My husband has just been diagnosed with RA

December 28, 2005

Hi,

My name is and my husband at age 30 has just been diagnosed

with RA. Just had our second visit to the doctor today to come home

with some medications that seem extremely scary. They want him to

take methotrexate, folic acid, and prednisone. The doctor says that

he has had this for the last four years or so and it has to be

approached very aggressively. If there is anyone out there who could

be of help as to some diet tips, medication tips or any advice at all

that we should try or good or bad stories about the medications I have

listed it would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your time,

December 28, 2005

,

Welcome to the group...sorry you had to come here...but this is a great

group. The meds can be scary. Methotrexate does had its nasty side

effects..I use to take it but I am no longer on it due to side effects.

I would take the Methotrexate at night so you sleep through most of the

nausea. Also take it on a nite were you have no plans the next day so

he can sleep in...it can make you feel pretty crappy for a few days

after taking it.

Folic acid helps with the side effects. Also taking meds with food

helps too.

Make sure you are also using good contraception because many of these

meds have an effect on reproductive cells. Methotrexate is a chemo

drug just used in smaller dosages for RA....but for some of us produces

some of the same side effects as in high dosages. Hair loss, nausea,

diarrhea, vomiting, mouth sores and such.

Prednisone will help immediately with the pain stiffness and swelling.

Make sure you take the prednisone early AM it makes most people hyper

and can keep you up at nite if you take it too late in the day. Also

take with food. It can cause GI upset.

I was diagnosied when I was 36 and it was quite a shock...I have been

on Methotrexate pills and injections, Enbrel, Arava, Bextra,

doxycylcine and I am currently taking Plaquinil and Lodine...I will

probably have to start a biologic DMARD soon after the new year due to

the fact my RA is getting more aggressive...This is something I do not

look forward too. My choices are Humira, Kineret,Enbrel again, remicaid

or abatacept(only if I get an infusion port surgically implanted)

Toni in Texas

>

> Hi,

> My name is and my husband at age 30 has just been diagnosed

> with RA. Just had our second visit to the doctor today to come home

> with some medications that seem extremely scary. They want him to

> take methotrexate, folic acid, and prednisone. The doctor says that

> he has had this for the last four years or so and it has to be

> approached very aggressively. If there is anyone out there who could

> be of help as to some diet tips, medication tips or any advice at

all

> that we should try or good or bad stories about the medications I

have

> listed it would be much appreciated.

>

> Thanks for your time,

>

December 28, 2005

, I'm sorry that your husband has RA. I remember when my

rheumatologist gave me a pamphlet about methotrexate that he was about

to start me on. After I read it, I concluded that if it didn't kill me,

it might help me a little, LOL. The disease is a lot scarier than the

medications, though. Methotrexate has been used for many years with

much success. Folic acid is recommended to minimize some of the side

effects of the mtx. Prednisone is probably being prescribed to help the

inflammation until the mtx has time to take effect, which can be

several months. Prednisone is the one to watch out for. Long term usage

can cause harmful side effects. Hopefully he will be on a low dose of

prednisone for a short period of time. a and will probably

post some articles to help inform you.

Early aggressive treatment of RA is important because joint damage can

occur early in the disease. If your husband has had it for four years,

he might already have some damage.

Keep reading here, and you will see that this is a very supportive

group.

Sue

On Wednesday, December 28, 2005, at 09:00 PM, sandelur wrote:

>

> My name is and my husband at age 30 has just been diagnosed

> with RA. Just had our second visit to the doctor today to come home

> with some medications that seem extremely scary. They want him to

> take methotrexate, folic acid, and prednisone. The doctor says that

> he has had this for the last four years or so and it has to be

> approached very aggressively. If there is anyone out there who could

> be of help as to some diet tips, medication tips or any advice at all

> that we should try or good or bad stories about the medications I have

> listed it would be much appreciated.

December 29, 2005

Hi :

I am so sorry for your husband's RA dx, but you have

come to the right place for support and information.

Yes, RA must be treated very aggressively right from

the start, and I am glad to hear that you have a

doctor with that in mind, and who will treat

aggressively. For some people it takes a lot longer

to get a good doctor like you seem to have.

I agree that you do have to take a DMARD like

Methotrexate to fight this disease process, progress,

and joint destruction. Yes, Methotrexate is scary,

but I am on it because the alternatives are worse than

the med, in my opinion. The Folic Acid is very

important to take while on Mtx, and I also take Milk

Thistle for liver protection. I have only had side

effects of some hair thinning and fragile skin from

the Mtx. Be sure to take it at night, I take mine

Friday evenings after dinner, so that he can sleep

through any nausea. He might be more tired for a day

or two after the Mtx also.

I also am on Enbrel, Mobic and Ultracet. I have been

on Plaquenil and Motrin when first dx, along with

Prednisone, and since then have been on many other

meds too. Sometimes you have to try different meds or

combo of meds before you find the one which will help

- it can be very frustrating. The Prednisone is great

for pain and inflammation, but I try to take it only

when really, really necessary because I don't like the

way it makes me feel mentally and emotionally.

I also use rice socks, which are just as they sound,

cotton socks filled with rice (not too full or they

won't be pliable) which you can place in the microwave

for a couple of minutes, and then they form really

well to your joints. I find them very helpful.

Also, rest is very important, and minimizing stress

helps too. Hard to do when you have to work, take

care of kids, etc, but as much as possible he should

try to do this.

This is so great of you to write in on behalf of your

husband - I hope that sometime he can also write in as

we do have some men in our group whom he could maybe

relate to more - and I wish you both the best of luck.

If you have any further questions, just ask.

Kathe in CA

--- sandelur <jesschaz@...> wrote:

> Hi,

> My name is and my husband at age 30 has

> just been diagnosed

> with RA. Just had our second visit to the doctor

> today to come home

> with some medications that seem extremely scary.

> They want him to

> take methotrexate, folic acid, and prednisone. The

> doctor says that

> he has had this for the last four years or so and it

> has to be

> approached very aggressively. If there is anyone out

> there who could

> be of help as to some diet tips, medication tips or

> any advice at all

> that we should try or good or bad stories about the

> medications I have

> listed it would be much appreciated.

>

> Thanks for your time,

>

Kathe in CA

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December 30, 2005

,

Sorry about your husband's RA diagnosis. The medications can sound scary,

but untreated RA can have very serious consequences.

Methotrexate is a very good disease-modifying drug that has withstood the

test of time in the treatment of RA.

One piece of advice: be sure that the plan is to slowly taper off the

prednisone in the not too distant future, so that your husband will not

become dependent on it. Prednisone gives excellent, quick relief, but it is

not a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), and its long-term use

can be detrimental.

Not an MD

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org

[ ] My husband has just been diagnosed with RA