Re: Newbie with a pred/MTX question

[Guest guest]

Hi Janice,

I've been on mtx for 11 years now, it's my wonder drug. I have been up to 4

pills a week over the years, mostly 3 a week, I am now down to 2 one week

and 1 the next, alternating. I'm really good right now. I will tell you

that I haven't really had fatigue over the years, I don't think it's a given

that you will have to have it. I do sometimes get a little tired in the

afternoon but I question if it could be age also, I'm 54.

I wish you all the best with your action plan.

in PA

On Sat, Feb 26, 2011 at 1:32 PM, jjo193 <jjo193@...> wrote:

>

>

> I am recently diagnosed and I am tapering off pred and on MTX. I started

> the pred at 15 mg. and I am now at 12.5 mg. ready to go to 10 mg on Tuesday

> (reducing 2.5mg every two weeks until zero, hopefully). I started the MTX at

> 3 pills for 2 weeks, last night went up to 5 for two weeks and then will go

> to 7....taking once a week, of course. So, I read about fatigue on MTX and I

> am wondering if it is the pred keeping my energy up and will I crash once

> the pred is gone? Anyone with experience to share? I admit I was so scared

> to take the 5 pills last night, but it seems to be so far, so good.

>

> Janice

> in Georgia

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, . I am also 54. I am hoping that 7 pills gets me to " remission "

and I will be able to eventually reduce the dose of MTX to where you are. My RA

hit me like a freight train to where I could barely walk in January. To be

where I am today...moving normally and exercising regularly and finally no more

stiffness in the mornings or when getting out of a chair (and eating the

healthiest diet I ever have in my life!) is not something I am taking for

granted. I still am on eggshells wondering if each pred dosage change is going

to send me backwards, but it hasn't yet, as far as I can tell. I see the rheum

again at the end of March and I guess the blood test will be important in

gauging how I am really doing, but I am hopeful.

To get this diagnosis is such a shock and then to read things on the

internet.....yikes! Thanks for your encouraging words!!

Janice in Georgia

>

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

By the way Janice, my RA came on overnight, literally over one night, I even

know the date and the next day, I could not move. Every joint was blown up

and all I could do was lay on the sofa till I could get in to see the

rheumy. You should have seen me, I looked like I was 93 years old. Anyway,

with a good doc and my mtx you would not know that I had RA unless you knew

me. And my bloodwork has always been negative for RA.

I have had setbacks at time, we call them flares but life is really good

right now.

Best,

in PA

On Sat, Feb 26, 2011 at 2:45 PM, jjo193 <jjo193@...> wrote:

>

>

> Thanks, . I am also 54. I am hoping that 7 pills gets me to " remission "

> and I will be able to eventually reduce the dose of MTX to where you are. My

> RA hit me like a freight train to where I could barely walk in January. To

> be where I am today...moving normally and exercising regularly and finally

> no more stiffness in the mornings or when getting out of a chair (and eating

> the healthiest diet I ever have in my life!) is not something I am taking

> for granted. I still am on eggshells wondering if each pred dosage change is

> going to send me backwards, but it hasn't yet, as far as I can tell. I see

> the rheum again at the end of March and I guess the blood test will be

> important in gauging how I am really doing, but I am hopeful.

>

> To get this diagnosis is such a shock and then to read things on the

> internet.....yikes! Thanks for your encouraging words!!

>

> Janice in Georgia

>

>

>

> >

> > >

> > >

> > >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, again, . I am positive anti-CCP, but I have done well on these

initial meds. My rheum says that indicates a responsive disease. I know the

feeling you had. I managed to make it into work loaded up on ibuprofen and

then, after I had seen the GP, diclofenac, but everyone could see how much I was

struggling. Just getting out of the car.....uugghhh.... And then how people

respond. Several friends.. " oh, I thought it was going to be something worse. "

They just don't get what RA is and what it can do.

I do feel I have a good doctor. He is very caring and reassuring...thank

goodness, as he is now, apparently, my new BFF! How do you handle flares? My

doc says pred....but, next time I see him, I need to have a discussion on what

is something to be handled with anti-inflammatories and at what point it becomes

a pred issue. I am still learning.....

I am convinced mine was triggered by a virus I had a few weeks before the RA

symptoms. That seems to be a the trigger for a lot of people. I hope research

figures out that connection. There is no RA in my family.

Janice in Georgia

>

> By the way Janice, my RA came on overnight, literally over one night, I even

> know the date and the next day, I could not move. Every joint was blown up

> and all I could do was lay on the sofa till I could get in to see the

> rheumy. You should have seen me, I looked like I was 93 years old. Anyway,

> with a good doc and my mtx you would not know that I had RA unless you knew

> me. And my bloodwork has always been negative for RA.

>

> I have had setbacks at time, we call them flares but life is really good

> right now.

>

> Best,

>

> in PA

>

> O

[Guest guest]

I avoid pred at all costs UNLESS I am in a major flare and then it's

like water in the desert. Two years ago my big toe on one foot just

decided to go nuts, it was awful, almost lost it bit iv pred to the

rescue.

No one in my family has RA but there are other autoimmune. I'm

thankful I have RA over some other things out there.

Sent from my iPod

On Feb 27, 2011, at 10:23 AM, " jjo193 " <jjo193@...> wrote:

> Thanks, again, . I am positive anti-CCP, but I have done well on

> these initial meds. My rheum says that indicates a responsive

> disease. I know the feeling you had. I managed to make it into work

> loaded up on ibuprofen and then, after I had seen the GP,

> diclofenac, but everyone could see how much I was struggling. Just

> getting out of the car.....uugghhh.... And then how people respond.

> Several friends.. " oh, I thought it was going to be something worse. "

> They just don't get what RA is and what it can do.

>

> I do feel I have a good doctor. He is very caring and

> reassuring...thank goodness, as he is now, apparently, my new BFF!

> How do you handle flares? My doc says pred....but, next time I see

> him, I need to have a discussion on what is something to be handled

> with anti-inflammatories and at what point it becomes a pred issue.

> I am still learning.....

>

> I am convinced mine was triggered by a virus I had a few weeks

> before the RA symptoms. That seems to be a the trigger for a lot of

> people. I hope research figures out that connection. There is no RA

> in my family.

>

> Janice in Georgia

>

>

> >

> > By the way Janice, my RA came on overnight, literally over one

> night, I even

> > know the date and the next day, I could not move. Every joint was

> blown up

> > and all I could do was lay on the sofa till I could get in to see

> the

> > rheumy. You should have seen me, I looked like I was 93 years old.

> Anyway,

> > with a good doc and my mtx you would not know that I had RA unless

> you knew

> > me. And my bloodwork has always been negative for RA.

> >

> > I have had setbacks at time, we call them flares but life is

> really good

> > right now.

> >

> > Best,

> >

> > in PA

> >

> > O

>

>