Methotrexate RA
Posted , 14 users are following.
Hey everyone, quick question, I have been on methotrexate for my RA about 5 weeks now and the side effects are terrible for me, stomach pains, nausea, extreme fatigue, so I called the doc and told her and she wants to try injections of methotrexate now, my question is I have read a lot about this medication and I do not like what I have read at all I would much rather not even take it because of the reviews and what it does, do you think the doc would get mad if I told her I prefer to be on something else I have looked at hundreds of reviews and maybe 10 of them were positive the rest said to stay away from it, I wake up every morning with stiffness and cannot extend my leg, swollen hand, sore jaw etc, do you think she would put me on something else, I just don't feel comfortable putting this in my body after reading the horrible experiences I don't know if this medication would help or hurt me more
Thank you
1 like, 61 replies
Cedarhouse chris73946
Posted
sherry29159 Cedarhouse
Posted
Jayne7831 sherry29159
Posted
sherry29159 Jayne7831
Posted
timothy11402 chris73946
Posted
Sounds like you have a healthy skepticism. We all should listen to our body's responses to drugs. Some of us are fortunate to be able to tolerate drugs w/o side effects.
If your rheumatologist is good, he or she is a good listener and observer. After all, that is how they diagnose their patients. So by all means talk to the doc. If she does not seem to want to take the time to talk with you about your experiences with the drugs and your concerns, it may be a sign to look for another doc.
One last thing. You can be observant to see how your RA works in your body. I have done some holistic things that help me a lot.
baicoleman chris73946
Posted
I went on methotrexate right after diagnosis (last year; I was 17) as well as Enbrel. I was first put on the pill and had awful side effects. I had no appetite, lost 10 pounds (a lot when I barely weighed 100 to begin with), had sores in my mouth, bruised like a canteloupe when I NEVER bruised before. After about 5 months of that plus horrendous nose bleeds, I was put on the injections and haven't had any problems since other than I can't bring myself to stab myself with a needle.
sherry29159 baicoleman
Posted
Well its awful what you had to put up with but glad you finding it better with the needle . l am needle phobic but the click gun system is much easier than old fashioned hyperdermics! Even I can cope with these and it don't hurt. So be brave and soon it will be just a small price to pay. Its only once a week so it could be worse! I just hope you get a lot of relief from the rotten RA pain. Good luck!
Sherry
timothy11402 baicoleman
Posted
timothy11402 baicoleman
Posted
A further comment, baicoleman.....
I go to a large practice that has 7 arthritis doctors, a couple of nurse practioners and a very large office staff. They have hundreds, perhaps thousands of patients. When I first started going there, we had people of all ages waiting to see their doctor; teenagers, young adults, middle aged people and elderly.
One day I sat next to a teenage young lady with her arm in a sling (a result of a bad case of RA) while she was waiting for her appointment. A gentleman about age 60 sat down next to her and told her he had three separate shoulder surgeries due to RA and that she should not worry about her surgeries. The young lady was visibly upset at his comments as she was imagining her future path through who-knows-how-many surgeries.
Apparently the number of these incidents (due to a mix of ages being together) were enough that the practice decided to separate the teenagers from the rest of the population. They started another practice in a different building specifically for the younger set.
I mention this because no one should view the progress of the disease in the older set as a predictor of how the course of their own disease will go. Most patients live with RA in a controlled manner and do not suffer the dibilitaing effects that others do.
So here's hoping you will gointo remission and will lead a reasonably comfortable life. The disease does not have to be so grim.....especially if you have a good doc.
Best of luck to you.
sherry29159 baicoleman
Posted
Also being so young the RA will be controlled before it causes any serious bone damage. So that's a positive! Plus there are major medical advances being made now with biological drugs so you have a great chance of living a normal life ... Even if it means being on medication.
Sherry