I start meds Friday...
chauncyrenayCHANGED
Posts: 788 Member
...and I'm nervous! Do you Ninja's have advice for me?
I have tried every alternative medicine and nothing has helped.
I start Enbrel injections and a low dose of Methotrexate.
Were any of you nervous to start taking meds?
I have tried every alternative medicine and nothing has helped.
I start Enbrel injections and a low dose of Methotrexate.
Were any of you nervous to start taking meds?
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Replies
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It's normal to be nervous. I have been on meds now for more than half my life, it is hard to get used to. Methotrexate for me causes my stomach to be upset and the enbrel injection site reactions. However they do work together. I wish you the best of luck and just think they are helping you and your body fight the progression of the RA.0
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Unfortunately none of us suffering form RA want to be taking medicine but this is kind of a necessary evil. I cringe when i think of what I am putting in my body but I also know that without the medicine i could be in a wheel chair from the destruction to my joints from the RA. I know it stinks but you will feel so much better when yuou do start the meds. I can honestly say the Methotrexate has changed my life, I was in so much pain when not taking the medicine that I can't imagine going back to living without the methotrexate. So don't be scared or nervous this gives you back some control over your life and how you want to feel!
I hope you have great results
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I started on methotrexate in May and I was scared too but it has really really helped me. I'm no longer in pain all the time and can enjoy life again. Best of luck to you and hope the treatment works out. x0
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I used to be on 25 mg methotrexate and it really did work wonders for me, pain gone pretty much altogether Never had the enbrel injections but hopefully you'll be feeling tonnes better when you start with the meds!
And just remember that if one type of drug isnt good for you then there's always other options?
I had to come off methotrexate (my stomach just wouldnt keep it down, sorry for the info overload!) but my docotor put me on something different and this is helping almost as well as the mtx did!
Good luck!0 -
You all are just awesome! I actually ended up starting the meds today and just seeing your responses gave me the courage I needed. I wish I could express how grateful to you I really am.
As it turns out, on Friday, my health insurance will not cover Enbrel, so I'm stuck with Remicade. That's okay, though. I'm trusting the process and hoping everything will be fine.
Started Mtx today and hopefully Remicade asap!0 -
I'm sorry you had to change your meds away from Enbrel! It works fairly good for me if I don't miss an injection! I was on MTX and did not find relief! If my next set of labs still shows inflammation then a second med will be added!! I have to watch my salt like a hawk! My last flair made me gain 14 pounds! I lost it 2x over too and still gained 14 till the shots kicked in! Plus a burst of Prednisone! Now I watch all of it. I cannot handle losing 14 lbs 3 times and having to start all over!
Anyone else swell worse with salt?? I mean joint swelling past your norm while on shots??0 -
Is there anything our there for RA that lasts a month?? Weekly shots are not fun!:noway:
I hope I can find something that does not add to my weight and works too!0 -
Candy Monster, did you take Methotrexate by mouth?? I had it by injection only but it did not change my pain by itself. Maybe if they add it back along with my Enbrel I will get better relief!
Also for anyone, Have you ever had all the flair in just one area of the body? My last flair was all in my neck and back! the doc was very surprised too! Weird and did it hurt!! I was DX(diagnosed) 3 years ago! So far Enbrel and a Fentanyl Patch!
Chauncy Renee' I was so scared of the shots and what the side effects can do I quit my medicine altogether! It resulted in the worst pain of my life! the shots are worth it to stop the damage and the pain! Best wishes to you in your quest for wellness!
To all of you sweet Ninjas Best Wishes in Your Journey To Wellness!0 -
Best of Luck Chauncy Renee! I have those two meds in my current cocktail too! Injecting gets easier the more you do it, so don't get too disheartened about that. I had to swtich to the MTX injections a while back, and added leuflonamide. I stopped humira to try Enbrel, and hopefully this combo does the trick and I can get off prednisone! I hope your meds work for you, I have noticed a HUGE difference since before starting RA treatments, and though the meds are so toxic and sometimes annoying, I really appreciate how much I have improved because of them!!0
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Thanks, girls! So far everything's been okay on the Mtx. I'm taking it in pill form. Only 3 pills 1x a week bc of my liver. I started on Monday, so no real side effects yet except I am soooooo tired. I don't know what to do! I slept 10 hours last night bc of my fatigue and still am soooo sleepy this morning. I can barely keep my head up at work. yeesh! Anyone experience this with Mtx??0
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Candy Monster, did you take Methotrexate by mouth?? I had it by injection only but it did not change my pain by itself. Maybe if they add it back along with my Enbrel I will get better relief!
Hey guys,
yeah I did have it by mouth to start with, 10 tablets, it was horrific! :P Especially when they gave me such bad nausea :S Injections were better for a while, then I started making the association of the the needle with the being sick, and yeah, I was a nightmare to be around on injection night :P
And yeah the faitgue is a is a nightmare isnt it!? :P I have it bad with my RA already, but with mtx too it literally knocked me out :P Not good when I have exams every few months or so, I'm not awake at the best of times :P
Does anyone have steroid shots? I used to have them every couple of months and they helped out a lot too! but I hear they're not great for you :S not sure why lol, does anyone have any greater insight by any chance??
Good luck with the meds everyone!
Good luck everyone!0 -
Chauncyrenay, I had fatigue on MTX too and slept a lot! I do much better on Enbrel but if I have to rely on medicare alone that drug will go out the window! I took the MTX with shots. When I switched to Enbrel it was not a problem!
I hope you get your strength back soon and the meds settle down!
All of you fabulous lady Ninjas can add me as a friend anytime! Going through RA is bad enough we need to stick together! Losing weight can only help take stress off the joints! Hang in there!
Donna Thiemann (LovesAmgels)0 -
Unfortunately none of us suffering form RA want to be taking medicine but this is kind of a necessary evil.
Interesting so many are on meds. I opted out for now. I'm already a very high cancer and infection risk as well as a high osteoporosis risk (so no injections either). I opted for a low dose anti-inflamatory only when needed, omega 3, and joint support as well as a strict diet with heavy lifting. I think it's a very personal choice how one wants to care for thier own body. Either choice is "right" for them. Anyone on it more than 5yrs have issues such as infections, cancer?0 -
I am on Plaquenyl (an anti-malarial drug that they found helps with RA and with Fibromyalghia, as an anti-inflamatory). I also push olive oil (omega 3s) and lots of movement and stretching. I have to stay away from tylenol, aspirin, and other anti-inflammatories with this med.) This process works well for me. Hugs to all of you.0
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I take plaquenil 200mg twice daily, arava 20mg daily, methotrexate 25mg weekly by injection, and rituxan infusions every 4 months. Really, the medications side effects for me are pain relief. If the methotrexate causes you nausea or diarrhea then I would ask for the injectable. Good luck and feel better.
Theresa0 -
I am on a low dose of Methotrexate and prednisone. I was okay with the nausea from the Methotrexate because the doc also gave me some nausea meds. I take it later in the day and sleep most of the nausea off. A lot of people will give you their opinions about the meds that we take, but we are the ones that are suffering with this disease. It's so nice to have a support group like this of people who really understand what we are going through. Good luck and keep us posted on how you are feeling.0
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I had fatigue when I first started mtx. But it was probably more due to disease activity. Have you started the Remicade yet? I'm surprised your insurance will cover Remicade and not cover Enbrel as usually it's the other way around. They are both tnf blockers but Remicade is infused.
I was on Humira for a year and now Enbrel for just over a year. I've never had a problem with either and when I first started it was a miracle how much it helped.
Currently on Enbrel, mtx injection 20mg, sulfasalazine 3grams.
Feel better soon!0 -
Unfortunately none of us suffering form RA want to be taking medicine but this is kind of a necessary evil.
Interesting so many are on meds. I opted out for now. I'm already a very high cancer and infection risk as well as a high osteoporosis risk (so no injections either). I opted for a low dose anti-inflamatory only when needed, omega 3, and joint support as well as a strict diet with heavy lifting. I think it's a very personal choice how one wants to care for thier own body. Either choice is "right" for them. Anyone on it more than 5yrs have issues such as infections, cancer?
I'm 2 years plus and no problems. For me there was no choice, RA completely disabled me in less than three months from diagnosis. I went from just some aches and migratory joint pain, to not being able to walk, dress, use the bathroom, blow my nose, or even just move a part of my body to try to relieve the pain. I couldn't brush my long hair and had to cut it short. I couldn't brush my teeth or use a knife and fork. Sometimes my husband had to feed me because I couldn't bring a spoon to my mouth. I started methotrexate the day I was diagnosed but it was the biologics that gave me my life back. By the time my doctor was explaining to me the risks of Humira, I didn't care- I was in so much constant extreme pain that I would have tried anything regardless of side effects.
I'm glad your regime works for you, if I'd held off I'd have major joint damage by now and my chances for getting the RA controlled would be far less than when I was in 'early RA' stage.0 -
I was on Simponi (a once a month injectable) before pregnancy and then resumed it again after the birth. It didn't work as well as it did before so I switched to Enbrel and do that once a week. (By the way, if you inject it in your stomach, it hurts a lot less than if you do it in your leg.) I am on prednisone, which I've been on since I was pregnant. I want to get off that but I have to get my pain managed first and then I'll slowly taper down. I also take a muscle relaxer and pain meds.
For supplements I take a GLA and Omegas along with Vitamin D and a multi-vitamin. I also eat as organic as we can afford and I drink "Greens" every day, which is a powdered supplement of vegetables.
My doc tests my blood count and liver functions frequently. At the first HINT of something because of the biologics, she will take me off the Enbrel.0 -
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Oh man, I SO remember that part of onset you described, and i'm so glad its a memory rather than a reality thanks to the medications. I'm not off steroids yet, so I can't say for sure if my current medicine cocktail was the ticket, but i'm just SO glad to have a break, however long from being disabled. Lots of people don't get to recover from stuff like that.Unfortunately none of us suffering form RA want to be taking medicine but this is kind of a necessary evil.
Interesting so many are on meds. I opted out for now. I'm already a very high cancer and infection risk as well as a high osteoporosis risk (so no injections either). I opted for a low dose anti-inflamatory only when needed, omega 3, and joint support as well as a strict diet with heavy lifting. I think it's a very personal choice how one wants to care for thier own body. Either choice is "right" for them. Anyone on it more than 5yrs have issues such as infections, cancer?
I'm 2 years plus and no problems. For me there was no choice, RA completely disabled me in less than three months from diagnosis. I went from just some aches and migratory joint pain, to not being able to walk, dress, use the bathroom, blow my nose, or even just move a part of my body to try to relieve the pain. I couldn't brush my long hair and had to cut it short. I couldn't brush my teeth or use a knife and fork. Sometimes my husband had to feed me because I couldn't bring a spoon to my mouth. I started methotrexate the day I was diagnosed but it was the biologics that gave me my life back. By the time my doctor was explaining to me the risks of Humira, I didn't care- I was in so much constant extreme pain that I would have tried anything regardless of side effects.
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