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Caught between a rock and a hard place

Posted , 7 users are following.

never-ready
never-ready

Good afternoon all

First can i just say thank you to all who respond and the varying opinions and experiences help us recently diagnosed with a greater knowledge of this disease.

Not sure if I have an issue or I am just venting...but

I’ve been to see the RA nurse today expecting to start methotrexate and chat about side effect issues I’ve had etc.. instead was greeted with your liver count is too high to start methotrexate she went to say that this could be due to the medication I was currently on (Pred and a NSAID) at this point I did look at my previous results and informed her that my LFT count was high before the latest medication was prescribed and since the latest medication was prescribed I have also cut alcohol from my diet (with starting meth in mind). So how could my medication be raising my counts (High in November, on Naproxen, High in December, on another NSAID, High in 1st January test and higher in 2nd January test both on pred and another NSAID) So the outcome is i need to come off pred (I’m currently on 10mg a day and struggling) and reduce the amount of NSAID I’m using then have another blood test in the hope that the LFT count has come down enough to start methotrexate. Whilst reducing medication and inviting more pain back into my life I will be driving for between 1-2hours to get to work to do 8 hours then travel back.

I like to be positive but I can’t help but think this is not going to go very well !

Sorry about the rant!!

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • gillian_25383
    gillian_25383 never-ready

    Posted

    Far better to be safe than sorry as one of the potential nasty side effects of methotrexate can be liver damage which is why every time you have blood tests while on it one of the tests done is LFT (every two weeks at first then monthly was my plan but each time they make a change it is back to fortnightly-started last August and have only just reached monthly tests-yippee!)
    • never-ready
      never-ready gillian_25383

      Posted

      Thanks Gillian

      I appreciate that and yes I would rather be safe than sorry but I can’t see any connection between what i am currently taken and rising LFT counts and removing my current pain relief without replacement fills me with dread.

      Having said that they are the experts and I’m not foolish enough not to listen.

  • Rowbirdie
    Rowbirdie never-ready

    Posted

    This is puzzling- and I can sympathise with the 'vent'- I guess they just need to find what is causing high results in lft. Would your gp have any ideas based on previous medical history?.

    in the meantime I can only suggest small ' helps'  for pain and stiffness. For me , when I was in those early stages, heat really helped for my hands and shoulders. I invested in an electric blanket. I tried not to ever get really cold.I took a full hour lunch break and de stressed. I did not really have a life outside of work for a while. I had some time off. I managed to arrange to do some work from home when I explained to my boss how long it took me to actually get up and out in the morning. But I guess it depends on job and boss.

    If I was going to get stiff from sitting/ driving too long I d exercise my joints( opening and closing fingers etc) 

    do hope this doesn't take long to sort out.sad

    • never-ready
      never-ready Rowbirdie

      Posted

      Thanks Rowbirdie

      I do have a really good boss and I have been working from home a lot over the last few months as things have got worse and I can continue to do this.

      As I manage teams of engineers my time away from the sites allows standards to slip (give them an inch and they will take a mile). It sounds silly but I've invested great effort and time in this job and as I get worse I can feel it slipping away from my grasp.

      Overall I cant believe how quickly this thing takes over. I just wanted to move forwards.

  • gemma83759
    gemma83759 never-ready

    Posted

    Hi I had a similar thing happen to me a couple of months ago. I was on leflunomide and one of the monthly blood tests showed a marked increase to the enzymes in my liver, I saw the ra nurse and she advised me to half the leflunomide and stop ibprofen and no alcohol, a week later the enzymes tripled again so had to stop leflunomide altogether which caused a major flare. Reassuringly though after stopping leflunomide the enzyme levels quickly returned to normal. The liver is almost self repairing in that once u stop wots causing it it's quick to repair itself. Heat always works for me, nice long relaxing baths and heat pads. Hope u get some relief soon.
  • Debkimly
    Debkimly never-ready

    Posted

    Are you taking anything with Tylenol.  I was and that made my liver count go way high.  I had to do a liver scan to be safe.  Good luck.
  • penny55083
    penny55083 never-ready

    Posted

    Why are you seeing the RA nurse when your symptoms are not under control? Surely the rheumatologist should be dealing with you until your symptoms are stable then use the nurse for follow ups. If methotrexate isn't suitable there are lots of other drugs that will be but you need to get in front of the expert. Your work load sounds very hard to manage with RA. I hope you get some resolution soon.
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