psoriatic arthritis

Bookworm12

Hi, I have just been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. It's been a frustrating year since my knee first swelled up, the length of time has meant my movement has become more restricted and the arthritis has shown up one ankle and the other knee now. I have just started methotrexate and have been given a steroid injection. The injection has eased the stiffness and pain slightly. How long on average does the injection last for? I am hoping it last long enough for meds to start working. Thanks for any help.

noddingtonpete

Hello @Bookworm12 and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you find that as well.

I understand that you have psoriatic arthritis and have been prescribed methotrexate. Have a look at the following it might be useful.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/drugs/methotrexate/

and

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2022/may/all-about-psoriatic-arthritis/

Please do keep posting and let us know how you get

With vey best wishes

Peter (moderator)

jamieA

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/58836/psoriatic-arthritis

Hi @Bookworm12

I think it probably depends on the individual but the consensus from previous threads here appears to be that the injections give relief for about 4-6 weeks.

I was diagnosed with PsA in 2020 - it also initially was my knee that swelled. The first time I had an injection into my knee it lasted about a month but the second time it only lasted about 10 days before I needed a third. The PsA then also affected my hands, shoulders and feet and I had injections into my hands and shoulders. Eventually the medics decided to give me the injections into my rump so that it spread throughout my body. A couple of these didn't seem to work at all. I had 13 steroid injections in various joints and my rump in the space of 10 months.

The medics that treated me said that any of the drugs for PsA needed at least 3 months before full benefit would be seen.

Bookworm12

Thanks @jamieA guess I'll need to be a little more patient with myself. 13 injections sounds like a lot I hope they ended up having a postiive effect.

jamieA

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/700618#Comment_700618

Hi @Bookworm12

Yes I must admit I found the whole process of - in my case - starting sulfasalazine and then waiting 3 months, then starting MTX and waiting 5 months before being put on a biologic - which worked - both painful and frustrating. All but two of the steroid injections had a fairly immediate effect - the two that didn't were in my rump.