Methotrexate for now

[NikkiNicole]

Once my liver function tests return, I will be starting on Methotrexate and low dose prednisone. My bloodwork was done on a Friday so I won't be starting til Monday or Tuesday, depending on when the good doc can read the results to make sure everything is good.
My thyroid tests came back extremely wonky and I can't find anything on why they are the way they are. They are completely contradictory! Who knows?

[drz]

Best wishes for good results on new meds. Hope they figure out thyroid readings too cause lot of things can affect those.

[annekat]

Well, that's great, you will finally be on a regimen of Wegs drugs after all this time. I'm wondering why the low dose on the pred. Maybe you have already been on the higher dose for awhile.... I'm forgetting, but I seem to remember you being on something, if not everything that you should be. Or maybe your symptoms right now aren't severe enough to warrant a high pred dose, and the MTX will be a high enough dose to get things under control. Best of luck, and keep us posted.

[mishb]

I'm glad you are finally starting to get the correct meds to hopefully knock this on the head.

It's a bit of a worry about the thyroid readings though - I hope it is nothing that can hinder the commencement of the MTX

Let's us know how it goes

[NikkiNicole]

I've been on medium to high dose prednisone since June and had just tapered off. I am not feeling a lot of the pain at the moment, just a little stiffness. We are going to start with 20mg and see what happens. If I get more pain again, we'll raise it but if things go well, she'll taper me off of it.
I love my doctor. LOVE her.

[Alysia]

Hi Nikki,
Im so glad that you have a good doc after all the suffering you have been through. good luck with your treatment.

[NikkiNicole]

Has anyone had any icky side effects using MTX that you are aware of? I took my first dose today 7.5mg and unfortunately am at work for a double. I know it's a low dose so I hope I'll be alright but I work as a 911 dispatcher so I'm a little leery of something going bad.

[annekat]

It can make people a bit nauseous. That is a low dose, it is half what I take, and mine is moderately low. She might be starting you out low so you can get used to it. Or maybe you have a pretty light case of Wegs. Anyway, you could try taking it at night so you sleep through the slightly sick feeling it might give you. Or split the dose within 24 hours, half at night and half during the day. I'm not sure whether to say take it with food or not. Others will have more to say, I'm sure, and some have had worse reactions than I do.

[NikkiNicole]

I am starting out at 7.5, will have bloodwork in 2 weeks and then increase the dose, then more bloodwork 2 weeks after that and dose will increase again til I get up to 25 or so mg. So, I am starting low to see how I tolerate it.
I'm feeling a lil horrific today. My stomach is nauseous, I feel just weird. But, I am powering through.

[annekat]

I am starting out at 7.5, will have bloodwork in 2 weeks and then increase the dose, then more bloodwork 2 weeks after that and dose will increase again til I get up to 25 or so mg. So, I am starting low to see how I tolerate it.
I'm feeling a lil horrific today. My stomach is nauseous, I feel just weird. But, I am powering through.

That sounds like a good treatment plan. I think you may get used to the drug enough so that the nausea and weirdness will ease up. I don't know how it feels to be on 25mg., though, since I am only on 15mg. I hope by that time your side effects are not as noticeable and you can adjust with no problem.