Steroids and Sulphasalazine

[claireyj]

Hi all hope you are all having a good day :)) ...went to hosp Friday for a much needed steroid injection (in the bottom) .... My question is how long does it usually take to take effect I can't remember as it was ages since I had one? Also am now on Sulphasalazine (along with mtx) started taking it today one a day for a week then 2 a day for a week building up to 4 a day , same question how long does it usually take to start taking effect ...can you tell I'm desperate lol! Also for those who answered my last question re puffy face , I'm now having tests for thyroid disease and also checks on vit d levels ..thanks for your help pepes onwards and upwards eh?!! Claire x

[nellysgran]

Hi Claire, I am also on Sulph and MTX and they seem to work good together, i think it was a few weeks before the Sulph began to work, cant remember about the steroid injection its a long time since i had one but i think that worked pretty quick, i have had a bad flare for a few weeks and was put on Prednisolone steroid tablets and they have worked wonders for me, maybe you should ask your GP,

Hope you get sorted soon, Wendy xx

[claireyj in reply to nellysgran]

Sorry you've been suffering Wendy but I'm glad the tablets are helping you xx

[shirlthegirl]

Hiya Claire it normal take 48 hours to see any affect but it can be different for everyone, mine has normal took at least 3 days as you know i had mine on Wednesday, Friday nite was when i started getting mood swings and hot flushes, I felt like pulling my hair out :((( Today it has really hit, feeling really weak just want to sleep, Also today is my MTX day so bring it on ;((( was told by my rheumy that it can take up to 12 weeks like MTX, It's always works like this for me, the first couple of days i feel fine, then hello to the side affects, I know you suffer with hot flushes, but do you also feel really weak?

Take |Care XX

[claireyj in reply to shirlthegirl]

Hiya Hun ...sorry you're feeling rough :(( x I've not had any hot flushes with this steroid jab but when i do get them it's during the night and only for a couple of nights so maybe tonight but I don't feel really weak at all , still in pain with feet but not drained or weak , think the pain is better than yesterday so maybe progress has started but won't speak too soon x

[earthwitch]

I was initially quite disappointed with my first steroid injection because it didn't really seem to be doing much at all, compared to how fast the pills worked with me. But, it was just a much more subtle effect. I suspect other people noticed what was happening more, in that I would be moving around a whole lot easier, etc. Don't necessarily expect it to be dramatic, but do expect that over a few days you will start realising that it really has lifted things quite a bit for you.

Re: the SSZ, you obviously wont get the full effect until you are on the full dose, but I know I did start noticing some positive effects on my gut (which no-one will admit to being inflammatory bowel disease, but seems to respond to antiinflammatory treatment) by the time I got to about 3 tablets a day, so I guess it was doing something by then. Unfortunately I developed a hypersensitivity reaction about then and had to give up on it. I think generally though its another three month thing before you really know how its going to work for you.