Hi just been diagnosed with RA at aged 48 and start methotrexate tomorrow already on hydroxychloroquine. Any tips for reducing any possible side affects? Also does anyone benefit from herbal supplements. I do feel let down by NHS in that I have no follow up for 7 months now, not had a DAS score done and guess that this is not normally the case from other comments I have seen. Any tips appreciated. Gill

Hello and welcome Gill

I'm jenni
37 this month! Got ra when I was 20/21 ish, hubby, 3 kids etc!
Never mind that- what's going on with your lack of appointments?
Are you on DMARDS?
Are you having blood tests?

The trouble is its such a struggle to get appointments some places
Here it's 12mnths follow up at least

Still, emergency clinics exist as do GPs to have a bit if a poke for you

All the best
Jenni x

Hi Gill

Welcome to the forum but sorry that you have been diagnosed with RA. Have you been prescribed folic acid as well as Methotrexate as this can help reduce some of the side effects. I always take mine in the evening and then the folic acid the following evening but you will find that everyone is given different advice about this. You should also have regular blood tests when on Methotrexate so you should be being monitored. As already has been said the frequency of appointments varies greatly depending on where you live but I have a RA Specialist nurse who I can contact with any concerns and the NRAS helpline is also very good.
Hope the Methotrexate works well for you.

Best Wishes

Sue

Hi Gill,
I'm also on MTX & Hydroxy, haven't had any nasty side effects from either drug. As Sylvia says the MTX could take a few months to make any improvement but hopefully when it does you will notice a big improvement.
Welcome to the site and I look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Mary

Hello Gill

Finally got around to saying Hello.

I was diagnosed with RA May 08 am currently taking MTX and have just started the wonder drug Enbrel, still early days with it but it does seem to be working well.

You asked about herbal supplements, I don't take any but anything that you may consider to take you must check that it is OK while taking MTX.

I went private for my diagnosis (GP totally useless), the consultant put me on his NHS list. He told me that I would see the specialist nurse at the hospital in six weeks time and him again in 12 weeks, all appointments came spot on time. The specialist nurse referred me to the OT and also tho Pysio. After seeing the consultant at 12 weeks I saw him again 12 weeks later. I can't remember what happened after that but when things are OK I normally see him every 6 months. In all that time I have seen him apart from two times when I saw another doctor. All in all I am very pleased with my treatment. I am lucky because I have 3 specialist nurses and on the occasions that I have phoned to say I was struggling I have always been seen by them quickly (usually a few days, a week at the most).

So pleased that you have joined this forum, especially if you haven't got a specialist nurse to phone. You will get alot of information on here about RA, I know we can't replace and cannot advise you about drugs like a specialist nurse could, but we all know and understand what it's like to have this illness and we can tell you our experiences with it. Advice and a listening ear is only a click away.

Keep posting

Paula x

hi Gill,
Just a brief welcome, hope everything starts working for you soon.
It all feels very daunting to begin with, just stay as possitive as you can.
Keep us posted, any worries can be discussed here.
Hope you feel better soon.
Zena xx

Hi all

What a wonderful welcoming group on NRAS. All your comments have been helpful and informative and made me realise that care does vary throughout the country. Second dose of methotrexate went well no side affects and depo-medrone injection still working well. glad I joined nras and this forum. First blood tests tomorrow since commencing methotrexate sure they will be fine.

Hi Gill - how did your next dose go - do you take it on Saturday? hope your mtx continues to produce no side effects - I see you've had a steroid jab - hopefully that has had a big impact on how your joints move. Have you noticed if the swelling has changed? when I had steroids, I shed half a stone in weight, in the first week and it was all fluid, and with that gone my joints moved much more easily. So hopefully you'll notice a lot less pain when your swelling goes down.

Best wishes Sylvia x

Hi Sylvia

Yep had three doses methotrexate now - taken Saturday evening. So far so good and bloods all normal. Have to say very little probs with joints at the mo and long may that last! Have you had a follow up yet? You mentioned earlier that you hadn't. Hopefully all is well with you also?

Hi to Sophie thanks for introducing yourself.

Xx

hi Gill,

welcome from me. it is such a shock when first diagnosed i went into meltdown and lost over half a stone in my first week of being diagnosed with the stress of it all.

i started on Methotrexate nearly 3 years ago and then 6 months later Hydroxy was added, sadly they didn't work for me so i started on Humira 18 months ago along with the other two drugs.

this combination has worked well for me.

you do have to give Methotrexate a good 3 months to work, hopefully it will do for you as it is the gold standard drug.

keep posting and let us know how you are getting on.

Suzanne