Saturday, January 12, 2013

Monday, October 11, 2010 shahida asks

Q: i have been diagnosed with RA in february 2010.

i went first to orthopaedic surgeon.he gave me cortisone inj.Then i went to rheumatologist.he gave me defzacort tablets,hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets and methotrexate inj.( weekly) from feb.2010.but after exact 6 months later i felt same problems as were in feb.My dr.gave me cortisone inj. as before 6 months.now since last few weeks i feel nausea and weakness.Till now i have taken 27 doses of mext inj. Please tell me should i continue my medicines in same way .

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Answers (2)
Lene Andersen, Health Guide
10/12/10 6:58pm

it sounds to me as if your current medication is not controlling your RA. Talk to your doctor about treatment options, such as increasing the medication you're on, adding another DMARD (disease modifying antirheumatic drugs like methotrexate, Plaquenil, Arava and the Biologics) or perhaps switching meds altogether.

 

your nausea and weakness could be a side effect of the medication - check out my post on managing side effects for tips on how to keep things down to a dull roar. You may also want to talk to your doctor about maybe getting a prescription for stomach medication (Pantoloc, Nexium) - many of us have to take those kinds of medication to protect our stomachs, as RA meds are notoriously hard on the G.I. tract. You could also have a virus, in which case go easy on yourself for a couple of days, eat bland food, drink lots of hot water with a small slice of lemon and a small slice of ginger and see what happens. If you get better in a couple of days, these particular symptoms were likely a virus. Still, I would recommend that you make an appointment to see your rheumatologist to discuss where to go from now - if you still having the same symptoms as you did six months ago, the meds you on now do not seem to be working.

 

please let us know how things go?

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10/12/10 12:07pm

Give your doctor a call to inform him of all your symptoms.  Mtx does sometimes cause nausea and weekness.  It is usually right after the dose is taken and last a day or two. You doc may change things up a bit or call you in for a check up.

RA meds also slow down your immune system.  Consider asking your doc to help you determine that you have not contracted a stomach virus or the sort. 

 

 

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By shahida— Last Modified: 12/27/10, First Published: 10/11/10