Hi

jamieA

Hi,

I've just joined this forum after being provided with a leaflet on Methotrexate which I have been prescribed. I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis 5 months ago completely out of the blue. I was started on Sulfasalazine but it hasn't made much difference and I'm now on that and Methotrexate as well as painkillers, NSAIDs and a whole cocktail of other drugs.

I've gone from a healthy, retired 65 year old who walked 60-70kms per week to this in the space of 6 months!

Chris_R

Hi @jamieA

Welcome to the online community family,its great to see you posting.

You say you have just been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis 5 months ago and have medication to help you,Sulfasalazine,Methotrexate,NSAIDs and others.It is very overwhelming when you have been diagnosed with Arthritis and getting used tothe regime of drugs and changes it makes to your lifestyle,we all understand as everyone on this forum has some form of arthritis.

Here are a few links that may help

Psoriatic arthritis | Psoriatic arthritis | Causes, symptoms, treatments (versusarthritis.org)

Chat to our Helpline Team — Versus Arthritis

Hope these links help in some way.Meanwhile just continue to chat on our forums everyone full of helpful and understanding people who understand what you are going through.Please keep in touch and tell us how you get on.

All the best Christine

jamieA

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/678722#Comment_678722

Hi Christine and thanks for the welcome.

Yes I must admit I've found the whole thing overwhelming. It has not been helped finding out that I have an autoimmune disease in the middle of a pandemic. I'm now popping up to 20 pills a day and being in constant pain. All in the space of 5 months. I'm finding the pace of response frustrating - needing to wait 3 months after starting Sulfasalazine to find it's not been particularly effective to now waiting a further 3 months to find whether Methotrexate will work. Being reduced to walking with an elbow crutch for a maximum of 1-2 kms per day and suffering from fatigue requiring afternoon sleeps.

I'm hoping the medics can quickly find some medication that works that restores my quality of life.