Guest guest Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 Hello, Suzanne! Sorry you've had trouble with your body over the last couple of years. Yes, you are on a very standard treatment. Prednisone is a very effective, fast-acting anti-inflammatory medicine, but it's long-term use in RA is controversial. Although it often gives very prompt relief and has been shown in some studies to retard erosions in the early years of RA, its long-term side-effects can be very serious. As you've already read here, the weight gain alone is a disturbing result of prednisone use. Many physicians treat RA with predisone plus a DMARD (disease- modifying anti-rheumatic drug) such as methotrexate and taper the prednisone and eventually wean the patient off of it. By the time the patient is off the prednisone, the DMARD should be able to manage the symptoms and control the disease effectively. This is called " bridging therapy. " I'm glad you are exercising. That is an excellent way to keep your body as healthy as possible. Hope you and your clock are in agreement now! Glad you found your way here, > I just joined this list and wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I'm > newly diagnosed with RA, having been experiencing progressively worsening > symptoms over the past 2 years. Tests just didn't turn up anything > conclusive until I had a bone scan in December, which followed a referral to > a specialist who ordered it after a very extensive exam. > > I was put on prednisone, folic acid and methotrexate on Jan. 21st. The > immediate result was truly amazing. Within 4 hours of taking the first dose > of prednisone I felt like a different person! The dosage is slowly being > reduced in 3 day increments. Yesterday I was down to 1.5 doses (each pill > is 5 mg) from a start of 3 pills. I notice this morning I'm not quite as > pain free as I was, although still feeling vastly better. > > I'm 51, soon to be 52, married for 29 years, and no children other than my 3 > female felines. I work full time in a personnel department for a local > government. The job is very busy and fast paced and can be very stressful. > I notice when my stress levels increase, so do my aches and pains. > > I'm wondering what is in store for me. Is this a common treatment? What are > the long term issues. It's a little scary to be facing an incurable > autoimmune disease, wondering if the cures are as bad, if not worse, than > the disease? > > I'm laughing at myself this moring. The power went off sometime yesterday > while I was at work and I must have set the bedroom clock wrong. I thought > I got up at 5:00 am. It appears I got up at 4:00 am instead!! I go to the > local gym every morning for exercise and fellowship. The gym has a nice > heated pool, sauna, steam room, and my personal favorite, the hot tub. I > used to walk on the treadmill, then ride the stationary bike before going > into the pool and then finishing up in the hot tub. Several months ago or > more, the pain in my shoulders got so severe I stopped the treadmill and > bike and limited myself to the pool and hot tub. It would offer such > tremendous relief, even if only temporary. Now that I'm feeling better, I'd > like to increase my exercise level again. Oh, according to the bone scan, I > have inflammation in both hands, both wrists, both shoulders, both knees, > and both feet. > > Thanks for listening, > > Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2002 Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 Hi , Thanks for the info. I'm a little curious about the methotrexate. According to the brochure I got from the doctor's office, and a little internet research, no one knows why it works to relieve RA. Weird, huh? Are you saying that the methotrexate can possibly retard the progression of the RA? Can anything do that? It's spooky to have your immune system turn on you, isn't it? I still get that little thrill, like a kid on Christmas morning, when I jump up from my chair and can actually move like I used to. The stiffness was really becoming a problem, and very frightening. I wonder how many of you here are married, and how many of you have husbands who just don't want to deal with a spouse's infirmity? My husband has just been turning a blind eye to my illness, like if he ignores it it will go away. I understand it is frightening for him too, but it has always amused me that when I get sick he runs like a scared rabbit. Too much threat to the status quo I guess. Well so much for my musings, Suzanne [ ] Welcome, Suzanne! > Hello, Suzanne! > > Sorry you've had trouble with your body over the last couple of years. > > Yes, you are on a very standard treatment. Prednisone is a very > effective, fast-acting anti-inflammatory medicine, but it's long-term > use in RA is controversial. Although it often gives very prompt > relief and has been shown in some studies to retard erosions in the > early years of RA, its long-term side-effects can be very serious. > > As you've already read here, the weight gain alone is a disturbing > result of prednisone use. > > Many physicians treat RA with predisone plus a DMARD (disease- > modifying anti-rheumatic drug) such as methotrexate and taper the > prednisone and eventually wean the patient off of it. By the time the > patient is off the prednisone, the DMARD should be able to manage the > symptoms and control the disease effectively. This is > called " bridging therapy. " > > I'm glad you are exercising. That is an excellent way to keep your > body as healthy as possible. > > Hope you and your clock are in agreement now! > > Glad you found your way here, > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 18, 2002 Report Share Posted February 18, 2002 Suzanne, I was on MTX for about 12/13 years, ask me anything! I also have a boyfriend. Last month, Jan 19, we celebrated our 12th year together. He is wonderful and understands my pain and the disease and how it works. He even did his own research and reading. When I find something interesting medically, he reads it. He also knows which vitamins I should take, and always asks, " are you taking your calcium? " ~Rainy Re: [ ] Welcome, Suzanne! > Hi , > > Thanks for the info. I'm a little curious about the methotrexate. According > to the brochure I got from the doctor's office, and a little internet > research, no one knows why it works to relieve RA. Weird, huh? > > Are you saying that the methotrexate can possibly retard the progression of > the RA? Can anything do that? It's spooky to have your immune system turn on > you, isn't it? > > I still get that little thrill, like a kid on Christmas morning, when I jump > up from my chair and can actually move like I used to. The stiffness was > really becoming a problem, and very frightening. > > I wonder how many of you here are married, and how many of you have husbands > who just don't want to deal with a spouse's infirmity? My husband has just > been turning a blind eye to my illness, like if he ignores it it will go > away. I understand it is frightening for him too, but it has always amused > me that when I get sick he runs like a scared rabbit. Too much threat to > the status quo I guess. > > Well so much for my musings, > > Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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