Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Neely diagnosed

twolup
twolup

i have had all over pain since 2004. I was diagnosed with RA. I moved away for awhile and when I got back I went to see that doc who asked me who told you that you have RA? Um you did! Needless to say I just stayed in pain meds up until recently after the Diagnosis of RA again. I started cymbalta to help with the pain. My labs for liver came back good so I can start the methotrexate. It sat in my cabinet for a week while I researched RA and methotrexate. It scared the heck out of me as to the other things in my body that can be effected. The side effects of the drug scared me too. Well I took it last night and today I have zero energy. This is very unlike me! I'm always one that has to be moving. Will this last as long as I have to stay on this drug?

katie
katie
Hi Twolup. From reading a lot of posts about methotrexate before I started on it myself, it seems that people's experiences vary widely. I think, too, that there's a psychological element to it that can work either way - if you're really unnerved by the idea of taking the drug, as many of us were until we weighed the pros and cons, I think you can experience some exhaustion after you finally take it, because you can get so worked up about the whole idea.

I'd suggest that you give it a few weeks, and keep a journal recording how you feel. It will either start working well for you, or you'll have some substantial data to show your doctor at your next visit. Good luck to you.