Rheumatoid factor level. 37. Range 0-13
Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 215. Range 0-6.9
ESR. 50
My mother is seeing a Rheumatologist on the 18th July and has been told yesterday by her Dr that she will need to go on a drug called Methotrexate. I have just started researching this drug and I feel rather concerned.. my mother is 84 years old and struggles to take supplements let alone a strong drug like this..
I would love to hear from anyone with more experience who can help
I think her doctor may have jumped the gun rather. Although methotrexate is often used to treat inflammatory arthritis it is not the only drug. Are you able to go with your mother to the rheumatologist appointment? If so ask what they think the diagnosis may be, but be aware you may not get a definitive answer at her first appointment and ask what the treatment options are, also mentioning your concerns about her being able to take medication. The NRAS website is definitely worth looking at before the appointment especially these sections (the last one is about the medications used to treat it-nras.org.uk/resource/what-i...
nras.org.uk/information-sup...
Welcome to the boards. Methotrexate is quite often the first drug given when people are diagnosed with any kind of immune driven inflammatory condition. There are a number of theses conditions, but the most common example would be rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system becomes overactive and starts attacking the joints and organs, causing inflammation. With the caveat that I’m not remotely medically qualified, your mum’s blood results would appear to suggest that she may have some kind of inflammatory condition going on, so it could well be that she requires rheumatology-lead care and methotrexate - or another disease modifying anti rheumatic drug, or DMARD - might be appropriate. I was offered a choice between mtx and sulfasalazine when I first saw rheumatology. I ultimately chose the mtx and had very little in the way of side effects. Although half your mum’s age, I’m not in good health and routinely have issues with nausea even without medication in the mix.
All of the medications used to treat inflammatory conditions like RA, or other autoimmune driven inflammation, are horses for courses: unfortunately, no one can predict how they’ll respond, positively or otherwise, so it is a case of trying them for a period of time (usually around 12 weeks unless there are serious side effects). Are you, or another family member, able to attend with your mum? Hopefully they’ll take her age and needs into consideration, but having someone else there with her might be helpful. It can be hard to advocate for ourselves at the best of times.
Your best bet is not to read Dr Google, but to let the rheumatology consultant your mother is going to see…make his diagnosis….& explain what treatment he advises.it might not even be Mtx….GPs have very little knowledge of RA drugs. I think Mtx is the drug that causes most concern…when people look it up…because most don’t actually understand how successful it can be.
But don’t you think if was really as alarming as it sounds…it would have been off the market by now?
I’m nearly as old as your mother..I took it very successfully for 7 years, it allowed me to lead a good life, & I was really upset when it stopped working.
I actually asked if I could wait six months and then try it again… but that was not to be ….so I was put on another drug and I have been on that very successfully ever since.
So just encourage your mother to take the expert’s advice…because believe me she will be thankful for the relief she will feel…because RA can really hurt without swift treatment .
Surely another option is to do nothing. What symptoms does your mum have, if not debilitating then at 84 the condition won’t shorten your mums life or adversely affect the next 10 yrs or more.
It’s another point of view.
A point of view that in my opinion is cruel & wrong.Wait until you are 80+ I bet you will change your mind.
Do you honestly think once we reach 80 we should just give up & accept pain, joint damage & other symptoms …….ie just wait to die in agony?
Not on my watch we don’t.
I cannot believe in the 21st century anybody still believes that is the case.Because it’s not.
I am over 80 & I have RA - for which I am receiving treatment. I am very grateful for my treatment as I’m sure everyone is……no matter their age.
I am leading a good life….constricted only like everybody else - by Covid…not RA.
I am sure Bean101 will do everything possible to ensure her mother receives any treatment the rheumatologist thinks appropriate to ensure her mother is pain-free & comfortable in her 80’s & hopefully her into her 90’s.
Couldn’t agree more, I am disgusted someone would suggest this. I’ve nursed people in their 90s having joint replacement to improve their quality of life, and seen the difference it made. Age should not be a barrier. Also rheumatoid arthritis as well as other inflammatory arthritis conditions, don’t only affect the joints, but also play havoc on the organs too. It can affect the lungs, heart and kidneys if inflammation is not controlled, so it’s imperative everyone diagnosed with an inflammatory arthritis is given whatever meds are needed to control things.
I’m glad you agree with my subjective rant! I’m sure like everybody …when I was 21, I thoughtful 40 would be the end of the world, now I’m more than double that, in my head I’ve never got past 35 and I don’t intend to!With or without RA…don’t write off us Octegenarians …just look at the most famous woman over 90, HM The Queen.
She may be taking it easy, but she is not just giving up is she?
Exactly, age is just a number. I know several 80 years old that are more active and healthy than me, including my mother. You keep fighting your corner, and push to continue with the quality of life you need to enjoy life. Take care 🤗
I am as active as ever…….When I get tempted to whinge….I remind myself of the nights 20+ years ago, when I sat on the stairs at 3am crying ….because I was in so much pain I couldn’t move enough to get dressed to go out.
I am so grateful to my rheumy & the drugs he chose for me. Nothing can ever be worse than that for me.
However…I do swear my recent move & everything that went wrong with it has aged me ten years…so I do occasionally play on my age now 🏄🏼♀️!
But apart from the physical frailty that can hold us oldies back, which luckily I have escaped so far…I live alone so it really is a case of getting up in the morning & getting on with it…..whether you feel like it or not!
So if you are hurtling towards 80….. come on in….it’s what you make it…nothing to do with numbers!
Her results are high, suggesting very active disease. Even if she doesn’t feel it her inflammatory condition could be affecting her heart and lungs and potentially shorten her life if untreated.
It used to be that people with RA had a lifespan reduced by about 10-15 years. Thankfully with modern drugs this is no longer the case.
The older one gets the more anything even slightly debilitating affects your quality of life. Things one could shrug off at 30 can hamper lifestyle at 80.
If the drugs don’t suit her she can stop them or change them. But to suggest not even bothering is rather unkind,
A friend of mine started on methotrexate at a similar age and it gave her relief from symptoms which she simply put down to her age.
Googling methotrexate can be confusing. In high doses it is used to treat cancer. For RA it is used in small doses. While some people have side effects, the vast majority are able to tolerate them or like me have little or none.
If your mother is prescribed methotrexate the dose is taken only once a week. If you have concerns about her ability to manage medication perhaps a family member could supervise this. She may also be prescribed folic acid to help with side effects.
At her age it would be very helpful if someone could accompany her to appointments.
If the RA treatment is successful it will reduce her pain levels and reduce inflammation improving her mobility.
Some of my blood tests are back
Need some information!
Blood Test Results.
