Methotrexate/operation
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi, I can't seem to figure out how to search this particular forum for the posts that might be about this subject, so if anyone can explain that to me, thanks! About this: My history is 3 years of PMR, trying to reduce pred. getting a flare, and going all the way up to 20 mg for a year, and now reducing to 15 due to an upcoming knee replacement operation. I'm in so much pain on 15 and my SED rate went from 41 at 20mg to 52 at 15mg. I'm just bearing it for the help it gives to not get infections at lower doses during operations. So, anyway, today the rheumatologist decided to give me a low dose of methotrexate to take with the 15 pred. We are going to see if that lowers my SED marker. Has anybody else done this? Thanks for any info.
1 like, 11 replies
ptolemy DebbieHurts
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iellen32 DebbieHurts
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I would try as soon as I could I would look for means to bring the relief I need.
I have GCA there are 4 years now and when something comes to break my well being in my case my vision I go to look for another opinion.
Be safe, take care.
My heart is wishing you the very best in 2017 and always.
iellen
FlipDover_Aust DebbieHurts
Posted
I had some (minor) surgery at 10mg - no drama. I also take methotrexate and can attest unequivicably that it has assisted me in reducing pred significantly.
However, I don't understand the concept of reducing your pred dose to increase your chances of fighting an infection, if one occures, if at the same time you are being put on MTX as it reduces your immune fighting capacity even more!
DebbieHurts
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amkoffee DebbieHurts
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I can't believe you're doctor allowed you to stay on 20 milligrams for as long as you have. You are very fortunate to have a doctor like that. I have been battling my Dr and I've only had PMR for 4 months and she's already pushing me to get off the prednisone. And I keep having trouble getting past 10 milligram. Good luck on your endeavors. I hope that your surgery goes well.
Anniecurd amkoffee
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My rheum is the same. She says I want you off the pred by this date. Well excuse me, my body has other ideas. It's not ready. Do they think we want to be on steroids? Of course not, we're not stupid, we understand the risks, but if it's the only thing that works for the pain, then we're stuck on it for however long it takes, no matter what the doc says. My doc is concerned for my bones on the pred. Well, if I'm inactive because of pain, isn't that also bad for the bones?
FlipDover_Aust Anniecurd
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EileenH Anniecurd
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EileenH DebbieHurts
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If you go to the "front page" all the previous posts are listed. Takes a bit of time but scrolling down them is as good a way as any of finding such posts. (Click on Polymyalgia rheumatica in red at the top of the page, above Follow this discussion).
If you are trying to reduce 5mg at a time that in itself could cause pain. But if you are struggling to reduce it is possible that you have something besides PMR, such as late onset RA for example.
Methotrexate won't help the PMR directly but if there is any RA present it may help that and in some people it also means some patients get more effect from a given dose of pred because it changes the way the body processes the pred. It is mentioned in guidelines for managing PMR as something to try but the evidence is very mixed.
Anhaga DebbieHurts
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amkoffee DebbieHurts
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Actually it's funny you mention RA because just today my rheumatologist called me after examining all the blood work and everything and she thinks I have RA. Although even she had to note that there's no markers to indicate that I have it. And of course none of my joints are swollen the only reason she thinks I have it is because even though my PMR has settled down since I went up to the 15 mg of dose after I flared I still have joints that are hurting me. And I truly have to say I don't believe what's hurting me now is PMR related. I don't know what's causing it but I'd sure like it to stop. So she gave me some ibuprofen lotion to rub on the joints that hurt and actually lowered my methotrexate. So I'm kind of at a stalemate right now. We'll just have to see what happens.