I was diagnosed with RA in August (only one swollen finger joint and a bit of stiffness in my hands which had persisted for a year). Started on methotrexate in August and now suffer from nausea two days a week and headaches two days a week. Knees and ankles are now stiff as well. Is this typical? I feel the medication is causing most of my problems. I also had a stereiod injection into my finger joint - the areas has now turned purple - like a bruise and the skin seems to have thinned. Can anyone advise me?

Hi Mary

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I was just diagnosed in March and used to suffer from terrible nausea with the metho but take Folic Acid 6 days out of 7 which seems to help. I do find I am more prone to sore heads too but they are usually when I am anxious or stressed out. I can't advise you on the injections I'm afraid but if you have a number for your Rheumatology Team I would ask their advice.

Please keep in touch and let us know how things are going.

Lisa x

Hi Mary, and welcome to the forum - sorry you are having problems. It`s very hard in the days and weeks following diagnosis when you`re waiting and hoping for meds to work. You should have a contact number for your specialist nurse, who will be able to advise you about the MTX. Failing that, you could talk to your GP and he may be able to speak to your rheumy on your behalf.

The amount of folic acid you are prescribed seems to vary wildly, so you may need to take it more often, but again that would be up to your rheumy team.

The only time I bruised badly after a steroid injection was actually in the days before I had RA - I had an injection into my Achilles tendon, and the bruising was spectacular, though it did clear up.

Take care,

Kathleen x

Hi Mary.

Sorry to hear of your difficulties. I too am relatively recently diagnosed (Aug 2012) and we are still searching for the right treatment for me.

Many people on here use anti-TNF drugs but they are expensive and NICE guidelines won't let you start on those until you have failed at least 2 DMARDs (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs). MTX is a a DMARD. Another one that is a very old drug but is still very effective is Sulfazalazine,, so they may try you on that.

How bad is the nausea? Are you actually vomiting? Are you on any form of anti-emetic to compensate. It seems to me that your side effects and symptoms indicate that the treatment is ineffective. Now, we are told that MTX can take from 3 - 6 months to take effect so if you started in August it could be argued that you need to give it a little more time. However if it were me I would be kicking up a stink about the side effects and lack of relief for my symptoms.

Are you taking tablets or self injecting?

Hi Mary,

I'm Lorna, I have had RA for 6 years, I was very ill to start with but I keep well now. I was put on the triple therapy straight away and it has made such a difference to my well being now. It took a while to settle down as you're taking so many different drugs to get it under control. It does settle down within 3 months usually.

Keep your chin up things will get easier. Be as positive as you can as the outcome does improve.

I really understand how you feel there is nothing like being in pain all the time, it's soul destroying.

Take care Lorna x