Hi All, I was just diagnosed 2-26-15, I start Methotrexate tomorrow. I am not at all that familiar with PsA except what I have researched on-line. Any stories about beginning experiences would be appreciated.
Well if you haven’t hit the newbie section with tons of great info I would recommend that. Top bar on the site could answer many questions. Also searching the site and scrolling through the blogs helps a lot. Your questions are too vague for much response likely but totally understandable! Its a lot to take in at once but too much to hit what your after adice wise without narrowing down some. Also there is good info in the members profile to relate to finding people you have common symptoms with. Like heavy psoriasis, back pain, same meds, etc. Keep reaching you will find friends here.
Hi, BabyBratMary, and welcome to our PsA site. I hope that you'll find this a good place for support and information. You ask about beginning experiences: do you mean experiences of people newly diagnosed, or people starting on methotrexate?
Whatever, here are some stories to get you started:
http://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/forum/categories/new-me...
How about posting your own story there so that we can get to know you?
And in the Newbies' Guide (click on it in the green band above) you will find several articles about MTX, as well as a lot of information to get you up to speed on the disease that we all share.
Let us know if there's anything that we can help you with! BTW, hope you are getting along all right today with your new friend MTX.
Seenie
PS I've just noticed Rachael's great response to you ... oh well, never hurts to hear it again, so I will leave this post in place. LOL
Welcome! What Seenie and Racheal said! LOL Those really are some great resources!
Hi there!
I was diagnosed in November and started mtx (tablets first now on injections!) still trying to come to terms with this change although I know I have relatively few problems compared to others! If I can help at all, am happy to try …
Thank you Golfnut, so far the mtx seems to be working for me. I know I have a lot to learn about this disease and am taking in information in small bits, otherwise is it too overwhelming. Hope the injections work for you, and as with you I know that there are a lot of people more effected than I but it is still hard to live with. Take Care of yourself and let me know how the injections work for you
Ah, BabyBrat! I was wondering howthings were going for you.
Hi BabyBratMary (what a cute screen name!)--first, congrats on finding this site so quickly after being ddiagnosed--it took me almost 6 years! The discussions here are so informative. My joining last spring was a life changer because of all the encouragement and good advice. I was basically told how ignorant I was being for not treating the disease appropriately. I was praying for a miraculous recovery without meds--something that just doesn't happen!
My moderate psoriasis and PsA had been present for so many years (P, 38, PsA 6) that my doctor was able to get me on Enbrel and bypass all the other stuff. I took a few OTC nsaids along the way, but no DMARDS or other "strong" stuff. Enbrel worked really, really well--and quickly. It gave me energy I hadn't had in several years, and my tendonitis, stiffness AND psoriasis started clearing up within days! Everything is about 75% improved! I would highly recommend biologics! Also, I have no SEs from Enbrel. I was so afraid of it--but it has definitely improved my life. I'm not without pain, but the pain I've been having is more from osteoarthritis and damage from PsA before it was treated.
My advice to you is what everybody else said and search the site for topics that relate to you! Good luck!
Yes, Grandma J, we did give you some really tough love last year, didn’t we? Glad it turned out well for you.
You moderators sort of saved my life–at least saved me from going completely bonkers from the pain I couldn’t handle anymore. Actually, Seenie, you weren’t too ridiculouly tough on me, but a couple moderators (they know who they are) were. Well, I guess I needed some tough “love”. My nickname could be "GrandmaBratJ!
I do feel indebted to you moderators who helped change my attitude about treatment of PsA. 
Seenie said:
Yes, Grandma J, we did give you some really tough love last year, didn’t we? Glad it turned out well for you.
I seem to be having a new pain/symptom every week, I feel like I am becoming a hypochondriac. My rheumy takes each complaint very seriously, but I am getting sick of all the labs and x-rays. Is this really what my life has become??
BabyBratMary said:
I seem to be having a new pain/symptom every week, I feel like I am becoming a hypochondriac. My rheumy takes each complaint very seriously, but I am getting sick of all the labs and x-rays. Is this really what my life has become??
Hi there BabyBratMary, for the moment this is what your life has become but the good news is it's still very early days in your treatment and life will get better once all the diagnostic labs and x-rays are complete and you are truly into the swing with effective medication. It's a tough one to get your head around I know, I struggled with it myself for a long time but it seems to me that living with and treating PsA is a marathon not a sprint.
Have you checked out the articles in A newbies guide to PsA? You're currently in what we call 'the gap' so have a read of this superb post http://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/forum/topics/welcome-to-the-gap
Thank you Jules, I had read the Gap article last month, but I am glad you reminded me to read it again. When I read it last month I was really happy thinking I was not going to be in the "Gap" (the good ole it's not going to happen to me), but yet I guess here I am. - Thanks for the support
Jules said:
Hi there BabyBratMary, for the moment this is what your life has become but the good news is it's still very early days in your treatment and life will get better once all the diagnostic labs and x-rays are complete and you are truly into the swing with effective medication. It's a tough one to get your head around I know, I struggled with it myself for a long time but it seems to me that living with and treating PsA is a marathon not a sprint.
Have you checked out the articles in A newbies guide to PsA? You're currently in what we call 'the gap' so have a read of this superb post http://discussion.livingwithpsoriaticarthritis.org/forum/topics/welcome-to...
Mary, I am camping with my gorgeous 5yo daughter after dad did a gruelling half iron man and then had to fly away on the same day for work - I’m good now, but I was in the gap for over one year, and then another 6 months soon after when my disease changed. I’m a great success story (I think 
of the mods on this page - without them (and that very determined husband) I’d still possibly be languishing in the gap…
But I guess what I’m trying to say, is that none of us end up in the gap out of laziness, lack of determination, or because we are whingers. We end up there because of the disease. The best thing is, there is a reason we call it the gap - because there is the other side keep working at it and you’ll find your way there too
Well said, Jen :-)
Jen said:
But I guess what I'm trying to say, is that none of us end up in the gap out of laziness, lack of determination, or because we are whingers. We end up there because of the disease. The best thing is, there is a reason we call it the gap - because there is the other side :) keep working at it and you'll find your way there too :)
Thank you
Jen said:
Mary, I am camping with my gorgeous 5yo daughter after dad did a gruelling half iron man and then had to fly away on the same day for work - I'm good now, but I was in the gap for over one year, and then another 6 months soon after when my disease changed. I'm a great success story (I think :) of the mods on this page - without them (and that very determined husband) I'd still possibly be languishing in the gap......
But I guess what I'm trying to say, is that none of us end up in the gap out of laziness, lack of determination, or because we are whingers. We end up there because of the disease. The best thing is, there is a reason we call it the gap - because there is the other side :) keep working at it and you'll find your way there too :)