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Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine and other poisons.

Posted , 4 users are following.

tony09890
tony09890

Experiencing a lot of pain in wrists, elbows and neck after starting Methotrexate I upped my Prednisone dose from 16mg to 30.   Neck pain greatly reduced, elbow pain also reduced but wrists remain the sticking point – unable to use hands for the simplest of things.   I saw the Rheumatologist on Friday and he has booked me in for injections into the wrists and I will be starting on sulfasalazine in a month or two after a surgery I need to remove a couple of non related lumpy tissue masses.   These medications have some rather serious and worrysome side effects, getting sick of visiting GPs, Specialists, Pathologists, Chemists, Dermatologists, Ultraviolet booths – not much time for anything else, not that it matters, with these wrists I can’t do anything anyway, even with my new splints.   Rheumatologist now says the problem may be related to my back and neck problems – more guess work!   

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • mrsmop
    mrsmop tony09890

    Posted

    Hi Tony, I don't have RA but a different disease. I took Methotrexate for 20 months and even managed to come of my Prednisolone completely for 6 or 8 months but after about the first 9 months of taking the MTX, I developed the most awful joint pains, which became more and more debilitating.  In the end, I could no longer tolerate it and stopped taking it.

    I took ordinary pain killers for a few months to deal with the joint pain but eventually, I started taking my Prednisolone again & that was about last  April.

    The joint pain has subsided & my Dermatologist [I have an autoimmune skin disease] started my on Mycophenolate [Cellcept] and built it up to 2g/day.  I have brought the Pred down to 10mg/day & the Mycophenolate was increased to 3g/day.  Things started to look good for me until I developed severe oedema & my Dermatologist decreased the Mycophenolate to 2g/day again.

    I know it is a lot of trial & error in these diseases but I have had problems with 3 drugs now causing me severe joint pain, the other 2 were Alendronic Acid & Atorvastatin

    I wonder whether the MTX is the cause of your joint pain, rather than the RA?  Just a thought!

    Good luck.

  • tony09890
    tony09890

    Posted

    I had the pain long before I started Methotrexate so it wouldn't be the Methotrexate causing it; however, I have noticed the pain has gotten worse since starting on Methotrexate.   I'm in for wrist injections on Thursday so hopefully that will help. 
  • sally83545
    sally83545 tony09890

    Posted

    Hi Tony

    It sounds like all this medicine and pain is getting you down. Believe me I can relate! I started on Methotrexate 5 weeks ago, I do notice more joint pain the first day after dosing but when I say more.. I mean more intense in my most tender areas not more through out my body. I like to imagine it is the medicine attacking the areas that are most in need. My understanding is that MTX needs time to work have you been taking it long? Also I have wondered if it is just the progression of the disease that causes some of our increased pain. I do notice that the pain varies

    from day to day depending on my diet. I went on the Arthritis Foundation website and they have great advice on subjects like easing pain and diet. I have adjusted my diet and already have noticed less inflamation. One thing about feeling bad and starting new meds. is that we tend to think of nothing else and become hyper-vigilant to our body's responses. I try to fill my time with any thing I can other than thinking about the aches and pains. I hope you find some relief soon and feel better,

    Sally 

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