Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Introduce yourself and meet others

I have been on methotrexate for four months now. I do feel more fatigued since taking it and a depressed mood. It does not take away my pain. It has helped with some inflammation. What does everybody take for pain control, while taking methotrexate? I’m not very fond of taking methotrexate, since I am not a pill taker. Is there anything homeopathic other than arnica, which I’ve been taking, that helps anyone with their pain?

Hello. I’m Ellen, age 64, first diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) in June 2025, then discovered I also have RA (hands/wrists mostly) and sub-clinical autoimmune thyroiditis via a thorough autoimmune work-up by my rheumatologist in July 2025. I was put on 20 mg Prednisone initially by my PCP, then quickly went down to 10 mg, then 7.5, and now I take 2.5 mg prednisone in AM and 2.5 mg in PM. I had immediate pain relief with prednisone. In addition to prednisone, I am currently on 17.5 mg methotrexate/ 1 time per week, along with 1 mg folic acid per day. I started noticing less swelling and increased flexibility in my hands on week 3 of methotrexate. I had some fatigue with the first 2 doses of MTX, but that has lessened each week. My ALT was slightly elevated after the first month of MTX, so we will have to see how my liver enzymes look after month 2 of MTX. I had severe sleep issues with the higher doses of prednisone, but those have lessened since tapering down to 5 mg/day. I think the MTX is also helping with the RA inflammation. Anyone else have both PMR and RA?

anyone have any issues with hydroxychloroquine? (I think it's also called Plaquenil) my eyesight has started to blur a bit. I was taken off methotrexate due to tolerance issues now this (have an eye test week after next).

@tisme I take hydroxychloroquine and was told that it can impact your color vision. I go annually for a test with my eye doctor that checks my ability to see red/green all over my field of vision and they check my macula as I guess this can also be an issue. This is in addition to my regular annual eye exam.

@tisme I had some vision issues with Plaquenil. Some blurring and little spots that would appear, felt like gunk in your eye, very bothersome. I didn't link it to the Plaquenil until I went on a trip for four days and forgot it and the eye symptoms completely went away. I talked to my Rheumatologist and eye doctor about it and went off of it. No more issues like that. Although it's rare, my eye doctor did tell me that Plaquenil can cause a sudden onset type of vision loss if you don't get help right away. It is rare, but if you're the one it happens to, not good. Methotrexate caused nodules for me and I had to go off that too. I did not feel good either while taking it - Brain Fog, and felt like I was being poisoned. My body is sensitive and I have other health issues too so it's a real "joy" finding something that works. Keep trying an you'll get there. It may not be 100%, but it can be better.

@kstar077 I've had RA for 12 years. Initially Enbrel seemed like it helped, but no miracle drug. I was on it for two years and my hands and feet got worse while I was on it in the second year, and then it did an epic fail. I went into a really bad flare for about four months. I have been on Orencia since then and I feel much better than I did on anything else. It is working, but I probably need something to supplement it, yet my Dr. hasn't found anything as I'm a "complicated case" and can't take a lot of the different RA meds due to either interactions with other drugs I have to take, or other diseases I have that preclude me from using them. I also have a high RA Factor. I do have hand and foot deformities, but Orencia has slowed it down a bit and it's been good from the pain standpoint. I also don't feel like I'm being poisoned which I did on MTX. My hands are to the point where I've seen a hand surgeon who advised that I have Silicone MCP joint arthroplasty for four of my knuckles on left hand, then the right a year later. I'm weighing whether I want to or not.

Hello RA Warriors! I've had RA for 12 years and have hand deformities with pretty sever ulnar drift on both hands, but not a lot of constant pain, it comes and goes. I've seen a hand surgeon and he advised doing Silicone MCP joint Arthroplasty on all 4 big knuckles where your fingers connect to your hand to straighten out the fingers and make the hand a bit more usable. He would do one hand and a year later the other. The problems are that the Silicone can break and you have to have it replaced. Also it's not an easy surgery recovery wise, very painful and some people have continuing pain after. Has anyone here had it done and di you feel it was worth it? Did the silicone break and how long after? I'm scheduled for surgery on the 16th, but uneasy if I may be hurting myself more by doing it, although the hands keep getting slowly worse.

using my portable mobility scooter today , my thumbs etc finally decided they dont like it. so many other places let me know they hurt, the joints etc dont like heat ( we had a first taste of summer today even though in Australia its barely mid spring). Ive had one person say " at least you know your alive" I could have .................... him. off to find whats available in the way of hand supports

@sparkyswife My hand surgeon is talking about doing the same surgery so I am following this to see what others have experienced with the surgery.

@tisme I was going great with Sulfasalazine, which sorted my GI issues out well until that caused me visual disturbances (lightening flashes in corner of one eye) and blurred vision. I am about to start HCQ instead! Now I’m concerned. Unable to get an emergency eye appointment too, to check my eye issue was due to Sulfasalazine. I haven’t got any good advice for you other than to keep asking for something else to try, but I empathize completely. Good luck.