I'm 34 y/o diagnosed this year with RA but have had symptoms for 3 yrs. Plaquenil had no effect, so the RA/MD thinks methotrexate is a good next step. Does methotrexate alleviate the symptoms or slow the progression of the disease or both?? What are the side effects? My PCP says try it and that many others combine meds with this one. I assume I'll still be a slave to my Advil? Any info on this drug would be app'd and I'm going on line to seek more, too...

Here's the MedLinePlus drug database info on methotrexate:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202356.html

And here are all of the NIH clinical studies being conducted on methotrexate for RA and other diseases:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/action/SearchAction;jsessionid=B272E393840594D2 8113C69800720530?term=methotrexate&submit=Search

Believe me...as a sufferer from RA...there are worse things to be a slave to than ADVIL. Hope it continues to stay effective for you. Meth works for some and not others. I. apparently, and one of the few that suffers from many of the side effects associated with it and responded, little, if at all to alleviating symptoms in any way. Hence I was moved to REMICADE (similar to difficult to obtain-EMBREL). Good luck. READ THE ARCHIVES and JAYTOR is a fabulous resource on just about everything!!!

Can any of you tell me about your experience with Methotrexate? Im about to start it and would like to know how its working for you. How long does it take to "kick in"? I know it has to build up in your system for a month or two and then it should be working; how long did it take you? Also, what (if any) side effects have you experienced while on it? Im going to be taking Prednisone with it for a while (hopefuly only until it kicks in) and im not currently taking anything else. Ive switched to this from Plaquenil becuase of an allergic reaction. Thanks for your help!

Meg

I have been on MTX since last October. It took about 2 months to start working. Has really done me alot of good. Got my prednisone down to 7mg./day. Seems to be as low as I can go right now. But it really helped my joints. I have had some minor hair thinning but other than that no side effects. Though some people do have stomach issues with it. I guess I just have an iron stomach and my dose of prilosec doesn't hurt (hahaha)
Good luck hope it is your wonder drug.