Hi , I'm Sue -58 and a teacher. I'm married with 3 children, the youngest in her last year at uni. I was diagnosed last autumn and since then have been on a steep learning curve. Reading all these posts has been very informative - if a bit scary at times.
I started on Lodine and went on to mtx and hydrochloriquine in Feb. In many ways I've been lucky as the mtx does seem to be helping. The problem is I can't seem to get above 7.5 gms. Every time I try my white blood count drops. I'm on a last go and my last bloods gave a white count of 2. My GP says if it drops again I've got to go back to 7.5. I do worry that if the dose is too low I will have more joint damage.
I've recently stopped my anti-inflammatories because I was having very unpleasant bowel problems - I was really starting to think I had bowel cancer too!! Fortunately that has gone now but I am starting to feel more creaky and generally unwell. Has anyone else had that sort of problem? It all seems a bit like a seesaw sometimes.
Luckily I've been on school holiday but it's back to work next week. As a special needs teacher I only teach 1:1 which helps- I really don't think I'd be able to cope with whole classes any more.
I'm trying to treat it all as a bit of a joke at the moment. I do find the fact that I walk into the hospital for my blood test every two weeks and announce that I have a season ticket quite amusing. (Every 2 weeks since Feb - it's a jolly good job I've got good veins!)

Hi Sue

A big welcome to the forum, it is good you are here as you will always find lots of support and help.

I hope that you make progress with the methotrexate, it looks like you are going in the right direction, it is tricky getting the meds right.

I am 54 yrs and had RA for about 16 months, the dmards ( I take leflunomide ) haven t really worked so being considered for ant-tnf - when I eventually get an appointment at the hospital!

Keep us posted, take care

Julia x

Hi Sue and welcome to the forum

Sorry to hear you are having problems adjusting to methotrexate.

My name is Agnes. I am 40 years old and was diagnosed with RA in March this year. I currently take 10 mg methotrexate together with etanercept and a small amount of prednisolone which I am trying to wean myself off. I've been taking mtx for 13 weeks and during that time I have had to stop it twice due to low white blood count. I have actually just gone back onto it today after having a two week break due to low wbc. My nurse thinks I am quite sensitive to mtx since my bloods seem to go back to the normal level soon after I stop taking the mtx. I have no idea what the future holds for me and this drug. Whilst I am happy to be on a relatively low dose of mtx I too worry if I am still suffering joint damage. I am very mobile but I do suffer from general aches and pains in my ankles and legs and find I need to rest up most afternoons. I am no expert in this but do the drs check for joint damage by looking at raised marker levels in your bloods? Perhaps and x ray will be able to tell you more.

I have utmost respect for teachers. I have just finished my training course to become a teacher and I start teaching "full time" next week. To tell you the truth I am dreading it which is a shame cos I should be excited about starting a new job. I am wondering how am I going to get through a full day since I feel soooo fatigued at the moment. I am also wondering how am I going to cope with all the germs going around a school now that I have a suppressed immune system. Anyway I will not highjack this thread with my worries. Perhaps we should have an RA and teaching thread since there seems to be so many of us around.

Bye for now and good luck with your treatment plan.

Agnes x

Thank you to everyone for replying so quickly. I really appreciate the support. Yes, I have been on stomach protectors, omeprazole and then Ranitidine. I was better on Ranitidine but still not good. I now have rabprazole for dyspepsia. I also have folic acid 6 days a week. I'm sure I'd rattle if you shook me!
I am getting my mtx book back today. In spite of 2 weekly bloods I haven't had it back for about 6 weeks as the rheum, dept has been short staffed. I finally rang yesterday to ask for it and my daughter is picking it up for me today. The nurse practitioner has been on long term sick leave so I was really cheered up to hear her voice again yesterday. I know my GP - who is amazing, keeps a close eye on my results but I do feel twitchy if I can't see them myself and check what is happening.
Sue x

Hi Sue, and welcome to the forum!

I`m 59 - reach the big 60 in December - and I was a teacher too, but retired early a few years ago.

The anti-inflammatoties are tricky - when I was first diagnosed almost 5 years ago I was taking diclofenac, and they really worked well, alongside MTX, and a whole variety of DMARDs. Once I started on humira, and it kicked in, I was able to stop the NSAID, so hopefully when your RA is better controlled you may be able to manage without them.

Hope you keep on posting,

Kathleen x