Fed up of being treated like an idiot

take the meds. The scare stuff on the internet is usually in relation to the much higher doses used for cancer treatment. For RA, metatrexate is the 'gold standard' ie the best option there is. If you get on well with it, consider yourself very fortunate! Its scary and not nice, but if you can get it under control with the meds you'll save yourself a great deal of pain and possible joint damage later.

Take the meds.

As pointed out, the stuff on the internet is waaaaaay exaggerated.

The reason you need the meds is that they prevent further joint damage which is irreversible.

Also, people will tell you that diet and supplements and witch's brew will help. Don't believe it. You need the meds.

As far as liver damage: I've been on the meds for over 20 years and have had blood work at least every three months and NEVER have any of my liver function tests been abnormal.

Lynn

Diagnosed 20+ years ago. On MTX and Humira and Celebrex and Folic Acid.

I agree with CA-Lynn. 

I have had RA for nine years now. I have been on methotrexate for all that time and not once has my liver count changed.  The only time it went up was when I was taking an anti inflammatory while I was waiting for the methotrexate to kick in, and the anti inflammatory was the culprit.

this is a horrible disease and you have it for the rest of your life.  You have GOT to get it under control and methotrexate is a tried and tested way to do it safely.  You will be monitored all the way, but believe me, the consequences of not taking what is there and available does not bear thinking about.  Your joints can deform literally overnight, you really don't want this to happen.  I'm not trying to frighten you but please take advice from us long termers.

methotrexate is safe when it is monitored responsibly by your rheumatologist.

good luck

Hi there, I just wanted to let you know you are not alone in not wanting to take the toxic meds. I've had RA for 8 years and have so far managed to stay of them with no joint damage as yet! I may be one of the "lucky" ones in respect that I have a great rheumatologist? I did 6 years on sulfazalazine and an anti-inflammatory then decided to go down the route of treating it like an infection and took Minocycline for 18 months plus the anti-inflammatory. I've had 2 x big flare ups in all these years 1 at the beginning and one recently but both were brought on by extreme stress! So I do believe that stress or even delayed stress plays a major part in flare ups.

As far as Methotrexate is concerned I would personally only take it if there was nothing else and all else had failed? It's a front line drug of choice for the NHS but I know of others who have had very bad reactions from it. Before anyone jumps on me in defense just remember everyone is different and psychologically any patient has to be compleatly on board if they are putting any meds into their! Bodies!

Take care and do some research before you choose your course. 

Good luck x

I have had RA for over 20 years and in the early years it didn't show up in blood tests so didn't get any treatment. I have now had 10 joints replaced. Take the meds this must be treated.

I'm on the same mix, was reluctant to take the methotrexate for a while for the same reasons, but I got desperate for some relief. (13 months of constant pain)

3 weeks in amd so far I'm doing ok, pain still there but I'm optimistic. 

Thing is, I like Kathryn's response because she is the only one saying something remotely honest. I'm sorry, but meths are not the only answer and it really is silly to say supplements don't help ( have you tried the 3500mg omega 3 a product now being researched at Bart's for bringing down inflammation? ) . I watched my dad have RA all his life and he was considered to have the worst form of arthritis. He never touched these toxic shakes and perhaps a few more interrogations of why we are all part of this NHS experiment should be conducted - surely we are allowed to ask the questions!!!!

I think you should take the methotrexate.

I've had RA 40 years.  All my joints are very deformed.  If I had taken that or something similar this wouldn't have happened. If you don't take it I think in 20-30 years you will be sorry.

Good luck with what you decide!

I don't think anyone has been dishonest? You asked for opinions - thats the point of putting a post on a forum - and different people have given you their opinions. Only you can make the decision you want to make. If you put a post up just hoping everyone would think as you wanted to think, then I think thats missing the point of the forum. We all might be in a similar situation but we are all responding differently to it. Some people on here - not me - have years and years of experience to learn from.

Sorry, I am sure everyone is being honest about their experiences but it bothers me that despite the variation in the type of RA, and despite the need for a more personalized treatment regime that must address factors such as dietary supplements, none of this appears to be given credence. My experience from the medical model so far has been to prescribe  these strong drugs and having read the research (not Internet scare stories) there is no doubt at all that these drugs are toxic and they suppress the immune system and there is damage to the system in up to 20% of people. Now, considering that means 80% may do relatively ok does not mean all is okay. I am also aware that the NHS has quite major trials of RA drugs happening across the UK and most of us are signed into these at the point of meeting with the rheumatologists. Overall, the rheumatologists I have met have been unable to spell out why they are doing what they are doing and they certainly do not want to start anywhere other than combination meds. It is made very, very clear that we are 'patients' and we MUST take meds otherwise we've had it. Personally, terror doesn't help and it would be far better if their approach to RA was built on something slightly more solid than 'if you don't take meds you've had it' . They seem so preoccupied with their treatment regime that all else is seen as a waste of time. As for the idea diet cannot help, well that isn't accurate. Again, researchers are now looking at options to reduce inflammation based on research in countries where there are extremely low levels of RA.  It would be ridiculous to suggest that diet and supplements have no impact - of course diet etc has an impact. My point was that having lived with someone who had RA all their adult life means all sorts of questions need to be addressed before taking drugs that hit the system and most people find too nuclear for their body. 

For me its about the divide between what I expect the medical profession to be able to deal with (given their current crisis in the UK) and what I can do myself. I'm working on my diet stuff myself - eliminating wheat, looking at suppliments etc. I'm taking their drugs too as on balance and having done a lot of independant research they seem the best option. But I get copies of all my blood work, am looking at new trials and options all the time. Totally agree that we don't have to give our power away. And everyone has the right to choose the right course for them. 

Hello, I was diagnose with RA back in January 2014. I went to the doctor with severe pain and swelling over both hands and wrist and hips. My doctor ran some test and called me back and told me to pick up a prescription of methotrexate and meloxicam and start taking immediately (#s were extremely high). Then he referred me to a rheumatologist. I took the drug dedicatedly for 3 or 4 month taking blood test every month. Pain left and Rheumatist ran test told me that I was in remission with the medicine. So I decided not the rheumatist I was going to take control of my own life..Did not matter if I failed because I could always go back to the methotrexates since there is no cure. I had to make a life style change with what I ate and drank. I have been off methotrexate for 3 months now....with little pain & swelling. For example I may put 6 springs of basel in my homemade tomato soup to control the inflammation. I talk with an herbalist of 30 years which she recommended 5 different things to build my system back up from the methotrexate tearing me down (she ran test also before subscribing). I winged my self off the drugs but if I had to go back on the methotrexate I would if and when it flare up to the point I cannot handle again. Getting it in remission was my top priority and then changing my life style. We do not know what causes this disease flare up.....but I will not give up trying to find out what foods causes me to flare up and what foods actually help manage.