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Date: 14.01.2011
From: davina

Subject: how long til the meds start working

hi every hope your all well

as the title says i was hoping someone would have an idea how long it takes for methotexate to start working, i've been on it since September 2010 and seen no improvement.
i've also been on plaquenil since end of November and still no improvement.
i've been reducing my prednisolone also and my pains are getting worse, morning stiffness and my knees are so painful. i'm now on 10mg daily

got my mri back for my knee and going to see what the doctor has to say about that in about 1 hour so wish me luck, lol

thanks for reading
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Date: 14.01.2011
From: dolly

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

hi davina. thru my 41 yrs experience of having RA, if those meds have not helped after being on them 4 months it looks like u need somethin different. 1 of my meds that i take is prednisone which i've been on for 30 yrs. when u start decreasing or trying to wean yourself off you will have a "flare up" which i feel means your decreasing too fast. i feel prednisone is 1 of the best anti-inflammatories out there but has some of the worst side effects. when i have a flare up i increase from 10 mg [my regular dose] per day to 20 for 2or3 days then right back to 10 then i'm ok. that is one of the good things about prednisone u can get a hold of a flare up rite away, compared to other anti-inflammatories which don't work that quick. rite now i'm on prednisone humira [self injection] and a pain killer called hydromorphone and also amitriptyline. feel free to ask any questions. how long have u had RA?
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Date: 14.01.2011
From: davina

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

hi dolly thanks for that i have had ra symptoms for a year now and diagnosed in july.

wow 30 yrs is a long time but yeah i know it works, how are you on normal days?
i feel i have had ra forever due to being in pain since the day i starting having symptoms.

i'm on tramadol and co-codamol when needed but don't like to take them to often.
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Date: 14.01.2011
From: dolly

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

those two meds that your on, is one of them an anti-inflamatory. you have to have an anti-inflamatory to keep the inflamation down. inflamation is what causes alot of damage to the joints. when my RA was first diagnosed there was not good anti-inflamatories like today. i've had 30 surgeries due to deterioration from severe inflamation. your doc will figure out a good "cocktail" [more than 1 RA med] which will work for you. it is so important to figure out this cocktail so you don't get any deformaties. my surgeries all include both hips and 1 knee replaced, all toe and both wrist joints removed, and both radial heads in my elbows removed and many noduals [like hardened calcium bumps]removed. all RA meds except prednisone take anywhere from 4-10 wks to start working. right now i'm doing ok, at least way better than i was. i've learned how to adjust to ways of doing things. talk soon, dolly
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Date: 14.01.2011
From: dolly

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

davina i forgot to mention if you would rather email me my email address is dollathome@hotmail.ca
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Date: 14.01.2011
From: davina

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

both of the meds are DMARDs
sorry so new to the abbreviations
will these help with inflammation?

this last week i reduced my prednisolone to 10 mg and i have had bad swelling in my leg and ankle, hands, elbow and even more in my knees.

i had my mri back and i got water on the knee, baker cysts that is extending to my calf and my knee cap is mildly tilted.
not that great.
thanks for your e-mail mine is sweetmissy28@ymail.com

wow you are experienced in ra arn't you, lol i thought i had it bad, are you on dla?
i have applied but was turned down. oh well.x
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Date: 14.01.2011
From: dolly

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

yes i think dmards do help. mayb ask ur doc about goin back up to 15 for a few days. it won't hurt u. gotta do what u gotta do to kepp inflammation away. when i need to increase my prednisone i don't even ask my doc i just do it. small increases for a few days then decreasinf will not hurt u. i ended up staying on prednisone for so long cause that's the only 1 that would help all the time. but i've been told i\ll always b on prednisone now which is ok with me cause i can control any flare ups i get quickly. i'm not on dla cause of my monthly income and my husbands income. i'm first nations and all my needs [wheel chairs etc.] r supplied 4 me.
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Date: 15.01.2011
From: davina

Subject: Re: how long til the meds start working

oh well i hate being on prednisolone due to weight gain, i have put on 2 stone since starting and i was big already. i need to be very careful and watch what i eat so it doesn't get out of control.

also i want another baby soon and can't on mtx.

i think i will ask about uping the pred for a few days
thanks dolly
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