Rheumatoid Arthritis Community

Methotrexate typically takes 8-12 weeks to become effective. If you are taking it orally, some people do not absorb it well and will use shots to increase absorption. In my practice, I tend to favor prescrbing it by subcutaneous injection so absorption is less of an issue. On the other hand, most people do well with the pills. In addition to daily folic acid, I often prescribe folinic acid or leukovorin 8-12 hours after methotexate as this may help side effects that come on 12 hours after the dose. It would not help side effects that occur sooner than that. The good news about RA is there is lots of great medication that is now available to help decrease pain and prevent damage, deformity and disability.

Hi There,

You posted this three months ago so I hope you have discovered you don't have to give anything up. You may have to slow down, be a different version of yourself but still yourself! I'm a 32 year old full time High School Teacher with a 16 month old baby girl. I'm also married to my husband of 9 years (High School Sweethearts, he's a saint I tell ya). My house isn't as clean as it used to be but I'm still very involved with my little one, she wants to be carried by only Mom and I'm not giving that up! She won't want that forever so I choose to hurt more to carry my baby. I teach Clothing Design and that involves sewing, I don't have time to do as much as I would like but I can tell you it's possible to still do it. You may need breaks but I'd suggest supplementing your sewing with other crafts that don't use so much of just your fingers, scrapbooking? Though I know some die-hard artists don't consider scrapbooking a craft, I enjoy it. Find a way to fulfill your passion, teach others?! Contact a local sewing supply store and offer your services, paid or no, up to you and what you work out. Do something artistic, something to satisfy your need to create, even photography. I'm not saying not to sew, just to supplement, unless you want to sew all the time. We still get to choose how we spend our time, I know I will pay for a day in the garden with three days of pain so I only do it once a week. I know what I will pay for and I make my decisions accordingly. It's not fun but I still get control over my life because I get to choose what I do. I refuse to give anything up, I will do less of one thing than another. Life is a series of trade-offs, for everyone. Ours just involves pain, which is no fun but not impossible.

You should be able to keep working. I am a full time teacher and the only times I miss work are to travel to see my Rhumatologist in Seattle (four hours away from where I live, there is only one in my area and I've heard he's not good, I want the best). About once every six weeks, not too bad. Be sure you talk with your employer though. Make sure they know that your job is important to you (reassure them of that), they also need to know that you may need to move slowly and that you will have good days and bad days. There are laws that protect you in case you have to miss work, The Family Medical Leave act is something you may want to look up. Hopefully you don't need to use it but just in case you need some backing it is there for you. If you are worried about not working hopefully this means you are in a workplace that supports and cares for you.

I am on so many medications, we share pill popping royalty titles (legally . My husband doesn't believe in pills either. He says he wants to know when the pain goes away on it's own and pills mask that...mine won't go away on it's own (the pain) so I need the pills to do that. I was so upset by the fact that I knew I had to be addicted to my pain meds, after 2.5 years, I had to be. I began talking with my doctor about addiction and she assured me that while I am dependent on them I am far from addicted. People with addiction only want the high, I want pain relief. Talk to your doctor about your feelings about taking pills, addiction, dependency, and hopefully that helps. They study drug addiction and see many people with your condition.

I am running out of "characters" here so I hope I've given you some good information.

Take Care, Crystal

I was diagnosed 10 yrs ago. I am 38 now. I started waking up and doing a joint of the day check. It was ankles, feet, toes knees,shoulders. I would feel like a tingle in the skin like it was stretching and 1 hr later I had no knuckles and severe pain. Early detection and medication is key. I was started on sulfazine and in 3 months I was pain and swelling free. i went into remission for about 5 yrs. I am now dealing with it again. Now the pain is as intense but no swelling. It has stayed on my hands and shoulders mostly. I am currently on prednisone, sulfasalazine and going to start the Humira inj. tonight. It has not been easy. Prayer has really worked for me but I am in a place right now where I am so emotionally fatigued. I have 3 young children and sometimes I cant hold my infant son or change his diaper because of pain. I have been trying to work through the pain but it has become more and more difficult. May end up going on dissability soon. Do not want to and can't afford it but working through this pain is not easy. Advil,Aleve,Tylenol do not work unless I take a handful. That is not good on my liver or kidneys. The key is to keep positive. Good luck!