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Date: 06.10.2012
From: gill

Subject: Steroid injections

Hi everyone, I'm new here, and I don't have arthritis, but my 15 yr old daughter does ;( she has RA in her hands, and has been on prednisolene for 3 weeks but this hasn't helped. the consultant wants to try steroid injections into the joints to see if this will help (but he suspects that it won't) before recommending that we go onto methotraxate. can anyone tell me if they have had these injections under ultra-sound - did they help at all? and are they painful to have?
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Date: 06.10.2012
From: Colin W

Subject: Re: Steroid injections

hi Gill

sorry your daughter is suffering with RA , not nice to get it at any age but realy not nice young people with it

they can inject into joints , good rheumatoligist wont need xray to do it but dont make any differance , they could give her a booster injection which helps generaly as to one joint

MTX is a good drug for RA , been on it myself for 14 years but not everyone gets on with it , if you do research on the drug remember that we take a small dose compared with people with cancer

good website is http://www.nras.org.uk/
very helpful + freephone helpline if you need it


hope she feels better soon
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Date: 07.10.2012
From: bsk

Subject: Re: Steroid injections

Hi Gill,

I've had steroid injections but not into finger joints. I had one in my shoulder under ultrasound. The advantage of that is they can see what they are doing, which is always a good thing, and it wasn't painful at all. However, my consultant told me an injection into the base of my thumb would be very painful so I opted not to have it done at the moment.

I suppose he is trying to avoid putting your daughter on methotrexate but maybe it is worth asking the question whether the injections would just be delaying starting the mtx. If she has RA, I presume she will be started on Dmards within the 3 month from diagnosis protocol - or is this different because of her age?
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Date: 07.10.2012
From: rhona

Subject: Re: Steroid injections

Hi Gill, I have had many steroid injections into joints although not any into my hands. They could give her a steroid injection into her bottom that usually helps the pain all over, although it is usually just a temporary measure until dmards start working. There are other drugs like sulphasalazine that they could start her on. I was on them for 4 years before starting mtx and i still take them.

As Colin suggests it may well be worth calling the nras helpline.

I do hope things improve for her.
Best wishes
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Date: 07.10.2012
From: gill

Subject: Re: Steroid injections

Thank you for the really quick responses, I think the injections are to prove to us that he has tried everything before we need to go onto the MTX, which seems very scary and I am concerned about the side effects, but I do understand that the aggressive treatment is to avoid the long term damage,so no doubt worth it.
The problem at the moment is that everyone wants to give me anecdotal advice about people who have avoided the drugs through taking herbs, cider vinegar, honey etc...but I think at this age it isn't worth taking these sort of risks.
I didn't know about the helpline - I will give them a ring - I didn't know about the treatment protocol either - obviously need to do more research! thanks again.
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