ra starter medication?

painx100

can anyone help me? what is the very first drug that your gp gave you when it was found that your ra markers were high and you were complaining of pain and starting to get bumped bones and joints with swelling? i only ask because i'm back to googling medication after another sleepless night and pain so unbearable that when i did get to bed for my 2 hours of broken sleep i cried proper tears as i'm just so damned frustrated at the lack of help i'm getting from an nhs that just doesn't care. i read that methotrexate is the first drug (and one of the very many i've never been offered). so many of the nhs pages state that you need to get on the correct medication asap as to stop the joints deteriorating fast. mine came on out of the blue and went from 0 to 100 in about 3 months. it's not like i can even change my gp coz there's only 2 where i live and i'm, apparently, a patient of the better one! the gp's are all still working covid rules and whilst i'm more than happy for a phone call and to not be called in, not once in this year has the gp who has been prescribing me the strongest and i mean strongest of drugs (that do nothing for the pain) has not once called me in for a face to face. i'm at my wits end and there's only so much google can do as neither google nor i am medically trained

painx100

painx100

Eeyore

Hello painx100, has your GP referred you to the rheumatology consultant at your nearest hospital? If not, insist that he does - the rheumatology team will assess you and give you the correct medication - usually Methotrexate to start with, plus Prednisolone (a steroid) to reduce the pain. They will also be sympathetic and very, very helpful. Your GP can prescribe Prednisolone, mine did that for me as the wait for the consultant appointment was a few months and I couldn't stand the pain. And it really helped.

Jca

painx100 Please don’t think you are on your own with this. Please contact your GP surgery and ask them to refer you straight away to your nearest nhs rheumatologist department, that’s a must. It’s a long road that many of us travel with this disease and it will turn your life upside down. I myself am now awaiting a new medication as the previous one I was prescribed by rheumatologist failed big time!!! So you are not alone, please 🙏 remember that…. but you must get your GP to refer you to a rheumatologist asap please…. Xx

MrDJ

Hi @painx100

sorry to hear of your pains.

you mention you are on the strongest pain killers but not mentioned which they are.

I now the feeling of being lost as at first no one would believe that my spine si joints fused within 3 months.

the first drugs for me was 60mg of steroids prednisolone and an anti inflamatory drug which ive only had to stop in april this year after taking them for 38 years. and in the last month started on a new cox2 drug which doesnt seem to be helping as ive now started pains in my neck, shoulders and groin which ive never had before.

as said, get an appointment with gp and INSIST they refer you to a rhumatologist.

annabanana

Hi @Painx100 , I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through this, I truly hope things begin to improve for you. You have already gotten some good advice through the comments on this post so I am just going to add that the first treatment that I received for my RA was Kenalog steroid injections but it is vital to remember that what works for one person may not work for another.

I hope that you get the treatment/referral that you need and please remember that the Online Community is always here for you when you're at your wit's end.

Eeyore

Hello @painx100, just checking in - how are you? Have you managed to speak to your GP to get a referral?

Take care of yourself, and don't be afraid to be assertive with the GP.