my last rheumatologist vist a few weeks ago he said I am doing >extraordinarily well and better than he expected. The only problem is that >it is possible at some point for the treatment to not be effective anymore >and then they have to try and find something else which will work. So I am >making hay while the sun shines, as they say, and trying to get my basement >remodeled so I can build my big model railroad set up which is my hobby and >passion. > >As far as the Prednisone causing weight gain I can't say for sure because, >in my case I am a Type-2 diabetic and had to start taking insulin because >the Prednisone throws off you blood sugar so much. I gained about 30 >pounds or sosince but the doctor said that was because of the insulin and >not the Prednisone. > As for the tiredness, I have read and heard that fighting the pain and >the RA causes fatigue. At the time I wasn't feeling tired, I thought, I >just didn't feel like doing anything and moped around the house. But I >would fall asleep watching TV or reading the newspaper, then I couldn't >sleep at night. The rheumatologist says that was from the RA. I still get >tired in the afternoon some time after lunch and have to take a short >nap. If I try to ignore it the tiredness doesn't seem to go away. I don't >know at this point if I really need to sleep or if I have just gotten into >a bad habit. > >The rheumatologist says sometimes the RA goes into remission and he thinks >maybe that is where I am right now. It's kind of like having a little time >bomb in your body that you never know when it might go off. > >I also am in the process of trying to get Social Security Disability >Insurance but I am starting to have my doubts. I definetely qualified when >all this started but am starting to think that now I don't because of the >treatment. The person who convinced me to sign up and that I qualified >gave the impression that basically I had it, it was on their list of > " impairments " , and all I had to do was prove I had it. NOT - I was >informed through another list which deals with disability that thousands of >people have RA and continue to work. I have to basically prove that it >keeps me from doing ANY kind of work in the national ecomony, which at the >moment it doesn't. I think instead of disability insurance they should >call it " total unemployability insurance " which would be a lot more >accurate and keep a lot of confused people from thinking they >qualify. That's government stuff for you. > >You have found a good and helpful list here and if you have any questions >just ask. I am still learnig about this disease and there is a lot of >knowledgeable help and experience here. Welcome aboard! > > > >At 06:10 PM 2/1/02, you wrote: > > > >Thanks for all the kind greetings! What is mobic? What is remicade? > > > >I was interested in the comment about prednisone causing weight gain. >Does > >it cause bloating or an increase in appetite. Does it come on >immediately > >or over time? (bloating or increase of appetite?) > > > >I've only taken one dose of methotrexate so far, will be taking a second > >dose tonight. I've been told the goal is to wean me off the prednisone >and > >then I will be taking the methotrexate only. Is anyone taking this with > >success? I was slowly decreasing the amount of prednisone I was taking >til > >I got to 1.5 tabs, and my symptoms starting coming back. That was > >unpleasant. And unwelcome. The doctor told me I could increase the dosage > >until the symptoms were relieved, so I went back to 2 tabs (5 mg each) >and > >feel good again. Once again, taking the prednisone until the methotrexate > >takes over. > > > >I'm wondering what to expect. Dones RA arrest with medication or does it > >continue to worsen? Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? I'm so > >grateful to be feeling so much better, I haven't really focused on what >the > >future might hold down the road. One other thing, is there anything I'm > >taking that makes me so darn tired at the end of the day??? My eyelids >get > >so heavy around 4-5 pm I wonder if I can actually get in the car and >drive > >home some nights. > > > >Glad to meet all of you, hope I won't drive you all crazy with all my > >questions! > > > >Suzanne (in NW *foggy* FL) > > > > Kossart - RA, Type-2 Diabetes >Peru, Il, USA >[Please refrain from sending any unsolicited attachments, pictures or >forwards - Thanks!] > Check out my website at: http://www.geocities.com/callyanne21/ _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2002 Report Share Posted February 4, 2002 sometimes those bombs have very short fuses too!! kathy in il Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 4, 2002 Report Share Posted February 4, 2002 Hello Suzanne, Prednisone , a great immediate relief for a lot of ails but it does have some terrible side effects. I have taken up to 10 mgwith other medication; but I'm also trying to wean off,. Right now I' m taking Remicade every 8 weeks, 3 2.5mg methotrexate every Sat. and have cut the prednisone to 2mg every other day. Hoping when I go this Friday to my Rheumy he will tell me to finish what I have and then quit. Weight gain, In threeyrs that I been taking Prednixone I have gained about 40 lbs.. Tiredness...I think this just goes with the territory when you're having a flare. At my worst times I slept most of the time. Be blessed, Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2002 Report Share Posted February 5, 2002 Suzanne, Flare-ups are the Pits of my experience with RA, not being able to do any of the things you named below. My husband even had to put in my ear rings during that time, I also got my hair cut extremely short 'cause I couldn't do any thing with it. But as you said it was great to get back to a fairly normal life and I don't have to many visible crooked joints, etc... as of now. My arms lost some of their motion range and my feet hurt if on them too long and some of my toes are begining to cross the other. But I still know that I've got much to be thanful for. These flare-ups do vary in the lenght of time it takes to bring the RA back under control, my longest began in June 1999 and carried through until March 2000. So I'm sure it varies witheaach individual. Hope you have a good day. Be Blessed. Becky In a message dated 02/02/2002 10:40:41 AM Central Standard Time, suzshay@... writes: > I've heard people talk about flare ups. My situation kept me in pain all > the time. I was really beginning to understand why people give up. I'm > pretty much a " pollyanna " optimist type, but after battling progressive > pain, stiffness and increasing inability to do the most common tasks (put > on > shoes, put on a blouse, wash my hair, step in and out of the shower, turn > on > faucets, open doors, sit for long periods of time, be able to get up and > not > lurch along like enstein, drive long distances in the car, bend down > to > pick something up off the floor, the list is endless) I was becoming very > depressed and totally focussed on my misery. Not a pleasant way of life. I > have found it is exhausting to battle pain and all consuming. I really > feel > like I have my life back right now, even if it is only temporary. Do > people > with flare ups have good periods without pain, then bad periods with much > infirmity? My misery seemed pretty steady. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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