Methotrexate Week 9

Hope767

Hi,

I was diagnosed seronegative inflammatory arthritis in April.

Had a week in hospital with CRP over 200 .

I’m still in pain , despite being on steroids and methotrexate 20mg. Also need 2 total hip replacements which was a shocker ! thought i’d have at least another 20 years before i needed new hips.

My question is “ is this the best we can expect medicine wise?” I’m reading lots of messages from people saying they’re still in constant pain despite taking meds .

Trying to be positive but this disease is really giving me a poor quality of life and I’m not hopeful things will get better

noddingtonpete

Hello @Hope767 I hope things do get better for you. From comments on here methotrexate takes a while to work but then helps a lot of people. Are you on the waiting list for new hips?

I've put a link below to our pain management information in the hope that there is something useful in it for you.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

Most hospitals have a pain clinic so might be worth asking for a referral to them try the link below

https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Pain%20management/LocationSearch/1426

Best wishes

Peter

jamieA

Hi @Hope767

I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis - which is also seronegative - in late 2020 and 3 weeks later I was hospitalised with a combination of PsA and pneumonia. My CRP levels hit 340 during that stay - a combination of the PsA and the pneumonia as CRP is both a measure of inflammation and infection. I started off on sulfasalazine which didn't work, then 4 months later MTX was added - the combination didn't work. Nine months after diagnosis the biologic adalimumab was added and that made a very significant difference by 2 months later. I'm not cured by any means but I'm rarely in pain - just different levels of aching joints. I rarely need to take strong painkillers now - usually only when a flare has triggered. My left knee was the first joint to swell back in 2020 and the damage done during that first year means I'm waiting for a knee replacement now. That said I'm able to walk my dog 50-60kms a week - albeit with a pronounced limp.

I know we are all different in how we react to medication but there is hope. One thing I would advise is that I realised early on in my treatment that I had to be more assertive with the medics that I dealt with - they are not feeling your pain levels.

I hope you find a treatment that works for you soon.

Hope767

Thank you @jamieA

That’s a real help. I see my rheumatologist this week and will give a fuller picture of the pain i’m in.