Just back from Rheumatologist today and he plans on cutting down my 10mg prednisone!!This makes me incredibly sad because it is the only thing that has lessened my body from excrutiating pain. I know side effects etc... but the ability to walk, and move around without being in intense pain ,to go to work and do my job is worth the risks to me.Not looking forward to being trapped in my body again. I did not want to do methotrexate due to liver risks. Today he suggested a new med begins with an L but it to has liver toxicity risk. The methotrexate sounds safer than it.
So maybe i try the methotrexate and prednisone and he'll cut me down very slow. Undecided.
Very frustrating day!!!!So i went online and found this support group because no non arthritic person would understand.
The queen of dogmoor takes care of multiple cats,dogs, a disabled 35 yr pld sister, a 15 yr old niece, and 1 wonderful husband. Working fulltime as a nurse in a docs office.
Welcome, hopalong, and you’re welcome! We try, and yes, we do understand as no non-arthritic person can.
Your doctor suggested leflunomide. If you’re concerned about liver toxicity, your suspicions about that drug are correct. When you are on methotrexate, your liver numbers will monitored often, and if it starts to rebel, your dose will be adjusted or stopped before there is permanent damage. Have you read the information about MTX in The Newbies’ Guide? Or have found that yet, in the green band above?
Again, Queen of Dogmoor, welcome. I hope that you will find this a good place for support and information.
Welcome Hopalong! I’m New also but you describe me perfectly! I treat with methotrexate & we go along adjusting as necessary. It’s been 3 years and I believe I must consider a change because my liver says don’t go overboard , while my body asks for more! Sulfasalizine did nothing, when added to the decreased MtX so…??? But, it has been 3 pretty good, fairly comfortable years! We were up to quarterly Lab draws, but now back to monthly. They take great care of me at the Doc’s
Welcome hopalong! You're where I was last year--as far as the disease and making choices about meds, etc., I didn't want any part of any of them. However, my doctor had given me prednisone tapers a couple times and I felt wonderful-like I was walking on air and happy as a clam! But, he refused to give it to me last spring when I was feeling desperate about needing something to help me feel good--I, like you and most everybody here, felt like crap all over and I think I was actually getting depressed. I was so scared of meds, though.
I stumbled upon this website as I was surfing the internet looking for more info about the biologics. These people gave me some good advice: that there was a good reason my rheumy and internist were refusing to give me prednisone--it is really bad taken long term. Really--your doctor is doing you a favor.
Anyway, it forced me to make a difficult decision. I went on enbrel--started taking it last July, and it's made me feel better than I have in years--plus, improved my psoriasis about 80%.
If you have psoriasis as well as PsA, you can tell your dermatologist about the PsA; and if a dermy prescribes Enbrel they can get you on a double dose for the first three months. I'm not telling you what you should do, just what I did and what positive results I had. I was very reluctant to do this, but it worked so well I love to tell my story!
Good luck in your search for relief and I hope any new meds you try work well for you!