My Experiance

trekrich
trekrich Member Posts: 3
edited 1. Dec 2008, 03:53 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello,

I have had arthritus for a couple of years now, and have been living with it ok so far, I have had my moments though! I would like to share my experiance with the whole thing with you. And then ask how you would feel taking medication.

I was diagnosed with RA in 2006 after going to my GP with extreme stiffness in the mornings etc, then i went to see a consultant who told me i had RA. I was prescribed sulphasalazine at first, but i had a severe reaction with my immune system and had to spend a week in hospital while they sorted that out. That was not fun! Then a bit later i was prescribed methotrexate, as they said that it was better tolerated than sulphasalazine. So i have been taking that for almost 2 years now, i have had a few scares when taking it like shortness of breath so i have been for 2 lung function tests and that turned out to be mild asthma. I then suffered a epileptic seizure in April and badly fractured my left shoulder so i had to have an operation on that, so back into hospital i went again for surgery! I have had 1 more seizure since then. If all this had happened to you, how would you feel taking drugs that had been prescribed to you. Would you feel weary about taking them in case something happened again.

Thanks

Richard

Comments

  • gettinby
    gettinby Member Posts: 29
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,
    I've always been weary.
    However, as always in these cases it's a trade off, the side affects vs the suffering.
    Most Docs are happy to change or take off all meds if there is a problem.
    At least you've come to the right place for folks having a hard time of it :D

    All the best
  • trekrich
    trekrich Member Posts: 3
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    bump
  • eugeneg
    eugeneg Member Posts: 36
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    trekrich wrote:
    Hello,

    I have had arthritus for a couple of years now, and have been living with it ok so far, I have had my moments though! I would like to share my experiance with the whole thing with you. And then ask how you would feel taking medication.

    I was diagnosed with RA in 2006 after going to my GP with extreme stiffness in the mornings etc, then i went to see a consultant who told me i had RA. I was prescribed sulphasalazine at first, but i had a severe reaction with my immune system and had to spend a week in hospital while they sorted that out. That was not fun! Then a bit later i was prescribed methotrexate, as they said that it was better tolerated than sulphasalazine. So i have been taking that for almost 2 years now, i have had a few scares when taking it like shortness of breath so i have been for 2 lung function tests and that turned out to be mild asthma. I then suffered a epileptic seizure in April and badly fractured my left shoulder so i had to have an operation on that, so back into hospital i went again for surgery! I have had 1 more seizure since then. If all this had happened to you, how would you feel taking drugs that had been prescribed to you. Would you feel weary about taking them in case something happened again.

    Thanks

    Richard

    Hi,

    I too had a bad reaction to Sulpha but not like how you describe. I just went bright red from top to toe and my eyes went bloodshot. Re the MXT I also did not get on with it, I had bad sickness with it plus it affected my blood/liver count. There are a lot on here who get on alright with those 2. I am currently on Enbrel but that too has its downs but has given 2 great years.

    I am wary still of staying on Enbrel because it has battered my Immune system (it is meant to surpress it) and I have had one infection after another, so they are unsure where to go next with me.

    I am sorry to hear of your woes. I hope things pick up for you.

    Eugene.