sickness & pain

[Nancy2010]

keep being sick with my injections.. my joints are hurting more than ever in my hands ,wrists, shoulders & neck .. Surely this can’t be right? It’s around my 14 th injection.. 20mg

Anyone ??

[Madmusiclover]

I would say you need to let your rheumy know what’s going on. They aren’t telepathic and will assume you are doing OK. Good luck.

[bpeal1]

Definitely contact your rheumatology team and let them know. I think you need a medication review.

[Nancy2010 in reply to bpeal1]

Thankyou i will , i don’t have an appointment till September though and you can’t get through on the phone .. which means 5 or 6 more injections 😞 or just tons of steroids.

[AgedCrone in reply to Nancy2010]

I don’t know how things work in France…but do get in touch with whoever prescribes your injections.

In any country if you don’t tell your doctors how a drug is affecting you…they will assume you are OK.

These days very few doctors phone to ask how you are getting on.

[katieoxo60 in reply to AgedCrone]

In Uk chemists used to check drugs too but they don't either now it seems.

[AgedCrone in reply to katieoxo60]

What makes you say that?

I have found pharmacists are very helpful….unless you are querying a change of dose & only the prescribing clinician can do that.

[katieoxo60 in reply to katieoxo60]

In the past NHS chemist used to check for a few months after a new drug was prescribed if you had any problems, they will of course advise if you ring or go in and ask about your own prescription. Long term repeat prescription users were reviewed by the chemist every so often, now we just sign when a drug is changed by the GP. So if there is any problem you still need to advise your GP for consideration. At my surgery we now have a specialist nurse, who deals with prescription problems with more time to look up the drugs you have been prescribed and advise the GP. Hope this clears up your original impression of what I meant.

[AgedCrone in reply to katieoxo60]

Where did that happen? I have never had a pharmacist volunteer any advice on prescription drugs, unless I asked for it…or if there was anything I shouldn’t take whilst I was on a drug prescribed on a new prescription. My present surgery has its own pharmacy, but prior to that I just used the nearest prescribing chemist.

[katieoxo60 in reply to AgedCrone]

Obviously in Uk even it is different according to the patient care and the chemist. In my case prescription care is very important as I am allergic to some drugs so maybe its because of that , of course this as gone off course now on someone elses post. Thanks for your reply.

[Oshgosh in reply to Nancy2010]

have you tried speaking to the consultants secretary and leaving a message for the consultant.

IVe found the secretaries very helpful in the past

I hope things improve for you.

[Egpa]

Hi Nancy2010, I was on 25mg mtx but had to be lowered to 20mg as the injections were making me sick and very unwell. Since they lowered them just me feel a bit sick now and again. Much better. I just phoned the nurses' help line, and they got back to me and made me a phone appt. Good luck. I hope you get sorted out very soon. Take care and stay safe.

[Nancy2010 in reply to Egpa]

I’m on 20mg now but also have terrible pains in my fingers , wrists & neck .. so is it actually doing anything other that making me sick ..

I’m going to email my doctor to be honest I want to change doctors as she isn’t very caring .

Thanks for your reply

[Egpa in reply to Nancy2010]

Take care and stay safe.

[oldtimer]

If you can't contact them yourself complain in writing. You could also ask your GP to contact them. The situation you are in is not reasonable so you will have to ask for help.

[Pampina]

Hi, I was exactly the same on mtx. Blood tests showed it was affecting my kidney function too.I'm now on biologics (abatacept) and sulphasalazine. A complete game changer, and bloods have improved also.

[Nancy2010 in reply to Pampina]

Is that an injection or tablets ? The injection does freak me out a bit on its own let alone the awful side effects.. being physically sick and feeling sick is effecting my work too .

Thanks for the reply

[Pampina in reply to Nancy2010]

Hi Nancy, it’s the pre filled injections.When I was on mtx, I initially was on tablets. They changed me to injections as apparently it minimises the chances of being sick. As that didn't work, they lowered my dosis. It made to difference. That's when had to come off them and the whole process started again.

[Hidden]

Injections made me really poorly. It freakwd me out doing them too 😱.

I would ask to either go on to 20mg tablets or maybe try 15mg injections.

I went back on the tablets and have taken them ever since.

[Nancy2010 in reply to Hidden]

They freak me out too !

Not only being sick with them , my aches & pains are still as bad if not worse! So is it actually doing anything?

Thanks for the reply

[Hidden in reply to Nancy2010]

The Mtx does work but it takes time. I take it with Sulfasalazine.

[katieoxo60]

Although you are in France surely if you feel unwell your medical staff should review your general health and use of medication. So I would say go to your doctor before you see the consultant again.

[Nancy2010 in reply to katieoxo60]

I will try and email my rheumatologist directly and see what she thinks I should do until our appointment in September.

Thanks for the reply

[Angels54]

No you shouldn’t feel like that , sounds as if your body rejecting it , speak to Rhuemy nurse .