Change of medication

[Flowers2020]

I have taken methotrexate and Etanercept medication for several years for Rheumatoid arthritis, I have been fairly well. I stopped the methotrexate last year but have only noticed a really bad flare up for last month, my joints have been inflamed and deteriorated in just a month. I have been given steroid tablet prednisone to take for 6 weeks. Then I think they are thinking to for me to continue with the Etanercept as I have been or change to rituximab or methotrexate again not, But I don’t know how I will know if I need to change medication because the steroid will make me feel better so how will I know the difference to decide to change medication or not? (Hope that makes sense-hard to explain) and I don’t want to waste 6 weeks of being on steroid tablets if this isn’t really stopping my joints from damaging but just helping with pain.

[Knit12]

Steroids don’t really help with the pain just give you better movement of your joints. I have been on them for 3 weeks and I still have pain. Just waiting for my new drug to arrive. Remember what ever you go in it is going to take probably 4 to 8 weeks for it to be fully in your system to make a difference, so you may feel bad for quite a while. It took me ages to realise methotrexate was working unfortunately I could not tolerate the side effects, moved to Amgevita was on that for 6 months and once again the side effects were unbearable for me. My joints were better but I developed so many infections it became impossible to function. I think you just have to persevere until the one that suits you best. Hope this helps x

[Flowers2020 in reply to Knit12]

Thanks for that. I’ve just started the steroids and they’ve said to wait until inflammation goes down to decide what medication to start but my worry is if the steroid isn’t really helping my actual disease then surely I should be on another medication soon as

[oldtimer]

Do I understand that you are not any other treatment except the steroids currently? If so I would be getting in touch with my rheumy team to ask what and when I start something joint protective? This is just the time to start!

[Flowers2020 in reply to oldtimer]

I am talking Etanercept weekly injections at the moment. I was also taking methotrexate with this but has stopped for past year as it was starting to effect my liver. I managed well without it so far until recently it’s flared up quite a bit so now i have just started 6 week course of steroids and still taking Etanercept injections.