prednisone

[sunnyb]

I've been on a low dose (15 mg.) of prednisone for 5 months waiting for my name to come up on the Enbrel list. I'm also taking methotrexate and sulfazalazine and celebrex. I'm considering asking my dr. to take me off the prednisone for now... putting on weight and still have pain anyway.... any opinions?

[deja vu]

sunnyb, I can only give you my past experience with Prednisone. Basically good. On bad days I was say real stiff and sore. I would take 15-20mgs and later that day I was about back to my usual self.

I have had RA for about 18-19 years. I too, am taking methotrexate, (7) 2.5mg pills once a week. I have been successful on that too. Of course about every 6-7 weeks I have my liver checked. BTW, I guess you know that predisone is not good for you. (what is these days?) My previous doctor said I should try to take only when necessary. I plum just quit taking it, but if your doc says to stay on it, then I would or really it's up to you. You don't have to take them if they're not helping you.

Other questions. How long have you been diagnosed? How long have you been on Methotrexate? Does it help you? Methotrexate is a drug you may have to take for the rest of your life unless you go into remission. That would be a miracle.

My hands look bad, some fingers are immobile. Feet are bad. It's basically all over. Good luck to you.

[sunnyb]

I've been diagnosed for about 1-1/2 years. on 8 tablets methotrexate weekly for about a year. It hasn't done what we'd hoped.. thus waiting for the Enbrel. I see the dr. tomorrow and hope to discuss this with him. So far, my hands look pretty good, but much pain in wrists, knuckles and toes... I'm praying the Enbrel will be that "miracle" for me. Thanks for your reply. It seems I'm developing cysts in wrists and on inside of thumbs... only visible on xrays... any one eles heard of this with RA?

[kibble]

Hi. I'm a relatively new sufferer of RA. I'm riddled with it apparently. I'm currently on Prednisone, Vioxx, Methytrexate, and Tylenol-3(codeine). Been using them in various quantities/dosages since diagnosed "officially" in November '01. My left wrist had a nasty lump which grew into a huge knot and I lost most function and had severe pain radiating throughout the arm It progressed until my arm grew into a "log" formation and my hand was swollen to the point where the knuckles and bones of my hand could not be distinguished (fluid!)...After enduring this for months...I finally got to an orthopedic surgeon and a rheumatologist. By the time I got to see either of them...my feet were swollen 2.5 times their noemal size and on a good day I could walk to my mailbox with tolerable pain. I have not had one pain-free day since I started my meds...but progress is being made although the disease has moved to my right hand and neck. As the current method of treatment is only keeping the disease at "bay"...I can only perform domestic chores...and even those are fatiguing and require the help of friends and my mom to help me keep up with the demands of a wife and a mother of 3 young children. I no longer work (worked at Kodak for 22 years)..left to have my 4th baby and never went back. Diagnosed with RA within the year. I hope to be able to get to the point where I can do most of the things I did before (very physically fit (until the prednisone and RA!) and need to get back to being able to sit for lenthy periods of time using the computer for artistic special FX for films and other business.
I will be part of study using REMICADE as the treatment to get me to a reduced dose of the Methyltrexate (17.5mg/week currently) and eventually off the Prednisone and Vioxx which don't do much but, get me through and some sense of of a life back. The treatments are infusion every 2 weeks* (*depends on my response initially)...and should I respond well...eventually require treatment evert 8 weeks. I start tomorrow! Embril has a 35,000 waiting list so I don't want to get started in something that I can't maintain. Hope it's more readilly available for you all. Wish me luck and the same backatcha.

[ostiopain]

[So far, my hands look pretty good, but much pain in wrists, knuckles and toes... I'm praying the Enbrel will be that "miracle" for me. Thanks for your reply. It seems I'm developing cysts in wrists and on inside of thumbs... only visible on xrays... any one eles heard of this with RA?[/B][/QUOTE]
Hi, I have RA and have developed cysts on my wrists. These are called RA nogules and mine ARE visable to the eye. I have now developed them on my elbows and shoulder. Little knots on each shoulder and painful at times. All I am taking is 2 mg prednisone down from 10 mg to start and Arava 20 mg once a day. Most of my body is in pain...depends on the day or ??.



[This message has been edited by ostiopain (edited 06-05-2002).]