Newly diagnosed

Treatment and medication
1

i was diagnosed with seronegative RA 6 weeks ago and was immediately put on Hydroxychloroquine 200mg twice daily. Within 12 hours I started having radially bad diarrhoea and nausea. I persisted for three weeks to see if things settled down. I then rang my nurse who told me to stop taking it for a few days and then start off on half dose. I am now more stable, but still losing weight.

I will be starting Methotrexate after Christmas and am quite concerned that it may make me quite unwell in the first few weeks.

How have others coped during these early stages?

2

I had no troubles with plaquenil and have just passed my 7th month on it so hopefully you will adjust. I too start methotrexate this week and have heard it will be rough so I'm not looking forward to it. We will both be on it with plaquenil so I hope we can keep up with how it goes

3

I started methotrexate in August but when I got to 25mg /week got really bad reflux.Took off tablets and am now on third week of injections and so far no side effects as does not go through GI tract

4

Thanks for the reassurance. I guess I just wasn't prepared for how rough I would feel at first and it has made me apprehensive about the other DMARDS. I hope all goes well with you and hopefully can follow each other's progress.

5

Thanks for replying. It's all a bit overwhelming at the beginning. I'm sure it will all settle down in the long term. It's just a shame that my friends and family find it  really hard to understand about this disease no matter how much they read about it or ask me how I feel.

6

Good luck with the methotrexate.As you are already on something this might not be true in your case but I was told it could take up to 4months to get full effect and the nurse was spot on.Am sure your friends and family will get there soonTotally different scenario but the male members of mine took time to accept when son diagnosed autistic.RA they accepted as it goes down the female side of family

7

Me too...sending good thoughts and prayers for u!

8

Hi Cakemakercarol

iv been on methotrexate injections for 18 months ... i have to inject myself which is a lot easier than you would think ... i find i feel a bit sick for a couple of days then take my folic accid which really helps with the sickness ... iv found that i also get an upset tummy but its not as bad as it sounds for me anyway

the injections are kinder to you than the pills as iv heard they can make you a lot sicker

i hope this helps

Take Care Carol x

9

Thanks for the reassurance Dawn. There is so much to think about when you are just starting out with the treatments.

hope you continue to progress well .x

10

Thank you

i hope your treatment goes well ... Have a lovely Christmas x