Time to find out if the MTX is working - eek!!

ramummy

Morning all,

I saw my nice rheumy yesterday and he says it's time to continue the weaning off prednisolone process.

I've been on prednislone since I was first diagnosed in October last year. I started on 15mg a day and continued on that dose with top up jabs until the end of Jan this year when I started taking MTX. My starting dose of MTX was 7.5mg - that's now been upped to 15mg and for the last two months I've been taking 10mg Prednislone too having reduced gradually from the 15mg. The plan now is to reduce to 9mg until my next appt in two months time.

I'm really nervous about the whole thing - from what I can see I've been on 10mg for as long as I have to give the MTX a chance to 'kick in' - am I right in thinking that having been on it for 4 months now it should be in my system enough to tell if it's working? I'm just terrified that once they take the prednisolone away it will reveal that the MTX hasn't worked for me after all and I'll have to start all over again on something else. With the little ones to look after this is a big concern for me - also, I've still been having a lot of trouble with one wrist - there was talk of a steroid jab to the joint itself at my appt yesterday so does that mean the MTX might not be working.

Sorry - I'm rambling now and have squeezed far too many questions into one post - hope someone might be able to set my mind at rest though. Thanks. xx

frogmorton

hI rAMUMMY
sorry capitals lock on!
I expect they've been taking your bloods and will monitor you closely. There are people on here who have been on pred for a long time, but the side effects aren't good long term so I know they will want to try you off them.
You must be so worried that it will all come back, but you never know....it might be ok. Let's hope so. Especially with the liitle one who you are responsible for. If needs be there are other ways of taking mtx and even a higher does could be considered so all will not be lost anyway if it is the pred that has kept you so well.
I wish you all the luck with this next step.
take care
Toni x

livinglegend

Hi

You have to come off the prednisolone steadily to let your body naturally make steroids again. By steadily reducing the dosage the Rheumy can bring you down to a maintenance level rather than continue with an unneeded high dose.

Can I suggest that if you start to have too many flare ups then phone your Rheumy and tell him what is happening, as they may then put you on a fixed dosage that suits you.

Methotrexate does not work straight away. Reduced pain, stiffness and swelling may be noticed after 4 weeks. The effects to delay or prevent joint damage will take several months.
Other medicines may be given to improve your symptoms.
http://www.rheumatology.org.au/downloads/MTX190509.pdf

All the way to Australia just for that brief snippet of information.

Joseph 8)

joyful164

Hi
I have just posted a message on another subject re coming off preds and Hayfever.

I started on preds last autumn and am slowly coming off them at present. I have been in MTX for 3 years and know that I have had some good results from being on MTX. Going to the Pain Clinic on Thursday 4th and some thing tells me that I could well have my MTX dosage increased. I have complex issues though and the pain has been excruciating this last 8 months, but not just from the original PA and RA diagnosed. My consultant doesn't understand why I should be in a lot of pain so there are other things happening which the pain clinic may discover the cause next Thursday. 4th June.

With all of us it is trial and error and it is a case of getting the right mix of drugs. I do wish they would get mine sorted. I don't want to have increase my steroids because the side affects of preds is bad for me at the moment. Blood Pressure has been going up to a dangerous level now for some weeks.

I'm sure that in your case there is nothing to worry about and that the MTX has done it's job.

joyful

eckstardeluxe

Hi, I can't answer your questions but just wanted to wish you the best of luck. I really hope this works out well for you.

x

ramummy

Thank you everyone for your kind words - I'm taking my first 9mg dose tomorrow so we'll see what happens!

I'm hopeful the MTX is working for me but I still have trouble with one wrist - in fact my rheumy is considering a jab to the joint next time I see him if it hasn't improved - isn't that just more steroids though?

frogmorton

T'is but straight into the inflamed bit so can be quite effective!
Good luck for tomorrow!
Toni x