Re: methotrexate users

[Guest guest]

Dear Selena- I am sorry that you are so very young having to cope with this disease. Remember to be as aggressive treating your disease as it is attacking you. Have NO doubt this is a parasitic disease and will eat you alive if you let it. MTX is nice but doesnt stop disease progression. It slows down your immune system and aids " BIOLOGIC " drugs in their efficacy. Talk to your doctor about starting on a biologic right away. Remicade is something I have been on since 2000 and in addition to MTX it is still working. Talk to an orthopedic specialist about alternatives to hip replacement. Start taking maximum strength glucosamine/chondritin. It will help you keep what synovial fluid between your joints you have left as long as possible. Believe it or not, taking a biologic can bring your life back to something resembling your normal routine. Be your own advocate. Ask questions!!! Get involved in your medical treatment. Research your disease, manage your pain, www.arthritisfoundation.org and medications as well. If there is something you dont know or need to know, we are all here to help. I was a support group leader for the arthritis foundation. Find a support group or chapter office in your city and state. Always be willing to get a second opinion and never think that your Rheumatologist is the only one. I have lost count of how many I have had over the past 12 years. Try to avoid or reduce any and all stress to your hips. Once your pain is managed and you are on a biologic, you should think about getting to a warm water pool for Physical Therapy. Talk to your doctor about hyluran therapy. They are injecting knees with great results, and I suspect hips are next. Get a bone density if you havent already and find out if actonel or fosamax is indicated. Learn about joint protection. It works. Im living proof. Hugs, Deborah

On 6/7/06, selenasantacruz <selenasantacruz@...> wrote:

i am a 24 year old female newly diagnosed with RA, unfortunately my RA is very aggressive and my left hip is almost bone on bone, the rheumatologist said i will most likely need a hip replacement, but has

started me on methotrexate to prevent this from happening to my other joints. my question is for those already on methotrexate, has anyone ever been in this situation and not needed the replacement because the

pain has gone away or is bearable? also she said it may take up to three months to feel results, but how soon have have some of you seen results and exactly what kind of results. your responses would be greatly appreciated. thank you!!!

[Guest guest]

IMO, I don't think MTX alone with keep you from needing a hip replacement. Using MTX with something else like Humira or Enbrel maybe could.

[Guest guest]

Hi there , Well I'm in that situation with my right knee and right shoulder the only thing that helped me was stopping work and by that was stoping the exseccive use and force , perssure I was putting on them I still have a lot of trouble but nothing as bad as before I still have to have shots and z packs at times but it's much better than the continious serring pain before johnselenasantacruz <selenasantacruz@...>

wrote: i am a 24 year old female newly diagnosed with RA, unfortunately my RA is very aggressive and my left hip is almost bone on bone, the rheumatologist said i will most likely need a hip replacement, but has started me on methotrexate to prevent this from happening to my other joints. my question is for those already on methotrexate, has anyone ever been in this situation and not needed the replacement because the pain has gone away or is bearable? also she said it may take up to three months to feel results, but how soon have have some of you seen results and

exactly what kind of results. your responses would be greatly appreciated. thank you!!!

Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

[Guest guest]

>

> i am a 24 year old female newly diagnosed with RA, unfortunately my

RA

> is very aggressive and my left hip is almost bone on bone, the

> rheumatologist said i will most likely need a hip replacement, but

has

> started me on methotrexate to prevent this from happening to my other

> joints. my question is for those already on methotrexate, has anyone

> ever been in this situation and not needed the replacement because

the

> pain has gone away or is bearable? also she said it may take up to

> three months to feel results, but how soon have have some of you seen

> results and exactly what kind of results. your responses would be

> greatly appreciated. thank you!!!

>

its very sad to know that u have been diaagnosed with this devastating

disease at such a young age i am also suffering from RA of RT

HIPJOINTfor last 7-8 years.although my problem was caught at a very

early stage but unfortunately could not be diagonised .mine is a

monoarticular RA OF RT HIP .my arthritis was also very aggressive and

as my job also needed prolonged standing my cartilage was gone in just

3 years .my doc put me on LEFUNOMIDE N METHOTRAXATE AND SUMHOW MY

SECONDARY ARTHRITIS WAS PREVENTED. I thk you need some other medicine

vth methotraxate dear . i took the meds for one and a half year and as

i could not tolerate it any longer i i requested my doc to stop it.now

i a mtaking homeopathic med for last 6-7 moths and i can walk vth a

walk and carry out my routine work easily.I HAVE EVEN JOINED MY DUTY

BACK AFTER A 2YEARS LEAVE .I DONT HVE ANY PAIN LUCKILY AND ALMOST

NORMAL.

SOMEONE TOLD ME ABOUT A DOCTOR IN BOMBAY WHO IS A SPECIALISIT IN SUCH

CASES .HE WAS A MBBS DOCTOR BUT IS NOW PRACTISING HOMEOPATHY .I WAS

TOLD THAT HE HAS TREATED MANY SUCH CASES VTH MIRACULIOUS RESULTS ,IF

YOU WANT I CAN GIVE YOU HIS ADDRESS.MY E-MAIL IS NEELKAMAL_442.COM

I WROTE SO MUCH BECAUSE I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN AN D SUFFERING

DEAR .DONT BE DISHEARTENED HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND ALWAYS BE

POSITIVE .LOOK AT ME I AM ALSO WALKING WITHOUT CARTILAGE FOR ALMOST

LAST 3-4 YEARS.SO BE POSITIVE

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed at 25 ( I am know 26) and also have very agressive ra as I have deformities and joint damage in my hands and feet, but after my first month on methotrexate I was able to bend the fingers on my right hand that had been so swollen for almost 2 years that I could not bend them at all. While methotrexate did help for the pain and inflammation, you may want to talk to your rheumy about being put on a biologic whic helps with joint damage. Also feel free to email me with any questions at Hollybgroovin2003@... anytime. I was diagnosed last November with RA and then later Lupus. Best wishes to you! Hollyneelkamal_44 <neelkamal_44@...> wrote: . my question is for those already on methotrexate, has anyone > ever been in this situation and not needed the replacement because the > pain has gone away or is bearable? also she said it may take up to > three months to feel results, but how soon have have some of you seen > results and exactly what kind of results. your responses would be > greatly appreciated. thank you!!! >.

Holly

[Guest guest]

Dear Selena, I am so sorry to hear that you are having to cope with this desease at 24. You're so young for it to have been as aggressive as that, but I guess RA doesn't know age. I wish I could give you some advice, but when I was diagnosed I was almost 36 and didn't really notice it except my knees would creak when I'd bend or what have you. I just took my Plaquenil and went about my merry way. It's only been in the past few years (I'm almost 50 now.) that I was put on Methotrexate. are you on anything else? I'm not real smart about this kind of thing, but I think that it would take more than Methotrexate by it self. All I'm going to suggest is please talk to your Rheumy and maybe you can find the most aggressive course to take.

Good luck and God bless.

Susie> > > i am a 24 year old female newly diagnosed with RA, unfortunately my RA> > is very aggressive and my left hip is almost bone on bone, the> > rheumatologist said i will most likely need a hip replacement, but has> > started me on methotrexate to prevent this from happening to my other> > joints. my question is for those already on methotrexate, has anyone> > ever been in this situation and not needed the replacement because the> > pain has gone away or is bearable? also she said it may take up to> > three months to feel results, but how soon have have some of you seen> > results and exactly what kind of results. your responses would be> > greatly appreciated. thank you!!!> >> > > >>