Hi everyone, had my visit to the rheummy today. Good news is that my blood test results are all good, she's increased my mx from 20 to 22.5 and then to 25 over a period of a couple of weeks. Im seeing her again at the end of May to see how the mx is helping and she may put me on sulphazalazine depending. Im also having an infusion on Friday and Monday if required, so feeling very positive. I told her about my back problem and she said that RA does not go into the back so its probably me over compensating which has caused this. Im not disbelieving her as shes the expert but my gp was fairly certain. Anyway, its a good thing its not there!!!

Has anyone else found that they are experiencing pain and having to take rgular pain relief and yet their bloods are normal and not showing any sign of inflammation? I was telling my husband about it and although I am really pleased, its almost as though its not real and my body is playing tricks on me or Im imagining the pain/inflamed joints? Or maybe im just going mad???!!!

Is anyone else taking this dose of mx (22.5 or 25) and does this increase usually kick in fairly soon or is it likely to take a while? Im so hoping that it does and coupled with the infusion, life will hopefully become more comfortable in the near future!!

Lots of love

Heatherxxxx

Hi Heather

I hope your increased MTX will give you some more relief, it can take a few weeks for it to work fully. With regard to pain without inflammation, I've been suffering like this for over a year now. When I see my rheummy he puts it down to fibromyalgia or nerve pain. At the moment I'm having acupuncture for nerve pain.

It's horrible when you try to explain about your pain, but because nothing much is showing up, I sometimes feel that they think I'm making it up!

Lyn

Thanks ladies. This awful disease is so confusing. I am ever hopeful somebody somewhere has made a mistake and I havent got it at all. We can all dream!

Re the back pain, all I know is when I had it it was unlike any back pain I have ever had and was directly in the region of my spine and was "pulsing" Rheummy said it would have been a muscle spasm. Anyway, its gone now (for good hopefully)

May sound daft, but this good weather has definitely lifted my spirits and I feel more positive.

thanks for the replies, speak soon, take care all,

love Heatherxxxxx

Hi Heather,

Isn't this sunshine lovely? It certainly does lift the spirits and I've been feeling much more positive for it too.

I'm on 25mg of MTX and it can take awhile to kick in but I'm sure you'll feel a fast response from the infusion. Keeping my fingers croseed x x x

Joanna

Hi Heather,

I am glad that you are keeping positive, and feel better now that the sun is out. As for RA in the back, I think it is possible, but have been told by my rheumy it is very rare. However, I have 4 prolapsed discs and convinced that it was brought on by RA. My ESR and CRP are usually not high, however, the pain is constantly there, as my body has cannot tolerate the drugs, and I am now back to being on no meds apart from pain killers.

I hope you fill better soon and that the infusion kicks-in,

Take care,

love,

Barbara
XXXXX

quite agree , you can be feeling PANTS but the bloods are fine, and vice versa|! And it CAN according to my expert, be in your back (mine has migrated there this week) though she did say it is unusual and not generally thought to be RA as such................whatever, it still HURTS!! Have had along discussion about bloods v symptoms today at clinic waiting room, and we all agreed (we being us patients!!) that its vital that we aren't seen just as a collection of results on a monitor, but that we are looked at as human beings!Lxx

Again ladies thank you so much, I dont know what I would do without your support, I honestly feel Im going mad sometimes! My rheummy although very nice, its obvious that Im on a strict appointment time and you can tell when she's coming to the end of it as the answers get shorter and shorter! The rheummy nurses do have a lot more time and also, the facility that NRAS supply of a mentor ringing you at home to have a one to one chat is great!

So looking forward to the infusion tomorrow, and also my first increase of mx to 22.5 tonight, how sad am i??

Love to you all, take good care

Heatherxxxxxx

Hi all, well took my increased dose of mx Thursday night and went to the hospital Friday am for a methprednisolone pulse. rheummy nurses are so nice there and to be honest I get so much more information out of them they are so much more approachable than my specialist, who is ok but a but austere!!

Came home and later on that afternoon had to go to bed as I was really tired and had lost all colour in my face. All due Im sure to the increase of mx. Anyway, didnt sleep too well as when the nausea from the mx subsided the steroids kicked in and from about 3am I was wide awake and raring to go!!!! Managed eventually to drop off!! Anyway back there Monday for another one.

Im having a telephone interview from our healthcare team on Monday morning to give them an update and have to say feel a bit nervous about it, no idea why as I have nothing to hide etc. the good news with work is that our top manager has exempted the time I had off recently with my back, so things are hopefully looking up. I am so so hopeful that this increase in mx will eventually supress the inflammation, as Im sure you all know too well, life is almost on hold waiting for it all to improve.

Anyway, hope you are all well and enjoying the sunshine if you have it and have not been affected by Iceland cloud? Kev was due to fly to Americal today but its been cancelled, so we're quite pleased really!

take care all and speak soon,

Heatherxxxx