Keep taking methtrexate and sulfasazates and not get so sick or just deal with the sometimes crippling pain

Hi all,

I am after some advice. i have psa, fibro and another yet undiagnosed muscular condition. i have had a life long history of inflammatory conditions. i have been on methtrexate for around 18 months now with predniserone and 1000mg daily of another anti-inflammatory. i have always gotten nearly every bug that goes around and regular ear/throat/chest infections, but now being on the methtrexate this is a weekly or sometimes if i am lucky a fortnightly affair. with the flare ups now and then, but regular ones in my left hip. i am thinking do i stop taking methrexate and just take predniserone for what may be frequent flare ups if i stop methtrexate, and maybe less frequently and severally ill, or do i keep taking it and treat each infection, illness etc frequently. each choice is not nice and which is the lesser of two evils? i have recently been extremely ill from a cold which turned me bed ridden for over a week. i lose weight each time i get sick, i cant be around anyone who is not 100% well, let alone accidentally cutting burning or bruising yourself. without methtrexate i was in lots of pain and flare ups, but would predniserone alone help that???

In short i am not sure what to do. any advice would be appreciated

Dear Robyn,

As you know, I am not a Doctor, but I would say you need to treat each infection, and need to contact your Doctor each time. I understand pain, but infection is dangerous! Not trying to scare you, but you just cannot ignore them. My advice is to keep an on-going list or record of all of your health challenges and present them to the Doctor.

There are many other Australians on site that will surely respond and be able to advise you to the meds available to you in your country.

I hope that you can find a medicine combo that is successful for you soon, so that you can enjoy your young life!

Hugs,

SK

thanks sk. i do deal with each infrction but they are worse and more often on the methtrexate but my flare ups are worse without it.

Prednisone may or may notwork alone but the side effects are MUCH worse long term from Predi than the others, It also suppresses the immune system and may well be the cause. MTX suppresses the production of dihydrofolate reductase which in effect stops the production of folic acid which is the usual cause of immune supression. Folic acid can be replaced.

Predi WON'T prevent joint damage where as MTX will. Sounds like its time for a long talk with your doc. Personally if I was going to go off anything it would be the predi. Its a nice drug to have in the arsenal but as an occasional use.

yes well both the pred and methtrexate make me have no immunity and even a cold can make me very sick for weeks. . Without them i was having frequent flare ups in multiple joints, lost nails and had internal problems. not sure what to do