salazopyrin
Posted , 7 users are following.
I have just seen the rheumatologist who has suggested I have palindromic rheumatoid arthritis (RA without the X-ray joint deterioration or the positive bloods) but with all the symptoms of RA.
He has prescribed salazopyrin and I am on my second day of taking one tablet with food and lots of liquid.
I have had two days of headaches and extreme tiredness.
What side effects have other people had? And which ones go away or get better?
1 like, 12 replies
babsjules Fieldmouse73
Posted
ama38049 Fieldmouse73
Posted
Extreme joint paint. Made the sympthoms much worse and the condition improved once I went off it (tried it for a month, give or take). Don't remember if I had headaches, do remember that the condition was worse few hours after each pill intake.
martin_F Fieldmouse73
Posted
tracey91100 Fieldmouse73
Posted
I wish I had your Rheumatologist! I saw mine just once, X-rays & bloods were done..all negative. So she's discharged me. I had an MRI showing pre patellar bursitis on my knee, (I haven't hurt my knee nor do I kneel or play sports) I get the same pain & swelling I get in my knee in my wrist, finger joints, both knees, ankles & big toe joints. I've had more blood tests today & xrays done for my GP on my feet. Just got to wait for the results of those. I'm totally fed up of suffering with no diagnosis. When I looked up prepatellar bursitis online, it can be caused by underlying conditions, such as RA. I told my GP this but they are not sure as the Rheumy's says my bloods are negative. All my symptoms only started in April, but came on really aggressively. I asked my GP why the Rheumy has discharged me after only one meet with her, my GP says the Rheumy is relying on blood test which are negative..but my signs & symptoms are typical RA. Good luck with your medication, I hope it helps.
Fieldmouse73 tracey91100
Posted
Hi Tracey
I've been on a long 20month roller coaster to even get to this point. I've had to fight to get rereferred to the rheumatologist. What really helped was a 5 page long dairy/ list of symptoms, impact they are having, and the adaptions I have to make to my life/ and a set of photos of my hands, wrists, knees, ankles and feet from the last few months. The rheumatologist was very pleased with the notes and used them to make a preliminary diagnosis and I have to see him in 3 months with another diary for the week before my appointment. The diary and medication and the new xrays I will insist on will hopefully give me a diagnosis or RA not palindromic rheumatoid arthritis.
I hope this helps. I'm certainly glad for this forum to help me cope.
lynn15111 tracey91100
Posted
I've had mostly lousy RA docs. I now drive 2 1/2 hours to a very good one. So if you can, go where they pay attention. There's only a fraction of people with RA who test positive. You should be getting treatment on symptoms alone.
tracey91100 Fieldmouse73
Posted
Hi Fieldmouse, it's great that you have such a good Rheumatologist, they sound like they take notice of you & listen...& taking your symptoms into consideration too. I took photos & notes etc to my first & only appointment with my rheumatologist, but she hardly glanced at them. The ultrasound she ordered showed no Synovitis & blood tests were normal, so she discharged me. She never acknowledged my symptoms or signs. My GP is now looking at xrays on my foot taken today. I get flu like symptoms if I do too much, even walking to the shops causes swelling & pain. I'm on meloxicam & Codiene & since yesterday amitriptyline too, to see if that helps the stabbing pains. I'm going to push for a second opinion soon. I've had Cortizol & BNP blood tests (arranged by the Rheumy before she discharged me) I'll wait for the outcome of those. My GP referred me originally due to signs & symptoms & slightly elevated ESR & CRP, but the Rheumy is looking for Anti CCP which mine are normal. I'm back to square one & fed up grrrrrrr
tracey91100 lynn15111
Posted
Hi Lynne, yes you'd have thought the Rheumatologist would look further into my symptoms, but she hasn't. I thought she would have wondered why I showed a prepatellar bursitis on my knee on the MRI, without me ever suffering a trauma or injury etc, & asked herself could it be caused by RA, as the Internet says it can. The pain & swelling is being helped with meds but no diagnosis of anything. Beyond my tether. I said to my GP yesterday, how come some people are diagnosed with negative bloods but it's not been looked at for me that way. I'll keep fighting for someone to listen
Fieldmouse73
Posted
I'm so fed up with the current struggle people are having with getting a diagnosis. Why shouldn't we at least be on review with the rheumatologist so at least we know there's a possibility of getting help! I have also referred myself to podiatry and physiotherapist and they have really helped me and helped the rheumatologist. I also managed to get GP to refer me to orthopedics, which helped rheumatologist make a diagnosis. Keep the pressure up on GP's and specialist.
timothy11402 Fieldmouse73
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Fieldmouse73 timothy11402
Posted
It's good to hear from someone with Palindromic RA. Mine is just a preliminary diagnosis and have to take the Salazopyrin for 3 months and see how much it improves my symptoms. I've just stAarted taking two tabs a day. I have a strong family history of RA and although my symptoms seem to fit PRA I also wonder if it will eventually become RA. Rheumatologist didn't take new hand xrays and the last were done 18months ago so will be asking for new ones when I see him next.
I've been waiting 18month for a diagnosis so far, so it's lovely to finally be taken seriously and have a reason for being in so much pain and feeling so exhausted.
timothy11402 Fieldmouse73
Posted
From what I read, about 50% with PRA eventually develop RA. There is no way to tell who might get it. As an aside, rheumatologists need to observe your history over a period of time (years?) to get a feel of a person's disease. It took ten years for mine to finally diagnose my PRA. The protocol for treatment is the same as for RA.