Well I got signed of, after doing the injection infront of the nurse again. Got given spill kit, sharps box and 5 wks supply of mtx and sterile packs.
I plan to do it at night from now on. Still affected by extreme fatigue, but now its confined to the first 24 hrs after the initial injection plus I also get a slight accompanying headache about 2 hrs after. I figured that most of this would not be experienced if, I took it before I went to bed and slept through most of it.
It appears that you don't have to pay for mtx injections although I now have a prescription card. The down side is I have to collect the mtx from the hospital. I don't understand why I cannot get my doc to order it and get it delivered to me via the local chemist? How do the rest of you get yours?
Got turned down for the DLA, yesterday. I think I am gonna appeal.
Had a horrible blood nurse and for the first time, taking blood really hurt. She was rough and now I have a prized F**k OFF brusie to prove it. Being a black women you know she must of been rough as I don't bruise easily!!! It hurt all yesterday evening until I eventually fell asleep last nite. Thankfully I am not in pain today.
Busy washing as you all know I am back at work on monday. Really dreading it with all those meets.
Enjoy a pain free wkend
Sci x
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I find that thr best time to inject my Mtx is on a Saturday night - as you say, I can sleep off any side effects and have a very lazy day on Sunday to deal with the fatigue. Well done for getting to grips with the injecting:-} Some areas have a scheme where your injections are delivered to you direct at home - I'm sure that someone on here will remember the name or use the service themselves:-}
I get mine everytime i go to appointment with rheumy, i didn't know you could have it delivered.Thats a new one for me. Like your metaphors reguarding the blood nurse. I get a lot bruises when i go for blood tests. Sometimes they are gentle and i don't get bruised other times i lokk like i've been in a fight. It all depends who does it. Our blood bank is ever so busy,last time it took me and hubby 1 1/2hrs to get blood test done.
Never been on a friday, I had to wait an hour, then go and do mtx and collect everything etc. I spent the whole morning there. I left home at 9 and got back home 2.45. Well annoyed especially over my arm. It is still a bit sore around the area. I will never let the butcher at me again!
Youngest birthday yestertday. Too zonked to take him out yesterday, so we had a take away yesterdayevening and today we have just got back from the harvester. Think he enjoyed it, gone back onto his xbox now.
Cheers Sci x
Hey feel free to send me a pic of your F'ing spectacular bruise Sci! I am working on embroidering bruises just now - or about to start anyway - making them huge and beautiful so they will be abstract on hoops. I'm using a wash of paint first to work into as is our way currently (a great way of saving fingers I'm finding!). And before everyone here starts sending me theirs I've plenty already from very pale skinned son who bruises if you so much as pat his back, myself who has veins that nurses and even my GP dread trying to locate - so I only want to see bruises that don't look remotely like mine!
Nurses are very variable for taking blood aren't they? I only found out the other day that my friend who is one of the practice nurses tries to avoid taking mine because she finds it so difficult to get a vein and worries that my bruises will make her seem unprofessional because our sons are best friends! I told her that the bruises help the art just now and anyway the hospital nurse said that I've got a really good strong one that goes pop as the needle goes in (a good sign she said) right in the middle of my right arm so I showed her this and not a bruise in sight this week !
I've just been to the pharmacist to collect my Amitriptyline which I haven't had for 4 nights now because forget to get prescription. I imagine if I had to take MTX by injection I'd collect it from the pharmacy as our hospital doesn't have a rheumy clinic but prescriptions are still free in Scotland courtesy of SNP government. Maybe they wouldn't let me inject up here - it was never suggested as an option if I did have side effects so glad I don't? That does sound like a hassle having to go to the hospital - is it nearby? MTX only seems to be given out in smallish quantities anyway - I think it's 28 tablets for most people isn't it? Also I wanted to know if MTX is safer by injection than taken orally or is it just the same re liver and white blood cells?
Well done for getting the go ahead and yes night times are bound to be best that's when I take my tablets (with dinner) TTx
Injectable mtx has seriously reduced the side affects. I think if I take it at night, I will further reduce the remaining side affect mainly the headache that accompanies it.
I'll have to collect a month supply everytime I go and have bloods. I got to ring to order it and then pick it up later that wk. That way I will not have to wait for the prescription to be filled. I will enquire from gp if I can order it via them, you never no I may be lucky.
The "blood butcher" will never get my arm again. She never even apologised for hurting me. The "B" workd springs to mind!!
You put a smile on my face - about sending you a pic etc. Thanks for that
Hey I get a name from you now too? How about a pic of you to replace Pingu? Blood butcher types what is it with them? They should be especially gentle to people with RA and instead they are mean. We used to have a GP up here like that - he was irredeemably power-mongering and foul with a Rasputin-type beard and used to be known by the other members of the practice as "the bearded c***t" One of my midwives slapped him round the face for being cheeky to me during the last stages of my labour - it was brilliant! Take care Sci Joanne -TTx
Things wll be easier for you now you can do your own injections so well done!
My GP just adds my MTX to my regular prescriptions and rhuemy contacts GP if there needs to be any change of dose etc,so i just collect mine from the chemist.That med cert will save you an absolute fortune.
I also inject just before bed so any side effects will hopefully occour while i'm asleep.
The best of luck for Monday - let us know how you get on
Ouch your blood nurse needs to learn how to be gentle. I have fortnighly injections of Cimzia and the medicene get's delivered to me by nurses on call. Speak to your nurse to see if this service is in your area.
As to the DLA get your nurse involved you have a disability, which under the diability act is known as a progressive illness. You should be able to appeal. Get all your facts together, with all your letters.
DLA is not paid because you have RA,its based purely on your care and/or mobility needs so try and focus on this with your appeal CAB may be able to help with the appeal,may be worth giving them a ring for advice
I've been laughing (hope you dont mind)! at your descriptions of blood taking as they can never get blood out of me!! They think I am awkward and I now just stick out my arms and they decide whether its in the arm, hand or wrist!! Luckily I just want them to get it so will let the try as many times as they want!! I wear my bruise as a badge of honor!!
My husband however, always says its like getting blood out of a stone with me... guess he's right. lol
Good luck with DLA, I've gotta get my head around applying, Axx
The blood butcher must of mistaken me for someone that would put up being treated like a pin cushion. Not so in my book.
Unfortunately all government depts. are "mean" and are like getting blood out of a stone , where monies are concerned. Just have to find the correct way to bleed the F*****s!!!
When I switched to methotrexate injections I got the first supply from the rheum.day hospital, then on prescription from the GP at the monthly blood test. They have a good system where it's attached to your blood record and you can only collect another supply when you have your blood test. Then drop the script into the pharmacy and collect the supply of injections the next day as they order them in for delivery the next day.
I didn't find that they reduced the side effects much, so went back on the tablets at a lower dose. Unfortunately that doesn't control the flare-up that I'm having right now.
If your surgery doesn't have a good system, why not suggest they set one up?
I changed to MTX injections about three months ago. The first benefit was no more vomitting. I do mine every Monday at ten am. I can't say I've noticed any improvement to my RA but not being sick is a major bonus. I get mine delivered to my house once a month by a pharmaceutical company (Medco in my case). I think the rheumy will up the dose when I next visit. One noteable side effect is I can no longer tolerate dairy products. Make me sick and have 'gastric hurry' as my gp calls it (the trots in common parlance lol:-))
I applied for DLA and first time round got nowhere. Then I had an MRI scan and decided to reapply as my walking was much worse more of the time.Also the MRI showed osteoarthritis in my spine and hips. I phoned and asked them to review my application. It was more successful. I got high rate mobility and medium care. I have problems with RA and carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands. The award was granted just before Christmas. First time I ever had a' present' from the government I couldn't help thinking that it may be deoendant on who reads your application and what state of mind they are in on the day. Needless to say I am immensely grateful and moreso when I applied for my concessionary bus pass.
I find this cold weather makes my RA very bad. I use public transport to go to work and if a bus doesn't arrive on time I have sometimes had to go home because the cold made me seize up completely. I am looking forward to warmer weather.
The cold has that affect on my knees also. I actually can feel them cease up then longer I am exposed to the cold like standing and waiting for a bus or on a trian platform when they have cancelled the train. I tend to really limp when its cold.
You have given me food for thought. I may ask my consultant for an mri scan - providing it don't hurt, ive been butchered already for this month!
FDA have their own "Drug-shortage team" has been working day and night to address such kind of problems. They have Announced APP pharmaceutical company had stopped supply of Methotrexate cancer medicines. I have read this blog bit.ly/GFrHXe, where Superdrugsaver has come up with solution to provide such medicines at free of cost to help the victim people see this bit.ly/GUeMlE.
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Doubling the dose of MTX
Taken Off the MTX again
Off mtx
First MTX injection...
MTX injection
