Fed up

[morrison]

Just waired to see my consultant tokay. Waited for 2 and a half hours. Didn't see him but a nice lady who wants to now put me on methortexate. What are your views on this.?? X

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi morrison,

I noticed from a previous post about a month ago you were stuck at 7mg - is that why new Rheumy wants you on MTX?

I would say the problem is your adrenal glands not that you can’t reduce the Pred, so personally I would say no to another drug.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about low levels of Pred (and that means 7.5mg and under) and the fact that it does less harm than doctors think. Hopefully PMRpro will be along with her link , but this is worth reading as well

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Good luck.

[morrison in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you for that Mrs D. Just don't want to take any other drugs without knowing about them. X

[morrison in reply to morrison]

Lookingforward toPRO s:'advice. Feel OK on 7mgs.

[morrison in reply to morrison]

Thank you. Xx

[SheffieldJane]

Hi morrison, good to see you back. I have no idea, not having access to your medical history. What was her rationale for adding in Methotrexate ?

How are you...?

[Hidden]

Not all of us react the same to drugs but methotrexate almost killed me or at least I felt like I was dying. I would never have know it was the methotrexate until I stopped it after 6 months on it. I not only felt poisoned but also hypoglycemic big time. I gained 60 lbs because I only felt good eating and I truly thought I was dying.

But again we are all different so not everyone's reaction is the same.

No proof anywhere it does any good... oh n lost a lot of hair. It grew back in thicker....

[Jackoh]

A bit confused why they would want you on another drug at this stage? I am on Leflounomide as well as steroids but was put on this after many failed attempts to get down from 20mg. As you say you are doing well at 7 mg and that is a low dose. I think I personally would want to discuss it with the Consultant. Jackie

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you were at 17mg and struggling I could see the reasoning - but at a physiological dose of 7mg? No, why add in more potential side effects to reduce a dose that has been shown to have few side effects in the long term:

practicalpainmanagement.com...

It has a lot to do with WHY you can't get below 7mg at present. If it is slow return of adrenal function as DL suggests then methotrexate won't make any difference to that.

[Gaijin]

i had the same experience as Lin- calif...the side effects were so bad that it completely defeated the purpose of taking the Prednisone.

And I experimented with mtx and felt it wasn't really helping me reduce...I got stuck at 7.5 with mtx and without.

[Marie1479]

I have heard awful things about methotrexate. My Rheumatologist said If you are below 7.5 mg you are out of the so-called danger zone. I am on Actemra as well as RAYOS (time released prednisone) and had such difficulty going from 6 MG to 5 mg. It took 1 1/2 months To go from 6 mg to even try 5 mg. I now flip-floping between the two doses using very slow taper That was recommended by the gals on the forum.