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Is starting methotrexate "overkill "

Posted by Theodorabee @theodorastronger, Oct 2 10:42am

I am 71 years old and I have very swollen fingers in my hands, 2-3 fingers in each hand, and slightly sore wrists--much worse in the morning. Thankfully I have no other symptoms and all of my blood test for all the various diseases including RA came out negative. However my doctor recommends that I start methotrexate. I am very worried about side effects, especially nausea and fatigue. Is there any reason that I should not just hold off on the methotrexate for a few months to see if my fingers get worse ? And instead take a NSAID if I can tolerate it? Thank you for "listening"!

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cher51 | @cher51 | Oct 7 11:27am
In reply to @rh1384 "I was diagnosed with RA in 2013. I was put on Enbrel injections, Methotrexate and Prednisone...." + (show)
@rh1384

I was diagnosed with RA in 2013. I was put on Enbrel injections, Methotrexate and Prednisone. I came off the Prednisone after one year but stayed on the Enbrel and Methotrexate for 10 years.
Methotrexate It started out to be a chemo drug. I was told by alot of people it was very dangerous but the only problems I really have had was hair loss and I was diagnosed with Alopecia so I don’t know if it had any relevance to that. I changed to Rinvoq pills last year and requested to end Methotrexate and I feel the same. I don’t normally have any pain while I am taking the meds. So it wasnt that bad to me. Just my opinion.

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A chemo drug in much higher dosage for cancer. I took Methotrexate fore about 10 years. My liver count went up so I had to stop. Boy do I miss it.

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1 reply
Theodorabee | @theodorastronger | Oct 7 11:34am
In reply to @cher51 "A chemo drug in much higher dosage for cancer. I took Methotrexate fore about 10 years...." + (show)
@cher51

A chemo drug in much higher dosage for cancer. I took Methotrexate fore about 10 years. My liver count went up so I had to stop. Boy do I miss it.

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I'm glad to hear that it helped you and I'm sorry that your liver count went up. I hope something else you tried worked.

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cher51 | @cher51 | Oct 7 6:20pm

Thank you.
I saw a podiatrist for a swollen toe last Friday and I have arthritis in my big toe and foot. I was given a prescription for Meloxicam. I am to take as needed. That may help the test of my aches. We shall see.

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1 reply
windyshores | @windyshores | Oct 7 8:31pm
In reply to @cher51 "Thank you. I saw a podiatrist for a swollen toe last Friday and I have arthritis..." + (show)
@cher51

Thank you.
I saw a podiatrist for a swollen toe last Friday and I have arthritis in my big toe and foot. I was given a prescription for Meloxicam. I am to take as needed. That may help the test of my aches. We shall see.

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I just had a bad reaction to meloxixam @cher51. Luckily I only took 1/2 of the low dose. The half life is 20 hours! It peaks in 4-6 hours and then again at 10-12, the only med I have experienced with a double peak. I had chest pressure, anxiety and pins and needles plus some weird muscle aches. It did reduce pain from trigeminal neuralgia but not worth it for me. I was told it was gentler than flurbiprofen, which I tolerate well. List of side effects is long for meloxicam. I tend to be sensitive to all meds though!

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