change from oral methotrexate to biologic injections

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed in Oct.09 with rheumatoid arthritis. Put on methotrexate 6 tabs

every sat. and leucovorin, and prednisone.My mouth sores are worse so now using

a dental tar for them. My doctor suggests i give this a try but then biologic

injections. I know nothing about this step other than he said it was about $1200

a month. Will any insurance company pay this or will our insurance eventually

denie us because of this expense with my health. I wonder if I should get a

second opinion. My blood work is seronegative but have all the systems. Any

advise I don't know much about this ugly next step. Thanks in advance.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/2/2010 4:32:57 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

sagil@... writes:

I was diagnosed in Oct.09 with rheumatoid arthritis. Put on methotrexate 6

tabs every sat. and leucovorin, and prednisone.My mouth sores are worse so

now using a dental tar for them. My doctor suggests i give this a try but

then biologic injections. I know nothing about this step other than he said

it was about $1200 a month. Will any insurance company pay this or will

our insurance eventually denie us because of this expense with my health. I

wonder if I should get a second opinion. My blood work is seronegative but

have all the systems. Any advise I don't know much about this ugly next

step. Thanks in advance. >

My insurance and Medicare pays for my biologic -- I tried two other drugs

before we had Remicade pre-approved. We started with Methotrexate and then

Arava. I think Remicade is about $4000 every 8 weeks. Enbrel would have been

a little cheaper because you self-inject, but my GI doctor had recommended

Remicade for Crohn's.

dd

[Guest guest]

I have a Hyatial Hernia and my Rheumy didn't want to agitate it. I take my

Methotrexate by injection once a week. My Rheumy said that with the pill you

don't absorb the total drug into your system cause it has to go thru the

digestive system. He said with an injection I would absorb the entire drug into

my system. And Methotrexate vials are cheap. I pay $15.00 for 4 small vials

and I get 2 injections out of each vial. I use a diabetic needle for the

injections. You may want to talk to your Rheumy about getting Methotrexate via

injection.

Hope this helps.

in MN