Switching Medication

Marshmallow
Marshmallow Member Posts: 15
edited 19. May 2013, 12:05 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello

I had been on methotrexate for two years. Good drug, inflammation practically gone. I then decided i wanted to start a family, Im 28. I came off the methotrexate for 6 months and was then advised to start taking sulphasalazine. I have been taking sulphasalazine since november and twice i have been told to stop taking it as my white blood count has fallen rapidly. After the first time of being told to stop i had my bloods taken, waited for two weeks, my white blood count rose and was told to start taking it again. 4 weeks later and i have been told the same thing again. Going in on wednesday to get my bloods taken and in the meantime im to stop the drug.

Just wondering if anyone has been on suplhasalazine during pregnancy or if they just came off the methotrexate and went cold turkey- that was my plan but i was told i should be taking something to prevent any long term damage.

I should receive a full explanation when the results come back from my bloods on wednesday- just wanted to ask anyone on here in the meantime.

Love to all
Marshmallow xx

Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Marshmallow
    Sorry I cant give you any advice,but I do know we have a few mums to be on here, hopefully someone will be along soon...it has been quiet lately.
    I do wish you well with whatever you do xx
    Just a point maybe if you started a thread about becoming pregnant and meds...
    You take care x
    Love
    Barbara
  • LignumVitae
    LignumVitae Member Posts: 1,972
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Marshmallow,

    I withdrew off MTX last spring, like you I found it was amazingly useful so coming off wasn't easy. I managed the withdrawal using steroid injections, only managed three months because my arthritis went a bit wild without anything else to control it (three months is an acceptable length to withdraw although six is better). However, I then became pregnant (I'm 29 weeks tomorrow) and as soon as I did the arthritis went into remission so since then I have not had steroids and have done OK with just paracetamol which feels quite unbelieveable when I think this time last year I was injecting 25 mg of MTX! I have inflammatory arthritis and I knew that I would manage the withdrawal with just steroids long before I started it. Nobody ever mentioned using sulph or anything else to control the withdrawal but as you know, arthritis is a multi talented beast and what is right for one of us may not be for another.

    Good luck with the bloods and the pregnancy plans.
    LV
    Hey little fighter, things will get brighter
  • elanormcadam
    elanormcadam Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello

    I came off methotrexate in October 2011 to start a family. Pretty quickly I realised how much it had been working! By the time I'd been off it for 3 months, I couldn't face leaving it another 3 before starting to try and conceive. I had also been on sulphasalazine and had stopped this as well. We started trying in Jan 2012 and was boosted along with steroid injections until they didnt work anymore. In summer we reintroduced sulphasalazine and in September my rheumatologist put me onto oral steroids. The oral steroids have made a big difference and are safe as it's a very low dose. I still have bad days every so often but it's much more manageable. My rheumatologist says sulphasalazine is the drug of choice for RA in pregnancy but it's a personal choice whether to take it or not. I think when we become pregnant I'd like to see how I get on without it but as we don't know when that'll be, we'll stick with sulphasalazine and steroids for now.
    Hope that helps a bit. Everyone is different. Here's to quick conception and improved symptomst during pregnancy!
  • Marshmallow
    Marshmallow Member Posts: 15
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you all for your advice. Going to get my bloods taken in the morning and I'll be seeing a consultant in a couple of months. Here's to a speedy pregnancy indeed!!!
    Bye for now x
  • Niccymck
    Niccymck Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi there,

    I am in the exact situation as you. I came off MTX and after 3 months it was unbearable, I tried sulphsalazine but it gave me no relief.
    I was forced to go back on MTX :(
    Being 27, I know that I can try again in a few years to come off MTX, but what if the same thing happens again?
    Have you had any success with any other meds?

    Nicola :)