Glad you found us but so sorry you had to. I think we all can relate and even us veterans of the bartle often get overwhelmed and angry. RA is a horrible beast it can be quieted from time to time. Hope you have a good Dr. If metherexate dows upset your stomach you can ask for phenergan or zofran to help also you can take it by injection which can help. I don't know how to help a flare I usually turn to my Dr for that if OTC be gay and heating pads don't help. Usually takes some prednisone. I pray you have brighter days ahead. Don't give up come here often vent throw tantrums and ask questions this is a great group

Welcome to the area. This is a place we can vent, a place where people know how we are feeling. Has your Dr also prescribed folic acid for you? I think most of us that are on methotrexate also take prescription folic acid. I take 2 mg a day. For me, mtx does not cause any side effects, for which I am grateful.

I was diagnosed when I was 59. For me, I was relieved to find there was a 'real' reason for the pain I was having to deal with, and knew that something could be done to help. My Rheum said that over 50% of his patients are helped by methotrexate alone. I was not, so I was starting on biologics. Once on biologics, I started feeling a lot, lot better. Not normal, but a heck of a lot better. So yes, there is hope but not necessarily in the near future, if you mean under 4-6 months.

I do not have flares very often. Usually, I 'bring it on myself' by over doing it. Or, I have waited to long for my infusion. I am on Rituxan, done by infusion, every 4-6 months. I have only resorted to prednisone once (because of what I have read here), but I do take celebrex occasionally.

I am very careful when I am around people, since the drugs suppresses our immune system. I do not shake people's hands,etc etc. Since I was diagnosed in June, 2012, I have had one sinus infection and one strep throat, that is it.

Hi Chelsea, so sorry you are here but as the others have stated ... this is a great group of folks that totally understand. If you have the time you can read older threads and learn lots from this group. Plus it is a great place to ask questions... I think most of us once dxed were worried, scared or just plain didn't know what to expect. Well with the meds today it is so much better then a few years ago...it seems most folks go into a remission while taking the meds at least for a while... but you first have to find the right med combo that will work for you and helpfully your dr will help you figure that out.

It seems that most folks that don't have a chronic disease don't understand what we go through...but here you will find some wonderful folks that have had or that are still having problems with this disease and fully understand how you might feel. So ask away or rant... whatever you need to do.

Welcome to RA support!!!

Yes, the disease sucks. Plain and simple.

My best advice is to keep up with the DMARDS [e.g., MTX] and be patient while it kicks in. It may take a few weeks.

I do, however, want to let you know that many of us have had this disease for years [20+ for me] and we've been fortunate to be in drug-controlled remission. The drugs that are out now are superb to what was available when I was diagnosed. With MTX and Humira I pretty much have my life back. I do have to pace myself.....but then I'm considerably older.....so I'd probably have to pace myself anyway!

Lots of experience and knowledge and wisdom here. Ask questions. Be your own best advocate!

Hi there,
I was diagnosed around the same age as you- I was 28, and I'm 36 now. This board has been a great source of support and information. I also found a therapist who specializes in coping with chronic illness, and she has been super helpful over the years.
The thinking around how to approach treatment in early RA has changed over the past few years, and the guidance for rheumatologists is now to start patients on methotrexate right away, to have the best chance at remission. (Remission for RA means no symptoms, but usually people gave to stay in medication indefinitely to stay that way.) So, even though it feels overwhelming, I'm glad you have a doctor who's paying attention and is giving you a chance to get this under control. If you find that methotrexate alone isn't enough, your doc will probably add a biologic, and this board is full of advice and info on those. RA sucks,it totally does. No doubt about that. You can and will live with it, and there are people here (and in your offline life- you'll find them) who you can vent to. Hang in there.

Caren

Any one of us could have written a similar post one day or another. Here's hoping the methotrexate works for you. Be patient, as it usually does take time to see results.

You will go through the process of grieving for yourself, for what you've lost and how things will change. You'll be angry, sad, and everything else. Eventually you'll accept it, but new set backs may trigger another round of grief. Recognize it for what it is and make peace with it. Whether it's consulting a support group, seeing a counselor, or a therapist, make sure you take care of your mental health.

And this it totally normal. We have all used this forum to vent a bit. It's healthy and we get it, so don't worry about it :)

Welcome, I was diagnosed about six weeks ago, just took my 4th dose last night of the methotrexate. I haven't had any side effects from it as of yet. I am still going through the shock of it. I have never had any health issues until this, my nurse joked in saying I like to go big. I have been doing a ton of research on it, pinning healthy recipes and easy exercises on pintrest. There is a lot of information out there when you have the time to look for it. It is a lot of information and can be overwhelming. I know for me, it was consuming my free time to find as much information about it as I could.

Ginny