Went to the GP the other day 8told him I couldn't take the methotrexate he said dose was far to high, contacted the rheumy nurse and told her about the terrible side affects and I won't be taking it again, said she would get back to me, the methotrexate made my joints worse as well as the terrible gut problems and how I felt mentally, a side point I honestly think the Turmeric/Curcumin is having a positive affect on my RA, my GP been Indian said he knows all about the health benefits of Turmeric anti inflammatory to mention just one.
Advice to lower dose may help. Call again, don't give up. If in a few days no reply keep calling or if u can ask fo another doc. Sometimes this time of year the doc and staff are on vacation and it takes awhile to respond to apatience. Still it shouldn't be that way sometimes it's the case.
There are other medications that you can try that will help you without dibilitating side effects and help stop the progression of RA.
Usually MTX is first in line required by ins co. and given with other drugs see side bar here. Then the next drug in line approved by ins co and protocols are offered and so on. It's all done in a certain order depending on the issuer.
I had to try many different drugs until I found the right one . Ask ur pharmacist to explain the protocol process with these drugs and bio drugs. I am sensitive to many and many allergies to some of the chemicals in these drugs.
It takes time once the right combo is found. Everyone responds to these drugs differently. Once one is found that is right for you thre will be a better life to look foreword too!
Take care
Thanks, I myself thought I was doing ok, I had a crp reading 18 and a slightly high pv reading, it's generally been ok for years I am sure it would have come down, I have been taking Turmeric for a few weeks along side my Sulfasalzine and sure its started bringing down the inflammation with no side affects.
Ok that's better to hear. Some meds can cause those reading to be higher. Inky case MTX raised my BP had to quit.
take care and hope ur better soon with time. Sometimes it just takes time and patience.
good luck.
My Rheumo when I first started on MTX started me on 5mg, and she was happy that my liver coped, then she upped it to 10mg, again liver coping OK, but not much change in my arthritis, again upped MTX, and continued to raise every few months until she got some result.
But she was not happy with my result, on 35mg my inflamation markers were still very high.
At that point she decided to check if I was takin up the medication, I only had a fraction of the dosage in my blood stream.
She changed me over to injectable, as I am a little needle phobic I did have and still do have problems with injecting myself, but I dooo it with a deep breath and the thought that this is a necessary evil.
My arthirits is under control sort of, I do have very bad times, but most of the time cope very well.