Guest guest Posted July 4, 2002 Report Share Posted July 4, 2002 Debbie, Good luck with the MTX. I know this has been a VERY hard decision for you. You will be kept in my prayers and thoughts for relief from the pain with this medication. Hang in there, results unfortunately aren't always instant. Gentle, tender, this disease stinks, angel hugs, Debs in FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 4, 2002 Report Share Posted July 4, 2002 Hi Debbie..I have a feeling I may be next with the Metho although I'm not sure yet. My next rheumy apt. is in August and I have a sneaking suspicion that dmards are next on my menu. I also have osteoporosis and am on 500X3 cal/vit d and on bone builders. I' ve heard that Fosamax can be had in a once weekly dose although I don't think that dosage is available in Canada. I'm on Actonel which I' ve tolerated very well, no problems at all. Sometimes stomach problems arise on the bone builders but that's often helped with an acid reducer. I personally have two compression fractures already and I'd definitely say they are worth avoiding! Personally, my osteop. isn't due to steroid meds. Anyway, I'm wishing you the best of best luck with the Metho and hoping for the best possible outcome for you on this new med. We have so many medications to deal with don't we? Here some links I have for Osteoporosis..take care. http://www.osteoporosis.ca/index.shtml http://www.osteoporose.qc.ca/e_home.htm marrielle To look at something as though we had never seen it before requires great courage. - Henri Matisse [ ] Start Metho tomorrow >Well, I pick up my prescription tomorrow for Methotrexate and folic acid. I m supposed to stay on prednisone for about 3 weeks then he will taper me down. Debbie Mc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 4, 2002 Report Share Posted July 4, 2002 Debbie, I know how scary it is to take it, I had the same fears. Since being on it for several months, It¹s not so scary anymore. I¹ve had no side effects at all and only feel ³funny² the night I take it. I take it before bedtime so I sleep away any nausea I may feel. I hope you have the same good luck and it gives you some relief. My doctor told me to take caltrate plus. It has calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc and copper. It comes in regular and chewable. I keep a bottle of both, the regular if I Œm home and the chewable to keep in my pocketbook for when I¹m not home. Since I also have osteopenia, I make sure I don¹t miss. a > Well, I pick up my prescription tomorrow for Methotrexate and folic acid. I > m supposed to stay on prednisone for about 3 weeks then he will taper me > down. I had CBC and liver panel done yesterday, and i have to have it > repeated in 10 days. I'm going to take it tomorrow night. I'm scared, but > not too scared, I guess. I just hope I'm not going to be spending my 4 day > weekend in the bathroom. lol I rarely get an upset stomach, it's the other > end that has me worried. I have to eat a big bowl of raisin bran every > morning or I'm spending all my time running to the bathroom anyway. I'm > never without anti-diarrhea medicine. I hope I can take it if I have > problems. I forgot to ask him. I guess this is good timing, I started > flaring again a couple of days ago, and he said to up my prednisone for a > about a week, then go back down. > > My bone scan was -1.27. I'm supposed to take 500 mg of calcium and vitamin > D 3 times a day. That reminds me to go take it. I even sit up a reminder > on my computer at work to take it at noon. He said that he will test me > again in about a year and if the numbers are still going down, then he will > put me on meds to build bone mass. Kind of had a feeling it would turn out > that way. I don't take calcium except in the food I eat. Guess I should do > some searches on bone density and osteopenia. > > I see some new names on the list today. I'm sorry that we share the same > disease, but better to be here with this compassionate group than to deal > with the pain and uncertainty alone. > > ((((hugs))) to all. > > Debbie Mc > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 4, 2002 Report Share Posted July 4, 2002 Hi Debby: I have been on Methotrexate now about 6 months - started it in conjunction with Plaquenil initially but when that combo did not help, stopped the Plaquenil and began taking Arava with the Metho and that is working pretty good. I have not had any problems with the Metho - I take 15 mg. every Friday. I take it with a full meal at night - if there is any nausea or stomach upset I sleep through it! I have noticed that for the next two days I am more tired than usual but that's about all. I take Folic Acid too and this is supposed to neutralize any side effects of the Metho. I was not very happy to be taking it either (my mom died of colon cancer - she was treated with Metho for that - I always thought of it as a cancer drug - and she got so sick from it) but it is an old " tried and true " drug for RA treatment. Just make sure to get your blood work done regularly to watch for any liver enzyme elevation. Good luck with it! __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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