I have stopped taking all my meds.
I was on ciclosporine (which wasn’t helping either the P or the Psa) and stopped taking it 3 weeks ago because I have put on 8 kgs in 6 weeks. I have lost 5 in the 3 weeks been off it.
Before that I was on Arava and MXT but came off that because of my poor liver.
All I have been taking for the past 3 weeks is vit d, frolic acid, vit c and cod liver oil and I feel wonderful.
I am not constantly tired, I have very little pain and although my skin has gone slightly more nuts it is very manageable. Mainly I have lost that constant ‘hungover’ feeling.
I should add that I am waiting for insurance approval to start Enbrel and should be starting that next week so no I don’t think this is some miracle cure, I am just enjoying not having all the above mentioned issues.
I've just started Mtx, but I've also started seeing a natualpath who has treated PsA before, her goal is to get me on a good diet and try and keep me from moving onto heavier drugs, I know it's along process, but hopefully it will work!!!!!
That's great you feel better! Before I was diagnosed I was put on Prednisone (I think because they didn't know what else to give me) and couldn't stand the side-effects! I quit taking it and was "O.K." for about 6-9 months except P under my nails. Then I started to feel a little swollen and stiff. Plus, I wanted to figure out what was wrong with my nails. I went to a Dermotologist and was diagnosed with Psa and put on Enbrel ASAP.
Good luck with the Enbrel and make sure you continue to use it!
This is just my opinion...I would take a "heavier drug" like Enbrel 3 times a day over MTX in a heartbeat!! MTX scares me(LOL)!!
tb said:
That is awesome!!!
I've just started Mtx, but I've also started seeing a natualpath who has treated PsA before, her goal is to get me on a good diet and try and keep me from moving onto heavier drugs, I know it's along process, but hopefully it will work!!!!!
I will stay on it - i take it it has helped you?
MXT scars me too but it helps a lot of people.
Robert said:
Hey TB,
This is just my opinion…I would take a “heavier drug” like Enbrel 3 times a day over MTX in a heartbeat!! MTX scares me(LOL)!!
tb said:
That is awesome!!!
I’ve just started Mtx, but I’ve also started seeing a natualpath who has treated PsA before, her goal is to get me on a good diet and try and keep me from moving onto heavier drugs, I know it’s along process, but hopefully it will work!!!
Thank you and I will stay on it! I take it you have found ithat it helps?
MXT also scares me! And I do wonder how much of the unwell feeling is down to side effects of the meds rather than to Psa.
Robert said:
Hey Haggis,
That’s great you feel better! Before I was diagnosed I was put on Prednisone (I think because they didn’t know what else to give me) and couldn’t stand the side-effects! I quit taking it and was “O.K.” for about 6-9 months except P under my nails. Then I started to feel a little swollen and stiff. Plus, I wanted to figure out what was wrong with my nails. I went to a Dermotologist and was diagnosed with Psa and put on Enbrel ASAP.
Good luck with the Enbrel and make sure you continue to use it!
Do tell..........why the fear of MTX?? Is there something I should know about it? I was only on it for two weeks before my Rheumy made me get off until I I'm on BC pills for at least two weeks. I didn't notice anything on it at all and wondered if it was even working. I'm also wondering why he seems to be leaning toward Humira over Enbrel. I say this because he's only mentioned Humira and because he gave me Humira reading material and nothing on Enbrel. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks a bunch!! :-)
Robert said:
Hey TB,
This is just my opinion...I would take a "heavier drug" like Enbrel 3 times a day over MTX in a heartbeat!! MTX scares me(LOL)!!
tb said:
That is awesome!!!
I've just started Mtx, but I've also started seeing a natualpath who has treated PsA before, her goal is to get me on a good diet and try and keep me from moving onto heavier drugs, I know it's along process, but hopefully it will work!!!!!
The Enbrel has been wonderful. I've been on it for 13.5 years and still take it. It's obviously not a cure and some people react differently to it. For me, I hope it keeps working forever!
The MTX scares me because week one; I had a metalic taste and sensitive tongue syndrom or something. Week two; I started to get a mouth ulcer and I could see every (even tiny ones) scare I've ever had more clearly...kinda like my skin was more translucent. Week three; my hair was starting to fall out and I was more fatigued than I already was. Week four; the same so, I quit taking it!
Then, after I quit, I felt worse... Like a mini-flare on top of feeling bad already. It was hard to believe I was wishing I felt like I did BEFORE I added MTX! After a few weeks or month I started to feel better and no side-effects...like before I started MTX.
I'll add; I was using injectable MTX not oral/pills. So, I think my side-effects would have been even worse or I would have had addition side-effects if I was taking the pills.
I don’t like MXT because of the effect it had on my liver - having said that I was on it for about 5 Years before my liver started saying NO!
And seriously I wonder if I am feeling so much better because having been off it for 2 months its finally out of my system - my liver function is finally back to normal.
I hope the enbrel works too - I don’t think my Psa is nearly as bad as some people on here and I certainly never want it to get that bad. So hopefully it will do its thing!