RE: Re: I hate my Rheumatologist

[Guest guest]

you know, its funny when you ask what part of PA. I

lived in Chester County, (southern end of the state,

near DE/MD line) for over 25 years, NOW live in

Delaware for the past 4 and still feel I'm from PA.

LOL

PA is a beautiful state, and if you are ever here

again, (I did it again), try to visit southern chester

county. Horse country, rolling hills, beautiful

land!!

anyway;

I wish someone from this post was from my area and

could recommend someone who WILL look at my boo

booos!!!

my boss is so anti-absence over anything, that he just

docks me when I'm out. I had bad laryngitis in feb

and on crutches in march. He told me that if I did

not get his PERSONAL permission to be out, he would

fire me. His is another story, but not for here.

It scares me that I need to see doctors but I have to

feel fear about calling out or leaving work for two

hours. doesn't make the stress level

go down that's for sure.

My primary care doctor is wonderful. She actually

conspires with me. She told me that if my endo didn't

want to get aggressive and the the rheumy wouldn't

then together we would. She will advocate for me!

i guess there is a little good in something bad after

all.

thank you all for your feedback. i can't imagine the

pain and crap you all are going through. I feel like

a wuss complaining, but in the same breath, i'm the

one that had bone reconstruction on my thumb because

of arthritis, and did not take any post surgery meds.

I have a high threshold for pain, and maybe the PA is

not as bad as some others, it is there and it is

interfering in my life. that last part was for the

Rheumatologist with his head up his butt.

thanks for listening.

daphne in PA/DE

[Guest guest]

Hey ,

I'm scared to take the MTX because I looked up the

side effects and they say when you take the pills you

get sick; tired, nauseous; and my own Rheumatologist

told me that most people take it on a Friday night so

they can sleep right through the sick time.

does not sound so wonderful to me.

But, I must take it before he will look into the

biologics, mainly because of the insurance company

wanting you to exhaust all else before doing those.

and I really don't wanna lose my hair.. again...I went through that when my

thyroid shut down.

I appreciate your input though.

Take care

[Guest guest]

Daphne --

The doses they give you are so low that you shouldn't have issues with your

hair falling out.

From my own experience, that hasn't been an issue at all. Also -- I was

only queezy for the first couple of times I took the methotrexate.

Even then, it was very minor. I took it on Friday night and really didn't

have a problem. Now, I take it anytime of the day and no issue.

No problems with nausea and if I do, they are minimal -- if I experience any

at all. In fact, I just took a dose and I'm feeling fine.

As an FYI, I didn't really feel much difference on MTX alone. When my

doctor added Enbrel -- and later replaced that with Humira -- I began to

feel the most improvement.

My inflammation levels dropped significantly. So we'll see how it goes in

the long run. Apparently, the MTX helped stop the flare and the Humira

works on other issues.

But I personally think most of my early issues with MTX were because I

psyched myself out to believe it would be a problem.

I recently saw what a dear friend had to go through with cancer (she's on

massive doses of chemo).

After that, I realized I can handle my small dose of MTX -- no problem!

Good luck to you!

Patty

[Guest guest]

My rheumatologist was able to work around the insurance company's initial

refusal to cover Embrel (wanting me to take MTX first). It took a couple of

tries (and sending x-rays) but it worked.

Joanna Hoelscher

630-833-7361

[Guest guest]

I too read the information concerning side effects of methotrexate however, take

Folic acid along with something to decrease the stomach acid and it makes a good

deal of difference.

I take 25 mg of Methotrexate by injection and depending, I take either one or

two shots of 50mg of Etanercept. One shot now for several months. The normal

joints with spine is significantly impacted, although I am not bent over, jsu

tpainful and lack of range of motion.

Perhaps trying the vitamin along with acid suppression might help you combat

the potential side effects, and they are only potential side effects.

On the discussion about doctors, I am most fortunate. I receive excellent care

through the Veterans Hospital in Minneapolis and I could not be more pleased. I

always try and be as succinct as possible and I attempt to keep a notebook to

help me go beyond saying oh I'm fine when I have had all sorts of issues during

the past month. I attempt to stay informed and ask questions but trust their

advice. I make it a partnership and so far it is workign quite well.

I hope you all are doing as well as can be getting this disease in check.

Take Care,

Barney

[Guest guest]

Hi Patty,

Thank you so much; ou and everyone else regarding the

MTX. I think I am psyching myself out; I'm so afraid

that I will miss work. My boss has an aversion to

anyone being ill. He has already told me that he

cannot tolerate absenteeism. He's pretty much of a

sociopath.

I do appreciate all of our replies to my neuroses. I

don't like the thought of taking yet another

medication.

Thanks to you all,

Daphne

[Guest guest]

Sherry,

There is a website about side effects. If you google

methotrexate side effects, it is halfway down the page

and it has the word " patient " in it. The site rates

many medications on a scale of 1-5, 1 being the worst

and 5 being the best. They get input from people who

are on the medication and sometimes, depends on which

meds, it could be hundreds. The enbrel gave a rating

of over 4.2 and the mtx only a 3. It also gives the

symptoms people have and what happened when they

started, whether it helped or hurt. I guess that's

where I'm coming from. I think I'm just afraid about

the hair thing and the nausea. Like I said once

before, I lost my hair when my thyroid quit, and I'm

still dealing with that, and I just can't afford to

lose work.

I hope it explains the way my thoughts are running

about this.

Of course I will try it; it can't be worse than the

swelling and stiffness and pain now. I only wanted

input and you all were very gracious to give it.

Thanks for yours,

Daphne

[Guest guest]

Thanks . Every little bit of info on here helps.

I appreciate it.

Daphne

[Guest guest]

Daphne,

When I went on MXT (15mg) I got sick the first week and the next 5 weeks was

very nauseous. When I went back to the Dr. for my follow up he reduced my amount

to 10mg and I felt much better with that. I have been on it since March and now

in the past 4 weeks I am having hair loss, I go to the Dr. at the end of the

month, I am hoping he takes me off of it, or reduces it again. I also take

Humira with the MXT. Everybody is different and I think it is a trial and

error. If it isn't working for you, you have to speak up and find out what your

options are. I really like my Dr. and I wouldn't be there if I didn't feel

confident in him or if I couldn't have an open conservation about my health.

This is your health, your life, you need to have faith in this person!

Fran

[Guest guest]

Sherry: could you be a little more specific on the website? If I google

methotrexate side effects, there are a ton of sites that come up and I went thru

the first few - did not find the comparison you discussed. I would really like

to take a look at it. Thanks . . ..

Joanna Hoelscher

630-833-7361

[Guest guest]

Fran,

Didn't your doctor ramp you up on the MTX? Mine started me with one 2.5 mg

pill, then ramped it up over the next few weeks.

That gave my body time to get used to it with minimal side effects. I now

take six 2.5 mg pills per week, plus Humira.

Daphne, you should make sure they ramp you up. I've heard it does make a

difference.

Patty

[Guest guest]

I'm the one that wrote about the website; see below:

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=8085 & name=METHOTREXATE%20SODIUM

--- Joanna Hoelscher <joannahoelscher@...>

wrote:

> Sherry: could you be a little more specific on the

> website?

[Guest guest]

Thanks - this is a very interesting website.

Joanna Hoelscher

630-833-7361

----- Original Message ----

From: daphne <daphey@...>

I'm the one that wrote about the website; see below:

http://www.askapati ent.com/viewrati ng.asp?drug= 8085 & name= METHOTREXATE%

20SODIUM