'Probable' RA.

[cornerhouse]

Have been diagnosed with 'probable' RA. Weak RF, CRP 27. Have been on 15mg Mtx for 9 weeks and am almost symptom free. Can Mtx work so quickly or is my diagnosis not correct? Can anyone else relate to this?

[Hidden]

People respond differently to different meds, some quicker some take longer. I’m glad mtx is working for you, long may it continue 😊

[Pinkypie2018]

Everyone is different and it seems your responding well to it so that is great. I was told it can take anywhere between 3-12 weeks and sometimes maybe longer? Unfortunately it took longer for me and an increase in dose but I'm getting there. I would just enjoy it while it lasts 😊

[Mmrr]

Everyone is different, that sounds like a good result for you. Keep going.

[ketiv74]

When I got diagnosed as RA, I had RF, ESR & CRP were all in 50's I think. I started on Mtx 15 mg inj and within 8 weeks, I was almost symptom free, ESR & CRP were down in normal range at 2 month check after I started. So I responded to Mtx pretty quickly too, hope it keeps working for both of us :).

Can't say much diagnosis wise, if it's right or not. To be fair I doubt it sometimes myself too.

[cornerhouse]

Thanks for that. It's such a help to know that I'm not alone in finding all this bewildering and that my response to mtx isn't exceptional.

[Nocciola]

I have been on methotrexate for 7 weeks and am also virtually symptom free. I started on 15 mg once a week for 4 weeks, and am now on 20 mg once a week, plus 5 mg per day of prednisone, plus 1 mg of folic acid on non-methotrexate days.

I was really bad off in February, hobbling around because my bones felt like they were coming through my feet, it was too painful to walk with bare feet, my rings were too tight, my shoes were too tight. All of those symptoms went away pretty quickly after 10 days on a 30 day prednisone taper, before starting the methotrexate. I feel so energetic, like I am in my 20’s again ( I will turn 55 this summer).

The only symptom I now have is my left ring finger is slightly inflamed and sometimes slightly bends, but I can straighten it out and even bend it backwards. I find that it gets worse, and I get additional symptoms like a slight pain in my right thumb base and along the edges of my feet, when I drink lattes and eat candy, salty food, and white carbs.

I feel symptom-free when I stick with fruit, vegetables, fish, water and green tea. Does anyone else find that what they eat and drink effects their symptoms?

My very experienced, very published Johns Hopkins rheumatologist is skeptical that diet is helping my symptoms, she attributes the success to the methotrexate. But there is no way I would ever voluntarily give up pizza, lattes, warm bread, cake, candy, etc., unless I sincerely believed, through cause and effect, that they make my symptoms worse. Now I only enjoy these things on special occasions.