Re: Hi RA Friends

[Guest guest]

Hi Nita,

Your husband is lucky to have you to go along to the doctor

appointments and assist with the listening and the questions.

Especially at the beginning there's so much information that it's

often hard to know where to begin!

The MTX is a good start - like all of the various drugs it will take

awhile to kick in and do some good. You (and he) shouldn't get

discouraged if there isn't immediate improvement. The fact that

he's feeling worse this week since he took it is probably just a

coincidence - this is a disease that comes and goes.

Many of us are on more than one drug for RA, but that doesn't mean

that your husband will need to be. There are a good number of folks

with this disease who are successfully controlled with just one

DMARD - MTX is the most common. Unfortunately for some of us

(probably a larger percent of those you'll meet on-line), that's not

the case.

While it's always better to check with your doctor before adding

other medications, there's no reason not to take ibuprofen along

with prednisone and MTX. The 3 of them are different classes of

drugs. In addition, it's possible to take tylenol for pain along

with the others. (A good resource to know about is

www.drugdigest.org. It has a drug interaction check feature where

you put in everything you're taking and it will tell you about any

known interactions.) Make sure the doctor knows about the pain and

what brings it on - it may be that he needs something stronger just

for that while things come under control (I have 3 scripts - for

Ultram, Vicodin, and Lortabs, and take which ever I need at the time

when the pain hits. If you're truly in pain, there's not a lot of

chance of becoming addicted to the meds)

As for managing work and RA, the answer is 'it depends'. It depends

on the type of work you do and how well controlled the disease is.

I've worked full time for the almost 6 years since I was diagnosed.

However, I work in an office environment, and don't have to be on my

feet all day. The first 5 months of the year I was working 10 hour

days steadily, and worked myself into a horrible flare up. I've

been on reduced hours (6 per day) since the end of May, which really

helps. I still have my bad times, but not nearly as many.

The question on disability varies as well. Does your husband have

coverage (short and/or long term) through work? If so, it may be

easier to qualify for (if needed) than social security - it also may

pay more. Before you assume that what you heard about 1 person per

household can receive Social Security disability is correct, check

out the facts. Start at www.firstgov.gov - it has links to all of

the federal government web sites. You may have to dig a bit, but

should be able to find an answer.

Sorry this is so long, but hope it helps!

Beth

> I've been lurking again. I figure I shouldn't say as much since I

> don't have the RA, but the MS. Dh and I went to his first rheumy

> appt. last Thursday. Because of hanging out with this group, I had

a

> clue about what was happening. And was actually able to ask

> some " pertinent " questions.

>

> DH is on the beginning dose of MTX: 6-2.5 mg one day a week. He's

> doing 1200 mg(I think) of Folic Acid daily to counteract side

> effects. (This is a little more than he was told to take because

he

> picked up a good multi-vitamin with no iron and it has some Folic

> Acid in it to which he added a little more separately.) He was

> extremely paranoid about all the side effects listed on MTX.

> Understandable. He's still working full time...on his feet 12

> hours/day. Mornings are difficult. He's in so much pain and he's

> working so hard anyway. I love him for what he's doing. It makes

me

> want to find ways to help him.

>

> Dh is still taking the prednisone...10 to 20 mg daily as needed.

> Today was a 20 mg day. He doesn't like to take the 20 mg because

the

> pred makes him more " angry. " It affects his mood. That's a side

> effect I have from taking pred as well. The rheumy said this

> was " bridge therapy. " Taking the pred until you start the MTX and

> then trying to wean off or quit the pred. But from your

experiences,

> I think dh will end up taking more than one drug to get some

> control. I hope we get to a place of pain control! :0)

>

> He's having worse pain this week since he started the MTX. Ironic.

> He's unsure about taking ibuprofen with it as he didn't ask the

doc.

> I don't know of any reason not to take it, do you all? I have seen

> that you shouldn't take aspirin with MTX, but not ibuprofen and as

> some of you are taking Naproxen(which is also a NSAID), I would

> think it would be fine. Advice?

>

> I am curious about how you guys are all coping with work,

disability

> issues. There has been some talk about it, but not much. I

> purposedly did not apply for social security this month as I heard

> somewhere 2 people in same household could not draw it. And if dh

> needs it, he has a better work history and could get bigger amount

> per month if this is true. I am better able to work a part-time

job

> and possibly learn to ebay or tutor to pick up money here and

> there. I am already a skilled frugalist from living on one income

> for 10+ years.

>

> Have a blessed day.

>

> Hugs n prayers,

> Nita

[Guest guest]

You asked about Ibuprofen along with Methotrexate. My cardiologist has me taking

Ibuprofen and my Rheumatologist has me taking Methotrexate. Both of them know of

all my medicines and haven't mentioned any conflict.

Both my wife and I are getting Social Security. My wife worked until our first

child was born (over 50 years ago) and did very little work covered by Social

Security since then. She began getting Social Seurity checks while I was still

working full time and that was based on her own earnings. When I retired I

started getting Social Security checks based on my earnings and my wife started

getting larger Social Security checks based on the spouse's entitlement because

of my earnings. However, she later found out that her total return from Social

Security would have been greater if she had not received anything until I

retired. It's a complicated system and you can't be sure that advice you get

from Social Security is accurate.

People with MS and with RA have quite a bit in common even though the diseases

are quite different. In each case they need to deal with chronic pain and toxic

medicines, so you are most welcome here with your MS. God bless.

>

> From: " Nita " <TheFunFrug@...>

> Date: 2004/08/18 Wed AM 09:51:46 GMT

> Rheumatoid Arthritis

> Subject: Hi RA Friends

>

>

I've been lurking again. I figure I shouldn't say as much since I

don't have the RA, but the MS. Dh and I went to his first rheumy

appt. last Thursday. Because of hanging out with this group, I had a

clue about what was happening. And was actually able to ask

some " pertinent " questions.

DH is on the beginning dose of MTX: 6-2.5 mg one day a week. He's

doing 1200 mg(I think) of Folic Acid daily to counteract side

effects. (This is a little more than he was told to take because he

picked up a good multi-vitamin with no iron and it has some Folic

Acid in it to which he added a little more separately.) He was

extremely paranoid about all the side effects listed on MTX.

Understandable. He's still working full time...on his feet 12

hours/day. Mornings are difficult. He's in so much pain and he's

working so hard anyway. I love him for what he's doing. It makes me

want to find ways to help him.

Dh is still taking the prednisone...10 to 20 mg daily as needed.

Today was a 20 mg day. He doesn't like to take the 20 mg because the

pred makes him more " angry. " It affects his mood. That's a side

effect I have from taking pred as well. The rheumy said this

was " bridge therapy. " Taking the pred until you start the MTX and

then trying to wean off or quit the pred. But from your experiences,

I think dh will end up taking more than one drug to get some

control. I hope we get to a place of pain control! :0)

He's having worse pain this week since he started the MTX. Ironic.

He's unsure about taking ibuprofen with it as he didn't ask the doc.

I don't know of any reason not to take it, do you all? I have seen

that you shouldn't take aspirin with MTX, but not ibuprofen and as

some of you are taking Naproxen(which is also a NSAID), I would

think it would be fine. Advice?

I am curious about how you guys are all coping with work, disability

issues. There has been some talk about it, but not much. I

purposedly did not apply for social security this month as I heard

somewhere 2 people in same household could not draw it. And if dh

needs it, he has a better work history and could get bigger amount

per month if this is true. I am better able to work a part-time job

and possibly learn to ebay or tutor to pick up money here and

there. I am already a skilled frugalist from living on one income

for 10+ years.

Have a blessed day.

Hugs n prayers,

Nita