A positive story

[Shell1967]

Hi as I'm very keen on thinking positive most of the time I would like to share this wonderful story with you all .my hubby is an electrician and today he went out to a job in a ladies house,he was there all day and was commenting on her boundless energy clearing up after him,making him tea,sandwiches etc,and she turned round and said well I wouldn't have been doing this 4 years ago as I was diagnosed as having rheumotoid arthritis !!!! Well obviously hubby went into detail about me and said I have just been diagnosed and they talked for ages,she couldn't 4years ago do what I can't do today,kneel,bend,reach upwards,go up and downstairs one at a time,hang washing out,not being able to open bottles jars etc.she gave him a prescription of what she takes and its 15 mg of methotreaxate a week,exactly the same as me.she now says she is a new woman !!!!!!!! I do hope this story makes some of my friends on here's day :))))) wot a lovely story and I wanted to share this lovely positive story xxxxx

[sylvi]

Isn't it good when we hear that some of the drugs we are given actually work. You will get there in the end once they have your drug regime sorted out. What works for one person doesn't always work for another person.

Thank you for a positive story. Sylvi.xxx

[claireyj]

Wow what a nice story ...I love positivity and certainly needed it today ..thanks for sharing Claire xx

[swapshop]

thanks for sharing - it helps with me keep perspective and know that it may be ok

[Hidden]

Perhaps we should keep in mind that people who are nearly or completely 'back to normal' are less likely to post here than those of us who are still struggling. Any more stories of meds working a treat? I'd like to hear them & I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[claireyj]

Hiya heard last week from hosp that my meds doing well even after 8 weeks of Methx so am really pleased ....woke up last night though with so much pain in my hands thought someone had run over them so was a reminder of what we all have. Felt really horrible all day ache all over and still pain in my hands, felt so upset that seemed to be doing so well but Michelle's blog has cheered me up and like you all say will always have good days n bad days and which I am learning and wish good days on all of you Claire x

[shirlthegirl]

Just what I needed to hear....I've had such a painfull and depressing day,

This has really lifted my spirits,

ThanksXxx

[earthwitch]

Yes, its definitely true that message boards like this have a kind of tip of the iceberg of people with RA - newbies wanting to know what they are in for, and ones who are still having a lot of problems or haven't yet got their treatment sorted out properly. The vast majority of ones whose treatment is working well just don't need the support and information that some of us do, so they don't often stick around, or only come in occasionally.

[_andy_]

great blog , michelle

i totally agree with the above comments .. the vast majority of people who take MTX , get great results from it ,, just we dont often hear about it ..

andy xx x

[Rockpool60]

What a lovely story and so nice to hear somebody having treatment that works for them.

[Hidden]

Hi Michelle - writing from sunny Italy up a mountain on holiday to say that this positive experience is mine to date too. This time last year pre diagnosis I could hardly move my hands or wrists or fingers, couldn't begin to write Xmas cards because of searing pain in my knuckles and shoulders and knees were a big issue too.

So now a year later I am climbing mountains and carrying shopping and writing postcards. I'm on 15mg of injectable MTX and 200mg Hydroxichloraquine and have no pain anywhere - just stiff fingers and slightly swollen knuckles in the mornings as a residue of RA symptoms.

So there you are newbies - at least some if not all of you will be in my shoes once the right balance of drug starts doing its wonderful thing. It took a while for this to happen - about six months to be fair and properly pain free after 8 when the Hydroxy was introduced.

Tilda xxxx

[Janeye]

It really is great to hear stories like this. It took a long time for the doctors to get me on the right track with the medication. Nothing worked for me until I was introduced to Enbrel around 7 years ago. It worked wonders for me and I think I went into a remission with it. I didn't respond well to mtx and other meds due to it causing sickness. If anyone hasn't been told about Enbrel or is still struggling to get their meds right, please ask your rheumy team about it. I've realised how amazing it was when I had to come off it 3 months ago as I am trying for a baby. My joints went crazy and I have been on a reducing course of steroids to try and keep things in check whilst I'm trying. I'm hoping to fall pregnant asap, hopefully be one of the lucky ones to feel really well through pregnancy and then get back onto the Enbrel! Don't despair, something will work for you, the doctors just have to find the right meds for you. I truly believe that an anti-inflammatory diet helps too, I've been doing it for the last 3 months and think that it is just starting to have some effects in terms of helping to reduce the inflammation. Good luck to you all out there and lets keep strong and smiling, we won't be beaten!!!!!

[Hidden in reply to Janeye]

I have PsA & THE PLAN is for me to gallop through the DMARDs towards a biologic (probably Enbrel) 'sooner rather than later'. This involves upping my dose of MTX at 3 weekly intervals and trying out Sulfasalazine & Leflulomide in quick succession too. Obviously I'd prefer the DMARDs to work but I get the distinct impression that my Rheumy would have put me on Enbrel by now were it not for the NICE guidelines.

I don't like to think about it too much - there is something very, very absurd about tipping stuff like MTX down your throat when nobody really believes it's going to do any good!

I'm glad Enbrel works so well for you & hope you get pregnant soon!

Christina x

[Jan66 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Feather, that's my plan too!!!! Just started on sub cut MTX 25 mg so will see how that goes. Felt so lousy on oral MTX. How much money, time and effort would be saved, do you think, if they Tried the biologics sooner?...

X jan

[Shell1967]

Thankyou for all ur kind comments.it was for all of you to put a smile on your faces :)))and to update you with myself I am on week 6 of mtx and doing very well I'm glad to say .this last week I have noticed the pain is in the background and not at the forefront of my mind all the time,I feel and look better,still a long way to go but I'm positive I will get there :)))) loads of love to everybody xxxx

[helixhelix]

Thanks, it's a nice story and rather like my own. I'm generally fine now, but it took a while to get there so don't despair if it doesn't happen in first couple of months. Polly

[Hidden]

Hi Shell, just to add, I'm very lucky to manage to keep up with working part time and have 2 children and manage the gym or cycling, 90% back to how I was!!. Only took me 11 months from diagnosis but my Consultant is a magician!

[allanah]

Brilliant and so heartwarming, I am one of the ones taking a bit of time to get sorted, but get sorted i will and know life can be a bit better with patience!!! Axx

[SusanP]

I am on week 4 of metho 10mg injections....I also take sulpha and folic acid ....I dont think I feel better , but I dont feel worse apart from more pain in shoulders recently, my feel and wrists/hands are a little better..I really hop that I get back to where the lady is now......here is hoping and keeping everything crossed....

[Shell1967]

Hi Susan,on week 4 I didn't either,but this last week I have noticed a difference,its not all p&o free and happy days but my knee is less stiff my ankles are now normal size,my wrists no longer hurt,my fingers are still stiff in mornings and when I rest but soon goes away,the most noticeable joint pain I still have is in my shoulders,so I'm hoping its working its way up and out of my body lol !!! I'm not sure if mtx is supposed to makes us totally better as I'm so new to this and only had 1 rheumo appt but even if it stayed like this for a while its so much better than before.i take folic acid too.lotsmof love xxx

[sheenerweener]

always great to hear some positive news,i find out end of november if i have a so all your blogs are very helpful at moment xx

[Hidden]

I've had two periods where meds ( humira) really helped. Important not to lose sight of fact that more commonly prescribed meds are more commonly prescribed because they work well! When I was first ill stories of people who didnt respond scared me witless. Majority will get good control of their symptoms but hope they will fundraiser for those who don't!

[Josie2]

What a lovely story.

It really does give us all hope.

Xxxxxx

[hopalongrider]

That is fantastic! Once you find the right drugs and the right dosage for you, you will be away to the races. Sometimes, this is a quick process, sometimes it takes longer. For me, Enbrel and Arcoxia and a supplement called Aloeride works really well.

The most important thing is postivity!

XX

[hamble99b]

meloxicam [mobic]helped me for many years it was only this year that I had stomach problems from another med and had to come of it.

citalopram helped with my depression.

sandra.