Hi there

I've been there- stuck in the bath!Very scary. I love having a soak and for a few months had to resign myself to having showers! I still can't get in and out like I used to, but have managed to work out a technique where I sort of roll over, get onto my knees, then manage to stand up Sounds weird!!

Before I first saw the specialist I was on prednisolone and diclofenac as the pain was so bad. I was struggling to walk, I couldn't get comfortable in bed- my knees and shoulders were agony so I hardly got any sleep . My GP only let me have it for a week before it was phased out,as she didn't want me to have too much. for a month I was just on painkillers and diclofenac which helped a bit. I was prescribed sulfasalazine by the specialist and it did take a good 3 months before I saw any real improvement.It can take a while for the drugs to take effect, so hopefully the methotrexate will make a difference in time. I can honestly say that at the beginning I really felt that was it- my life as I knew it was over and I was never goig to get through it,but things did get better and those difficult first months are thankfully a distant memory.

I hope things improve for you soon

Thinking of you -hang in here!

Maria x

hi, sorry you are in so much pain.
I am wondering if this is another case of cutting down the steroids too quickly.
I am fortunate that I have never taken oral steroids but I know from reading the posts on here that you have to cut down very slowly.
Did you stop at 5mg or cut down further?
I'm sure someone who knows more about oral steroids will give you some advice.
Hope the mtx kicks in soon for you.

Love, Doreen xx

I would say it is not enough time between starting the MTX and coming off the steroids. MTX takes while to kick in but when it does it usually helps a great deal. (This can be 4-5 months!)

Many people are given a large steroid jab into the behind to bring down the swelling and inflammation rapidly and to allow the MTX to get to work more easily. It is much harder for the MTX when it is faced with huge swollen, hot joints...

Please try and see the GP/rheumy soon to discuss what to do regarding the steroids...perhaps you needed to decrease them more slowly...

Love,
Amanda

10mg of MTX is a low dose. Did your doctor tell you to increase this after blood tests? What dose Prednisolone did you start on?

The usual pattern is to put someone on steroids, say 40mg daily, reducing by 5mg a week, until they get down to a maintenance dose of 7.5mg or 5mg. At the same time introduce DMARD's, i.e. MTX starting off on a low does, say 5mg, with fortnightly bloods to check for any problems and if ok, increasing by 5mg up to, say, 15mg a week.

IMO your doctor hasn't prescribed you a sufficient dose of MTX for your disease and he/she have reduced your steroid cover too quickly.

I was on MTX for 26+ years, I've had RA for 39 years, but probably born with it. I came off all meds last year due to THR complications but recommenced MTX and other drugs in November, starting off low on 5mg, fortnightly bloods and if ok, increasing by 5mg a fortnight, up to 15mg. At the same time, taking Prednisolone, starting off high on 40mg daily and reducing by 5mg a week, down to 7.5mg maintenance dose.

After two months, I'm now on 15mg MTX weekly and 5mg daily steroids. I see my Rheumy every 3 months, but have his secretary's phone number if I need to contact him in between appointments. Hopefully next time the MTX and Hydroxychloroquine will have kicked in and he'll stop the steroids.

Do you have any painkillers in the meantime? Can you take paracetamol, co-codamol, codeine or tramadol? Also, Diclofenac is a relatively mild NSAID, have you tried any others, i.e. Indometacin?

Good luck!

Carol

Just want to agree with Doreen's point about cutting steroids down too quickly.

Take care and let us know how thing go.

Lots of love
Jeanxxxx