Side effects again

pal

Hi All

Well.......I didn't do very well on the Methotrexate & Hydroxychloroqine plus Folic Acid. Was feeling sick all the time so I stopped taking them.
Arthur improved a bit on them though.

Saw Rheumatologist last week and she saw that Arthur had gone worse.
Gave me a steroid injection and put me on Sulfasalazine.
I'm now getting very painful indigestion soon after taking the meds.
Don't know how long I can put up with this!
It's affecting my work and everything.

Does anyone else have these probs and what can be done to stop it?
Would really appreciate your suggestions.

Hope everyone is OK. Best wishes.

Pal

frogmorton

Hi Pal

Good to see you again.

Now are you on any meds for your stomach like lanzoprazole/omepraozole??

If not could be worth asking the doc if you could try them

Love

Toni xx

pal

Hi Toni

Thanks for yr reply.

I took those (omepraxole etc) a while ago for acid reflux but couldn't get on with them.
I'm using indigestion tablets atm.

How long does it take before you stop getting the indigestion - or do you always have to live with it?

All the best

Pal

barbara12

Hi Pal
sorry I cant really help, I do take stomach protectors because of taking antiinflams, but I do find that taking my meds with porridge or wheatabix seems to help....I do hope you can get it sorted..I know its not very nice.

valval

i can not take naproxen with out stomache protector it to painfull try another one see if it any better val

pal

Hi Val

Thanks for that but I don't know what naproxen is. Can you tell me please?
And...What are stomach protectors please?

Best wishes
Pal

barbara12

Hi Pal again
Stomach protectors are lanzoprazole/omepraozole...they are taken before your meds.

pal

Hi again Barbara.

Oh right, thankyou!

All the best
Pal

stickywicket

Hi Pal. It's a bit late in the day for you but quite a lot of people on here inject their methotrexate to get away from the side effects or take it last thing at night.

I presume you always take your meds with food. That's a given for me. No food; no meds otherwise I always get stomach problems even with the lansoprazole to protect it.

dreamdaisy

Hi Pal, I'm sorry to hear you are suffering again with side effects. These are powerful meds and it can take a while for the body to adjust: you need to persevere to give your body the chance to do just that. I have checked my sulf label and it states that indigestion remedies are NOT to be taken two hours either side of taking the sulf, so I hope you are following that rule. It also states that nausea is a common side effect but I reckon that if you stick with it it will pass. Some people have the nausea, some the headaches, I had the bruising: I looked as though I had been in a fight but after six weeks it all faded and I'm fine with it now.

I was given stomach protectors when I was put on Naproxen, an anti-inflammatory. They are essential when you are on those types of drugs as they can cause all sorts of gut problems, but they may well help you cope better with the sulf. Please talk to to your GP about this, he is the one to help. Unfortunately there is often a trade off with these meds - improved arthritis at the price of some yucky feelings. It all depends on which you can live with the better, feeling generally yuk but able to get on, or feeling less yucky but not able to get on due to active arthritis. It's not an easy choice. I'm all for the first option, I have to say. DD

pal

Hi All

Thanks for yr replies.
I'm afraid I've had enough of all these side effects! They're really affecting my work badly. Severe indigestion (VERY painful!), the shakes, nearly lost my voice (which I use a LOT in my work!),
plus feeling up-tight & mood swings all the time! NO THANKS!
I'm giving up on that!
I can't persevere through all that lot.
So back to the drawing board for me!

Best wishes to all.

Pal

stickywicket

Try the rheumatologist before the drawing board, pal. I know it must be hard with all these side-effects and trying to work at the same time but this thing isn't going to go away just because you can't tolerate the meds. There will be something out there that works for you. So much of this is trial and error - sometimes a lot of trial and a lot of errors but you will get there.

pal

Hi Stickywicket

The rheumatologist is going to be the drawing board for me.
I hope she has some answers!

All the best

Pal

dreamdaisy

She's giving you her answers Pal, I doubt that there is much more than she can offer. It can take a bit of fiddling around with the meds and the dosages, taking them with food often helps, splitting doses too (especially with the meth) or taking them at night so you can sleep thro the worst of things (I always do my humira injection at night for that reason). It is very much a case of trial and error in the early days but you do seem to be having too much of the trial element. I wish you well and let us know how you get on. DD

traluvie

Hi Pal,

My had a few side effects from my tablets such as hydroxy and diclofenac, my body has now got used to them after a while being upset, but now i have the right combination of meds i feel better..I hope you manage to find something that suits you so that you get some comfort soon..x

tkachev

The side effects are the worse part. All the sickness, fatigue, loose tum, dental issues,loss of eyebrows(they have grown back at last) and lack of sleep seem to be the price you pay for reducing the pain. It doesn't seem fair.

I have managed to sort the sickness with anti-sickness pills but the rest of the side effects remain. It makes life difficult.

I am having to pace myself with the fatigue but this isn't always easy I know Pal.
It is worth trying the MTX injections or the anti sick pills as MTX does help with the pain issues.
Not sure why your voice is effected or why you get the shakes but they can be side effects of some meds. I help you get some help soon,

best wishes
Elizabeth