Hi Caroline, and a warm welcome to the forum - lots of info and empathy here for you if you need it.

I have no experience of lupus, though there are folks on here who have, and I`m sure they will post in due course. I was diagnosed with RA in Jan 2006, so almost 8 years ago. Methotrexate didn`t work for me I`m afraid, and in fact it put me in hospital with respiratory problems, so I`m glad you`ve had no side effects. I tried and failed on various DMARDs and combinations of DMARDs, but my RA wasn`t under any sort of control until I began anti-TNF therapy - humira - over 6 years ago now.

Most of us have had steroids at some point in our RA "journey," but I`m not taking any at present, though I had two steroid injections into a trochanteric bursa in the summer.

Do keep posting,

Kathleen x

Hi Caroline and welcome,

Sorry to hear you have recently been diagnosed with RA, you've already had your fair share with Lupus. What treatments were/are you on for your Lupus?
Have they added anything new, perhaps Methotrexate?

I am presently taking Hydrochloroquine, and took that from when I was first diagnosed 12 months ago. I've had no problems with it.
I've been on steroids all of that time, daily oral and intramuscular periodically.As you will no doubt be aware having had Lupus since 2004
steroids can be a problem producing more issues but you have to measure quality of life. I have always been unhappy about taking them, but
I know that without them I seize up I'm waiting to try some further medication quite soon but this has to monitored by the hospital as
the shared-care pathway with my GP doesn't cover him for six months, I do understand why.

Here's hoping you have a no problems with medication and that everything settles down fairly quickly for you.
Gogs