1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Diagnosed last September. Still exhausted

Posted , 11 users are following.

fee61
fee61

Since diagnosed in September I still feel so exhausted and pain varies day to day. Taking 20mg Methotrexate and Folic Acid. Will this ever improve. I'm new to group any any advice would be appreciated.

0 likes, 20 replies

20 Replies

Next
  • clare79550
    clare79550 fee61

    Posted

    Hi fee sorry to hear the medication isnt working.  i was just diagnosed in January, was put on 7.5 mg of steroids with Meth 20mg every Saturday along with Folic Acid.  As soon as i took the steroids it made such a difference within two days. Have you been taken steroids? iv had little to no pain since, still a bit stiff in morning but nothing compared to what it was like.  Also i take one Celebrex once a day, along with 2 Red Krill oil caps and 3 evening primrose oil caps. Dont know which is working or not working but i take them all and im nearly 100%. I only have the odd alcohol drink, cut out all fizzy drinks, eating green veg and making fruit smoothies.  Hope some of this helps you smile
    • fee61
      fee61 clare79550

      Posted

      Thanks Claire. I'll try some of your tips. Anything just to feel normal again.
  • slm222
    slm222 fee61

    Posted

    Hi fee

    I too was diagnosed in September. I saw a Rheumatologist who put me on a very low dose of Leflunomide. It got rid of most of my awful foot pain, but little else. He then increased the med to 20mg but it still wasn't doing anything. I ended up with a new Rheumatologist and she immediately took me off of the Leflunomide and put me on Methotrexate starting at 10mg, increasing to 15mg which I'm on now.

    My body feels worse than ever, except the feet are still better. But they're more painful now than when I was on the Leflunomide. She is getting me on a one year clinical trial with Enbrel in a couple of months and has assured me that is the end-all,be-all drug for me. I take 1mg of folic acid as well as a fish oil tab every day. I've heard a lot of great things about Tumeric supplements for inflammation and want to try that too.

    The fatigue is ongoing and I am working a stressful job which doesn't help. I can't even think of working a 40 hour work week. It would completely wipe me out.

    I'm so glad to have people to turn to who understand. I hope that this ongoing pain isn't forever for us. I asked my Rheumatologist if I'll ever feel normal again and she said yes, so I'm trying to remain hopeful. Welcome to the group!!

    • fee61
      fee61 slm222

      Posted

      Thanks suelmc. I'm trying to remain hopeful but the fatigue is really dragging me down. I work 21 hours a week but even this is becoming difficult. I'll talk to my rheumatologist next appointment.
    • frances85589
      frances85589 slm222

      Posted

      Hi sue, this RA is awful n so many people have it now.you might feel bit better on higher dose methotrexate.best I've ever been was at 20mg but then consultant highered to 25mg n it effected my liver so was a taken off it. I have tried enbrel,humira+ rituximab + none have helped. Always assured that each one would be " the one". I have been on steroids since 2012 which help but I will never be able to work again. I was a cook .my main problems are hands,arms ,shoulders n feet.

      Take time out for yourself n rest when you can. Hope embrel works for you

  • anthony53598
    anthony53598 fee61

    Posted

    Hello fee, sorry you are suffering so much, but there is hope! i was diagnosed last december with RA and am taking 20mg of methatroxate and folic acid and although i feel worn out at times the pain has gone,, just the odd ache here and there, and no swelling of joints for a few months, i work full time as a gas main layer, so job is quite physical and most things feel twice as heavy as they should but  i am managing to do my job just! i keep thinking i will wake up one day and BANG!! it will be back,, but till then i am making the most of it,, so there is hope,, and just like you where you probably feel like your in this all alone, my head was in a spin trying to come to terms with it all, but there are a few of us out there, and all willing to give advice and  a bit of understanding of this nasty illness, so stick with it and if the medication is not working ask to try another, Take care Tony.
    • kim94523
      kim94523 anthony53598

      Posted

      Hi Anthony and All, I have been active in the menopause forum and complaining about severe, sharp, debilitating joint pain and muscle aches, pulls and spasms. Well, I got blood tests back and have anti-CCP of 218 and CRP of 8.9. The CCO number is very high from what I have read, right? I really thought your answer to this post was sensitive and positive so I wanted to reach out. I am scared out of my wits. Also overweight with sky high blood sugar and cholestorol. I was never a bad eater--just too much and I have been on a good regime for a week (I WILL lose weight to help myself) but when I try to exercise, even walk, the pain is so bad, I literally can not do anything but lie down for hours after, taking fistfuls of Advil. It hurts to chop veggies. It hurts to flush the toilet or wash my hair. It hurts to drive and work/sit at a computer. I'm so scared. My dad had RA and other autoimmune diseases and died of liver failure due to long term steroid use. It was not a pretty way to go. I don't want my son to go through that with me. And the rheum can't see me until end of April. do you think I shoukd find one that can see me sooner? That CCP number scares me. Any words of encouragement or advice would be deeply appreciated! Thank you! Kim
    • kim94523
      kim94523

      Posted

      "CCP" not "CCO" - don't know how to edit posts smile
    • slm222
      slm222 kim94523

      Posted

      Hi Kim...What was your your RF number? My CCP was at 250+, so I know how alarming it can be. My Rheumatoid Factor (RF) was at 40. See a Rheumatologist as soon as possible. You don't want to suffer from joint damage. It will take awhile to find what med works best for you, so the sooner you can see the specialist, the better. Good luck to you!
    • kim94523
      kim94523 slm222

      Posted

      Hi Sue!  Thank you!  Actually my RF was negative!  But I read up on all this and it can be negative in about 20-30% of RA cases and positive may not necessarily mean RA (can be positive when there is Lupus and other autoimmune disorders).  From what I read, the CCP is 98% accurate, is only an RA indicator and a higher number indicates a more advanced disease state.  Thank you again for responding to me!  I faxed the Rheumy today with the lab results and asked for an earlier appointment and I called my referring GP to ask her to intervene (the "intake coordinator" said earlier appts may be possible with dr-on-dr phone call).  In the meantime, I started fish oil, naproxin and am on a strict anti-inflamatory diet and actively losing weight.  I don't have nodules yet and - oddly - my hands and wrists are not the worst bother... but my knees, ankles, feet and shoulders SCREAM in pain sometimes.  Hugs, Kim
  • carol24346
    carol24346 fee61

    Posted

    i am sorry i to feel like this but with meds i am sure it will get better but a lot of these take a while to work
  • jo17130
    jo17130 fee61

    Posted

    have you had a meeting with the occupational therapists? they really helped me work out what I could do to make work more managable for me. Part was equipment, part was strategies - shifting how I worked. All good stuff. And yes - I had a steroid shot the other week which has made me feel much less exhausted. I know its a tempoarary fix but I don't care - it works!
  • Ericaeky883883
    Ericaeky883883 fee61

    Posted

    Hi Fee

    google The Road Back Foundation I have been on this treatment 6yrs. 

  • carol24346
    carol24346 fee61

    Posted

    i feel so tired  but i bake my own  bread and one day  not thinking i nibble everything  put a tiny  bit of yeast in my mouth swallowed it i had more energy than i knew what to do with carol
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.