scared to start methotrexate...

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  • woodbon
    woodbon Member Posts: 4,969
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello,
    Good to see you've found the site. I have OA, but it is quite painful and I get very tired sometimes, especially if I push myself too hard. I can understand you being frightened about taking a new medicaton, it is daunting. I hope all goes well for you. Love Sue
  • jackie1955
    jackie1955 Member Posts: 632
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi dazzler,

    I am due to start MTX soon; have got a meeting with rheumy nurse for a drug counselling session first. I don't know exactly what 'hideous' side effects this drug can possibly cause apart from the usual nausea, but to be honest do we have a choice?

    I want to slow the progression of this disease if possible, and my rheumy said I am in the early stages of RA so presumably he thinks this is the best treatment for me at this time. He never mentioned anything else anyway!

    I am putting my faith in him, and have had great advice and support from this site - from people who know what they are talking about!

    dazzler, try to keep upbeat about all this. I too panicked at first, thought of dreadful scenarios - then realised that worrying about things THAT MAY NOT HAPPEN is detrimental to your mental health as well as your physical.

    Do what you want to do, rest when you need to, but mostly LIVE and ENJOY LIFE :wink:

    Jackie x
  • rocknrolla
    rocknrolla Member Posts: 1
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Guys

    I have been on meth for over a 3 months now, with no major side effects...thank god. My PA is under control, minor joint pains when i wake up in the morning.

    3 months ago i coudn't walk since the pain was so bad.

    The combination of meth (12.5g) and folic acid have not caused any problems for me. But stay off alcohol...this screws up ur liver and it shows on ur blood work.

    Darren...my advice to u is to go for meth, my rheumy started me off on 5mg to check for side effect and gradually increased it every month

    Cheers
  • carolyn37b
    carolyn37b Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dazzler wrote:
    hi

    thanks for all your replies again. I'm actively seeking some counselling right now to help come to terms with all this. Its so wierd to be even writing this because if you'd met me last week you'd not have a clue i was suffering from anything. I was ticking along pretty nicely trying to deal with life and just managing the bits of back and neck pain even without pain killers. I still obviously have the spectre of fatigue looming about and causing some concern but i thought i was managing. My pain is still at a very low level. I know actually that even a small ache or pain over a long enough period gets a bit boring eh? :)

    I'd even begun to seriously look at changing my career to become a teacher. Does anybody understand when i say that its so difficult to plan your life with a problem like this? What do you do? i feel robbed and that the real me is being wasted. I do still have positive stuff in my life but i'm not achieving the things that i want to.

    Bit of a nightmare all this rheumatic stuff isnt it?

    I'm probably too hard on myself too but i just want at least a chance to have a crack at seeing if i could be a good teacher and thats also part of the reason i'm reluctant to try something so potentially side effect heavy.

    i'm also a bit concerned about one of the side effects which says it can cause birth defects. I dont even want to think what might be going on through my body if it can do that?

    Secondly if this drug works and i do well on it and then want to have a baby i will have to stop and then i'm worried my symptoms would return at a time when i would need to be the most energetic and focused of all.

    Answers on a postcard please :)

    best regards

    darren


    Hi Darren,
    I just saw your post and thought I would drop you a note and say hi. I developed sero-negative arthritis when I was approx 33 after the birth of my son (who is nearly 5). I totally understand what you are going through. I went through, am still going through the same issues. I went from being very active person to not being able to pick up my baby! It was soul destroying. I have fought my arhritis every step of the way. I hate taking meds but at one point I was on a cocktail of 32 tablets a day and it was still taking me over an hour to just get out of bed!

    I had the same issues and concerns that you had over whether or not to take methotrexate. I eventually gave in and gave it ago. It seemed to stabilise things with me. I managed to wean myself of prednisnolone & methotrexate as I wanted to try for another baby (some days I am not sure why tho as between the pain and the exhaustion I must be bongers to try and add in a baby into the equation!!).

    Anyway, I wish you all the best. Try and keep positive :)

    Carolyn

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