Re: Re: Help pain unbearable, arteries, neck and back bad too - ra?

[Guest guest]

MTX is a tried and true drug for RA. It helps a lot of people, and

they don't need to go to the newer biologic drugs. Most

rheumatologists will try it first.

Sue

On Aug 28, 2010, at 11:58 PM, Lazydog wrote:

>

> i was told last appt if methetrexate doesn't work then they will try

> biolitix or whatever it is. i did ask him that last time because he

> told me first visit they have good new drugs these days for ra and

> then i googled and found mtx been around for years so wondered why i

> wasn't getting " new " drugs.

[Guest guest]

,

Even though there are a lot of new, excellent choices for RA

treatment, methotrexate is still the gold standard therapy. Because it

has been used for decades, the side effect profile of methotrexate is

very well developed, and rheumatologist have much experience with it.

Also, methotrexate far less expensive than the biologics.

Not an MD

On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 10:58 PM, Lazydog <lazydog124@...> wrote:

> Hi shanyka

> that was my rheumy's first choice also but as soon as i took the prednisone

the atrial fibrillation started again - for which i'd a few weeks earlier spent

a week in hospital for - and they blamed over replacement of thyroid meds

(probably coz i take Natural Thyroid Hormone and none of the doctors there had

heard of it).  None of them assumed the prednisone was to blame.

>

> I also had severe chest pain for which they did every heart test available - i

wonder if that was due to the prednisone too because it stopped shortly after i

stopped the prednisone.  it was so severe i thought it must have been a heart

attack.

>

> The methetrexate last week gave me bad diarhea (spell?) and i lost about 1.5

kg in a day.  i am assuming it was that because i have barely been eating

anything unusual as i can't get out of the house.

>

> i was told last appt if methetrexate doesn't work then they will try biolitix

or whatever it is.  i did ask him that last time because he told me first visit

they have good new drugs these days for ra and then i googled and found mtx been

around for years so wondered why i wasn't getting " new " drugs.

>

> ...julia

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm on mtx, have been for 11 years now and will be for life, hopefully.

It's my drug of choice, I'm only taking 2 pills a week and hope to keep it

at that but I'm really under control right now and that's the reason for the

2 a week. I may be wrong here but I don't think anyone grows out of RA so

being on something for the rest of your life is just the way it is, maybe

we'll see a great breakthrough in our lifetime, something to hope for.

As far as the side effects, YES, I have thinning hair on top and I HATE it

but what can I do since I really don't want to change meds. It's also hard

to complain to my rheumy who is a great guy, in his 30's and he's half bald,

LOL.

Good luck.

in PA

On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 12:59 AM, Lazydog <lazydog124@...>wrote:

>

>

> Hi. Do you need to continue taking mtx for years or can you stop?

>

> Also what are the side effects? Doc mentioned hair loss and possible liver

> problems (but he'd never seen any, but he seems young to me - hope i'm not

> his first!)..

>

> ...julia

>

>

>