Seronegative Arthritis

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TeaBag
TeaBag Member Posts: 101
edited 7. Dec 2012, 14:52 in Living with Arthritis archive
Afer a long 14 mnths i have been officaly told i have Imflamatory Arthritis now i need to go for treatment either methotraxeate or sulfasalizine (sp) an mri showed this over a year ago in my knee where i have a large swelling but the consultant said at 39 yrs of age he did not want to diganosie me with RA i also have a swelling across my knuckes and pain in my right elbow ...i feel awful so tired so weak i could sleep the clock around and have very little motavation to do anything i have thromphillia as well and have been on warfarin 23 yrs so this meant i couldnt take naproxen which would have helped me ...well anyhow can any one advise me on what to expect wheni go for treatment how could it affect me ? look forward to hearing from you :)

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  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,715
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Meth or sulph are both 'normal' starting meds for inflammatory arthritis. I've never done sulph but I've been on meth for over ten years. You take it one day per week and also take Folic Acid on other day(s). This seems to vary enormously from one hospital to another. I've always taken it twice a week: others take it once or up to five times. The F.A. helps to work against any possible side-effects from the meth.

    You'll also have regular blood tests and, at first, these will be quite often. The blood tests help to indicate any possible problems very early on so they're very important. You'll probably also be told not to use alcohol, at least until it has been established for a few months that your liver is happy with meth.

    Always take the meth with food and, if you do feel queasy afterwards, try taking it before bed so that you can sleep off the worst of the nausea. And then, with luck, feel better :wink:

    I don't know anything about interactions with warfarin. The good thing is that, whether your diagnosis is inflammatory arthritis or RA, the treatment's the same. Try not to worry about side-effects. With luck, you won't get any.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Teabag
    Sorry I cant help, but I just want to add my support and wish you well with whatever treatment they give you xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • lizzy100
    lizzy100 Member Posts: 235
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    i have seroneg arthritis. naproxen didnt do anything. i tried sulfasal and couldnt take it coz of side effects. im on mex now. they normally start you on sulf though i think. they can take a while to work so they gave me steroids for a while. the injection didnt work but oral tablets did. good luck hope things improve
  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    welcome from me too..
    I'm another sero-negative. They started me on hydroxycloroquine but that did very little for my joints. I'm now on sulphasalazine (6 per day) and that seems a little better but I am still having quite a few flair ups.
    When you first start they will probably do weekly bloods for a while, then fortnightly and then monthly. I'm still at the monthly stage, been there quite a while lol.

    Hopefully they will give you a contact number for the rheumy nurse in case of any problems.
    I'm on naproxen, amitriptolene, paracetamol and fentanyl patches for the pain but it still gets pretty bad.

    Hope that they get yours under control quickly..

    Best wishes and keep posting :D
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • trepolpen
    trepolpen Member Posts: 504
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi , been on both drugs dor RA for 15 years , Methotrexate is the better of the two , take folic acid as mentioned above , cant take any of the anti inflammatories myself so need good immunosuppressants to make up for it
  • TeaBag
    TeaBag Member Posts: 101
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I should also have said the consultant said the steriods would not be a good idea as i have osteopenia :oops:
  • Mat48
    Mat48 Member Posts: 1,075
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi there - sorry you've had this diagnosis but better to know where you stand and also to get on with treatment asap. Your doctors will work out what may or may not clash with the Warfarin but I too didn't do well on Sulpha (side effects) but have been okay on Methotrexate. I won't say I haven't experienced side effects - now take it by injection which is much better - but on the whole it's been a brilliant drug for me and my RA has been pretty quiet for about 3 months now. I also take a maintenance dose of Hydroxichloraquine too though.

    I know that Methotrexate is the more powerful of the two drugs but I also think it's the more effective in terms of tackling active disease. And as you can't take NSAIDs (nor can I) you would probably be better for starting off with this drug I would think. If you aren't too squeamish you might want to ask about injecting it because this makes it more effective and means you are less likely to suffer from side effects.

    Good luck. Mat x
    If you get lemons, make lemonade
  • TeaBag
    TeaBag Member Posts: 101
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    The injection seems to be the best way to go i don't like them but i get my blood checked every week so i will have to grin and bare it excuse the pun lol :D
  • Mat48
    Mat48 Member Posts: 1,075
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Strangely its quite different - and in some ways much easier injecting yourself. At least I find it so - my syringes are pre-filled and the needle is very fine and if I squeeze my belly quite hard first on the spot where I'm injecting then I really can't feel a thing and its over in a trice I promise! Mat
    If you get lemons, make lemonade
  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hope you're going on ok :D
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • TeaBag
    TeaBag Member Posts: 101
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I used to inject myself with clexane so i know i can do it but its just the thought of doing it i am a total woss!
  • Mat48
    Mat48 Member Posts: 1,075
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    If you find the roll of fat (sorry for those of you don't have any you poor skinny things?) on your belly and kind of squeeze it and pinch it then there's no sensation at all when the needle goes in. It worked for me a few hour's ago anyway so that's my method anyway and I recommend it :lol::o
    If you get lemons, make lemonade
  • TeaBag
    TeaBag Member Posts: 101
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Yeah i used to to my clexane at to side of my thigh loads of fat there lol :P
  • Mat48
    Mat48 Member Posts: 1,075
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I don't think the thigh would work well for me re Methject.
    Too much flesh in the way and my thigh is actually rather muscly now I'm proud to say - courtesy of dog walking, Nintendo wii fit and MTX - plus the concept of "use it or lose it" well lodged in my brain. Shame the saggy belly is such a rebel though :wink: Mx
    If you get lemons, make lemonade
  • Bopper
    Bopper Member Posts: 1
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I have been battling this for several years now. I've tried many of the meds such as Meth., Humira, and others and all of them left me with horrible side effects. I've been injecting Orencia for several months now with no side effects and it appears to be helping some.
    Several months ago I went to a medical professional who recommended I try a gluten free diet along with my medicine. After 4 weeks of this gluten free diet I could tell a difference in my pain level, my bad days appeared less and less. Understand now, it didn't cure me, but it did help me. For the most part the gluten free diet is well worth the time and trouble, at least it was for me. I looked at it like I have nothing to loose and everything to gain. I'll try this diet for a few months and then evaluate if it has helped me. Gluten free diet material is in all stores and all over the internet, give it a try
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