RE: Greetings

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Hello! How are you? This is in VA. I'm so happy for you that you found a great rheumy. It's really important. After I was 1st diagnosed (when I was 22) I had a bone scan and my 1st rheumy told me I had the hips of a 42 year old post-menopausal woman! It was very scary.

Are you taking Folic Acid? That helps with the methotrexate side effects. I take 1mg 3 times a day.

Regarding biologics, I have taken Enbrel & Remicade, but I still take the Remicade (my next treatment is tomorrow -- YEAH!) . It works really well for me. I do know some people that have diabetes that take biologics -- they just have to monitor it much more closely. I suggest you talk to this new rheumy. Some of the biologics are designed specifically for people that have arthritis & other auto immune diseases, like MS. Your rheumy and pharmacist should be able to help you.

Take care,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MSN 8: Get 6 months for $9.95/month.

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group and we hope to hear from you often. You mentioned 25 mg Methotrexate but you didn't mention Folic Acid or Leucovorin. Usually these are given along with Methotrexate because Methotrexate reduces the amount of available Folic Acid in the body. In the US Methotrexate is usually given daily while in other countries it is often given only once a week. There are good arguments for either way of dosing but there is general agreement that a supplement is needed.

Many people benefit from the biologics and I have heard of few cases of significant problems. With most of our medications it is necessary to have frequent blood work (at least every two months) so that if serious problems develop they can be caught and corrected early. For me neither Arava nor Methotrexate alone worked so my doctor put me on Remicade (a biologic) and Methotrexate. Now I feel that I am doing reasonably well. Remicade is given once every 8 weeks and I feel pretty good for about 6 weeks and then I have to go back on a little Prednisone to tide me over for a couple of weeks. Two days after my Remicade infusion I am able to go completely off Prednisone. I think the Remicade has fewer side effects than the Prednisone and I need one or the other to function. Also Remicade is supposed to slow down or stop permanent joint damage (but nothing heals the joints once they are damaged).

Lawyers for the drug companies write the warnings for drugs and they are indeed based on facts. If one person in a million develops a certain problem the lawyers want to list it so that the company is not responsible if it happens again. I think if we really read all the warning labels and horror stories associated with household cleaners we might be tempted to stop using them. I don't deny the adverse side effects of many of our medicines but we need to put things in perspective. Without medicines most RA will lead to permanent joint damage and a wheel chair. I consider that to be more adverse than the risk of side effects of the medicines.

It usually takes quite a while for Methotrexate and most other RA medicines to take effect. For quicker relief many people take Prednisone that is a powerful anti-inflammatory. However, it does not slow down or stop joint damage. Here's a site with some general information about RA medicines. http://www.arthritisinsight.com/medical/meds/ Good luck and God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: nmr

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 10:46 PM

Subject: Greetings

Hello all,I don't think I've actually ever posted to this group although I joined along time ago as no-mail. It was few weeks ago that I started gettingindividual emails sent to me only because I recently switched to a newRheumy who is absolutely on the ball so now I'm feeling like maybe I have achance. My name is and I'm 41. I have 2 long haired cats and a ton ofhouseplants. I have a 21 yr old daughter who lives with her boyfriend. Iused to tat and knit, but now I'm lucky if I can take out the garbage.LeAnn, thank you for voicing a plea I have felt for over a year! I've beendiagnosed with zero negative arthritis. I had a bone scan recently thatshowed active inflammation in almost every single joint and one spot in thecenter of my back. I have arthritis in more places than I actually knewabout. Anyways, this new Rheumy has me taking 25mg of Methotrexate once aweek and I've just started Sulfasalazine which will be progressivelyincreased until I'm taking that 2 pills twice a day. I've been on 2plaquenil a day and mobicox for over a year. I'm on drugs for hypertension,anxiety, anemia, stomach problems (from taking all this other stuff!) andother disorders that the gents would probably rather not hear about. I feellike a walking drugstore. :)I hear some of you talking about the "biologicals" quite frequently. Ilooked at the website for Enbrel and I can see why I'm not on it. I alsohave diabetes although I'm not on medication for that. I would like to hearmore about these and any of you who have had experiences with them. Themethotrexate isn't so bad.. I take them at bedtime and consider thefollowing day a write-off as I'm too tired to do much.So that's my introduction. I forgot to mention I'm living on the westcoastof BC Canada.*hugs*

[Guest guest]

Hi , Harold and all,

I take 5mg of Folic acid on the night that I take the 25mg of Methotrexate (once a week). I'm taking a multi vitamin and 50mg of B complex daily. I'm taking 300mg of Ferrous Sulfate twice a day as well. I go for bloodwork monthly to make sure my liver and everything else is okay.

Now that I've been on the Sulfasalazine since Wednesday, my feet are beginning to swell. I am currently waiting for a return call from my Rheumy about this as she only works 2 days a week and my next appointment isn't until late October. She's working this way rather than take maternity leave - isn't she a doll? I'm already on "water" pills for the hypertension (along with beta blockers and ace inhibitors) so this is a bit of a concern to me. Is anyone else familiar with Sulfasalazine? Come Wednesday I'll be up to 500mg twice daily and increasing weekly until I'm taking 2000mg a day. Eek!

*hugs*

[Guest guest]

Hi !

I can’t

take the Sulfasalazine….I am allergic to sulfa drugs. I take 25 mg

Methotrexate by injection once a week, 2 mg Folic Acid everyday, 25 mg Vioxx

everyday, 750 mg Remicade every 8 weeks, all for RA. I take 40 mg of

Accupril, 240 mg of Cardizem and 25 mg Hydochlorothiazide, all for my

hypertension that I have had for over 25 years. (I am 44). I take 800mg

four times a day of Asacol for Ulcerative Colitis; 400mg Carbatrol for seizure

disorder; 30 mg of Prevacid for a Hiatal hernia. And for my Post

Traumatic Stress Disorder I take 45 mg Celexa, 1.5 mg Ativan, 30 mg

Remeron. I am a diabetic but have been able to control it with diet so far.

My sister has to take pills and shots. I am hoping I don’t have to

do that!!! I too go for blood work once a month for the RA meds and about

4 times a year for the seizure meds to check their level in my blood.

So

anytime any of my meds are adjusted it throws my body into a tailspin as other

levels are thrown off. Sunday night I took 5 mg of Prednisone for the RA

because of a flare up. On Monday all of my blood sugar levels were thrown

off and I had a horrid day! My sugar dropped precariously low then of

course I ate and drank juice etc to bring it up. Then it swung too high

and I got a headache among other things then it got low, then high. It

was awful!!!!! This happens EVERY time I take Prednisone! So I

really feel for all of you out there!!!!!!!

I

had to go onto disability about 3 months after I was stricken with RA.

That was in 2000. I’ve worked hard to get my life back! I am

on Social Security Disability. I am trying to go back into the work

force. I am studying to be a United Methodist Minister – something I

have felt “called” to do since I was a child. So far it’s

working out well!!!!!!! My Rhemy and I think we have the right combo of

drugs. We are now working on the dosages.

I

wish all of you well! I don’t post too often although I have been a

member of the group for a long time. But I DO read all of the

posts.

Have

a great day and hopefully pain free too!!!!!!!!!!!

Carla

-----Original Message-----

From: nmr

[mailto:nmr.01@...]

Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 5:13

PM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re:

Greetings

Hi ,

Harold and all,

I take 5mg of

Folic acid on the night that I take the 25mg of Methotrexate (once a week). I'm

taking a multi vitamin and 50mg of B complex daily. I'm taking 300mg of Ferrous

Sulfate twice a day as well. I go for bloodwork monthly to make sure my liver

and everything else is okay.

Now that I've

been on the Sulfasalazine since Wednesday, my feet are beginning to swell. I am

currently waiting for a return call from my Rheumy about this as she only works

2 days a week and my next appointment isn't until late October. She's working

this way rather than take maternity leave - isn't she a doll? I'm already

on " water " pills for the hypertension (along with beta blockers and

ace inhibitors) so this is a bit of a concern to me. Is anyone else familiar

with Sulfasalazine? Come Wednesday I'll be up to 500mg twice daily and

increasing weekly until I'm taking 2000mg a day. Eek!

*hugs*

[Guest guest]

Hi Carla,

Well it turns out I can't take the Sulfasalazine either. My feet are slowly reducing in size now that I've stopped. I was advised to quit them to see if it was the new drugs that were causing the swelling. I won't be started on anything else until my next appointment. You sure are on an amazing amount of medications and I know exactly what you mean about trying to add anything to the mix. Thanks for the reply.

*hugs*

----- Original Message -----

From: Carla Janes

Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 2:55 AM

Subject: RE: Greetings

Hi !

I can’t take the Sulfasalazine….I am allergic to sulfa drugs. I take 25 mg Methotrexate by injection once a week, 2 mg Folic Acid everyday, 25 mg Vioxx everyday, 750 mg Remicade every 8 weeks, all for RA. I take 40 mg of Accupril, 240 mg of Cardizem and 25 mg Hydochlorothiazide, all for my hypertension that I have had for over 25 years. (I am 44). I take 800mg four times a day of Asacol for Ulcerative Colitis; 400mg Carbatrol for seizure disorder; 30 mg of Prevacid for a Hiatal hernia. And for my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder I take 45 mg Celexa, 1.5 mg Ativan, 30 mg Remeron. I am a diabetic but have been able to control it with diet so far. My sister has to take pills and shots. I am hoping I don’t have to do that!!! I too go for blood work once a month for the RA meds and about 4 times a year for the seizure meds to check their level in my blood.

So anytime any of my meds are adjusted it throws my body into a tailspin as other levels are thrown off.

<snip>

[Guest guest]

Hi

!

I am

sorry your body had to go through all of that before you found out you

were allergic to the meds. I have often wished for a simpler way to find

out if we are allergic to meds. I hope you are able to find something

that helps really soon!!!!

Carla

-----Original Message-----

From: nmr

[mailto:nmr.01@...]

Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003

2:37 AM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re:

Greetings

Hi Carla,

Well it turns out I can't take the Sulfasalazine

either. My feet are slowly reducing in size now that I've stopped. I was

advised to quit them to see if it was the new drugs that were causing the

swelling. I won't be started on anything else until my next appointment.

You sure are on an amazing amount of medications and I know exactly what you

mean about trying to add anything to the mix. Thanks for the reply.

*hugs*

----- Original Message -----

From: Carla

Janes

Sent: Tuesday,

August 26, 2003 2:55 AM

Subject: RE:

Greetings

Hi !

I can’t take the Sulfasalazine….I am allergic to

sulfa drugs. I take 25 mg Methotrexate by injection once a week, 2 mg

Folic Acid everyday, 25 mg Vioxx everyday, 750 mg Remicade every 8 weeks, all

for RA. I take 40 mg of Accupril, 240 mg of Cardizem and 25 mg

Hydochlorothiazide, all for my hypertension that I have had for over 25 years.

(I am 44). I take 800mg four times a day of Asacol for Ulcerative

Colitis; 400mg Carbatrol for seizure disorder; 30 mg of Prevacid for a Hiatal

hernia. And for my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder I take 45 mg Celexa,

1.5 mg Ativan, 30 mg Remeron. I am a diabetic but have been able to

control it with diet so far. My sister has to take pills and shots.

I am hoping I don’t have to do that!!! I too go for blood work once

a month for the RA meds and about 4 times a year for the seizure meds to check

their level in my blood.

So anytime any of my meds are adjusted it throws my body into

a tailspin as other levels are thrown off.

<snip>

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know if any of the topical/non-prescription products we see in

tv commercials work? Does anything topical help?

-----Original Message-----

From: Carla Janes [mailto:carla.janes@...]

Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 8:41 AM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: RE: Greetings

Hi !

I am sorry your body had to go through all of that before you found out you

were allergic to the meds. I have often wished for a simpler way to find

out if we are allergic to meds. I hope you are able to find something that

helps really soon!!!!

Carla

-----Original Message-----

From: nmr [mailto:nmr.01@...]

Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 2:37 AM

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Subject: Re: Greetings

Hi Carla,

Well it turns out I can't take the Sulfasalazine either. My feet are slowly

reducing in size now that I've stopped. I was advised to quit them to see if

it was the new drugs that were causing the swelling. I won't be started on

anything else until my next appointment. You sure are on an amazing amount

of medications and I know exactly what you mean about trying to add anything

to the mix. Thanks for the reply.

*hugs*

----- Original Message -----

From: Carla Janes

Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 2:55 AM

Subject: RE: Greetings

Hi !

I can't take the Sulfasalazine..I am allergic to sulfa drugs. I take 25 mg

Methotrexate by injection once a week, 2 mg Folic Acid everyday, 25 mg Vioxx

everyday, 750 mg Remicade every 8 weeks, all for RA. I take 40 mg of

Accupril, 240 mg of Cardizem and 25 mg Hydochlorothiazide, all for my

hypertension that I have had for over 25 years. (I am 44). I take 800mg

four times a day of Asacol for Ulcerative Colitis; 400mg Carbatrol for

seizure disorder; 30 mg of Prevacid for a Hiatal hernia. And for my Post

Traumatic Stress Disorder I take 45 mg Celexa, 1.5 mg Ativan, 30 mg Remero