Hi Monique - happy new year. Plaquenil and Quinoric are the same thing - they both have the active ingredient hydroxychloroquin, which you'll often see abbreviated to HDX here in the forum.

For the methatrexate, it is very normal for the rheumy to increase the dose slowly - I started at 10mg and have gradually increased to 20mg and that is sufficient for me. Everybody is slightly different, but in general terms MTX is a powerful drug and your body takes a bit of time to adjust to it, so just try to relax and let it do its work. Keep a note of any nasty symptoms, and if it's really intolerable then ring your nurse-led helpline at the hospital. Hair loss is not usually a serious problem, and it doesn't seem to get any worse - we don't take high doses like people who have chemotherapy, but it is one of those little niggles that you will have to adjust to.

It's early days for you so is bound to be really confusing, so do keep asking questions and we'll all try to help.

I don't have any experience of cramps, but RA can throw up odd symptoms - maybe somebody else will have some ideas on how to cope with those. Very best wishes - Sylvia xx

Hi Sylvia
thank you for your help hope younger well xx

Hi Dorothy thank for your advice Hope you are well xxx

Hi Monique. I'm on Hdx too and have had both Quinoric and Plaquenil. My pharmacist said it's exactly the same thing. As for Mtx side effects, I haven't lost any hair through taking it but when I started on the Hdx I lost quite a bit of hair. After a few weeks the hair loss suddenly stopped. It was easy to see because when I was losing hair, every time I had a bath there was a blanket of hairs on top of the water. It was scary. I think sometimes side effects like this settle down with time as the body adjusts. Good luck with everything from Naomi. X

hi sylvia, what a wonderfull time your daughter will have, i mind when mine went away to work, i was so sad but her letters where lovely and filled with wonderful thingsshe seen and done, i think all young ones go through the teenage years my goodness what a trial lol but they do come through them and become lovely young adults

so hang in there yes you will miss her but think of the lovely job she will do when home, hope you are keeping well and this damp weather is not making your rhummy worse
take care sylviax from other sylvia xxxx

Hi sylvia thankyou im feeling much better and have started to hit the gymn again a bit too hard , i read some ispirational stories about ra sufferers doing marahtons , so went running 2 days on the trott felt great for 2 days then my hips informed me it was bit much !! THATS GREAT NEWS ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER IM SURE YOU WILL MISS HER TERRIBLY BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE SHE WILL HAVE AND FANTASTIC STORIES SHE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL, HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT HER I HEAR BANF I A REALLY VIBRANT SKI RESORT DO YOU OR HAVE YOU SKIED ? HOPE YOU ARE KEEPING WELL LOVE MONIQUE XX

Thanks Monique - yes, I used to ski. The last time we all went I was in full flareup so stayed in the chalet for entire week playing Plants vs Zombies!! It all hurt so much I didn't want to ski at all, however just recently, I'm starting to feel the old pull again - need to feel speed - nothing really racy, just a few nice smooth blue runs - cruising from one alpine bar to the next !!!

Ho hum - we mustn't give up on our dreams......!

Sylvia xx

Hello Monique

I've had some hair loss due to MTX. My daughter last year confirmed it when we where at a park and she had climbed onto a slide with my granddaughter and she was looking down at me, she noticed it looked thinner on the top. I've got or should say had a lot of hair (see profile picture) and I had kept asking my hairdresser if it was getting thinner and he kept saying no. I had noticed it took less time to blow dry and was sure it was coming out. I told my consultant and I had my folic acid increased from one a week to one everyday (including MTX day). In some respects it's better being thinner because it doesn't take so much drying, especially if my fingers and wrist are hurting, but I don't want to lose anymore. My hair is my crowning glory and I like it to look nice. As for the cramp, I sometimes get it in my feet and boy its painful when it happens. My OT told me to drink tonic water, not the sugar free one.

Sylvia

I know what it's like when one of your children leave home. When Karen went to university I kept laying the table for 4, cooked too much dinner and then when I finally got it all right she'd come home during holidays and the whole thing would start again.

I remember just before she went I was at my mother in laws for a family get together. My niece who is two months older than Karen told her that she thought she was being brave leaving home and she wouldn't want to do it. Her mum then said something along the lines that she was looked after so good at home and that was why she didn't want to leave.........Well, I could of been taken that the wrong way but I turned the tables on my sister in law and said that I looked upon it that I had done such a good job of being a mother that I had installed the confidence in her to be able to do it. One up for me!!!!!!

That's exactly what you've done, given her the confidence to go and do it.

The only way we can keep our children is by letting them go when they want to.

Paula xx