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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / January 2005Question regarding MTX and Remicade
For people who have gotten relief from MTX alone: When the relief started, how far into treatment were you, and how quickly did you feel better once it "kicked in"? Same question for people on Remicade. I'm on my 4th week of MTX alone, and I've recently lost the use of my right hand, the tendons are inflamed, and I can't straighten out my fingers. I'd like to have some idea of what to expect if the MTX starts working soon. > For people who have gotten relief from MTX alone: When the relief > started, how far into treatment were you, and how quickly did you feel [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > inflamed, and I can't straighten out my fingers. I'd like to have some > idea of what to expect if the MTX starts working soon. Hi Ben,,, You do not say how much Mtx you are taking each week which has a great deal to do with how you feel and what it is doing. I had to get to 15.0 mg a week for a couple of weeks before I started to feel the kick in. I stayed at 17.5 mg for several years and was able to continue to work and support my family/. Good luck with it. Harv I started right out with 15mg/week. I know it can tike a while to feel the effects, so once it starts to work, how quickly does it reach it's full effect? >I started right out with 15mg/week. I know it can tike a while to feel > the effects, so once it starts to work, how quickly does it reach it's > full effect? Hi Ben, One of the reasons we come together here to talk about what we have and what we take for it is,,,,,, it is going to be different for you than with some people. The best I can remember is that it took over 2 months for it to kick in for me. The important point here is that Remicade is really the one that is going to control you immune system and the Methx is to help to keep you from having a reaction to the Remicade. Some people use Arava and some people use nothing to do this. Harv MTX kicked in right away for me, a couple of weeks and I was at least able to get around. I had to stay home from work for 8 weeks before the inflammation was down enough so my joints weren't in danger. I've been on MTX now for 7 years and haven't had problem. We each react differently of course I've been trying to move to Humaria but every time I begin to reduce the MTX I start to have problems. I know some who didn't do well on MTX but were fine on the newer drugs. In the end it's all about attitude, patience and a good doctor (easy to say now!!). Best of luck. Ralph > For people who have gotten relief from MTX alone: When the relief > started, how far into treatment were you, and how quickly did you feel [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > inflamed, and I can't straighten out my fingers. I'd like to have some > idea of what to expect if the MTX starts working soon. Please let me just add,,,, unless you are having blood count, liver and other problems,,,, you do not have to reduce the Methx until after you are doing well on another DMARD and we have some people that have reduced Methx or Arava very little because it takes a combo for them to have control of their immune system. Harv > MTX kicked in right away for me, a couple of weeks and I was at least able > to get around. I had to stay home from work for 8 weeks before the [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >> inflamed, and I can't straighten out my fingers. I'd like to have some >> idea of what to expect if the MTX starts working soon. > For people who have gotten relief from MTX alone: When the relief > started, how far into treatment were you, and how quickly did you feel > better once it "kicked in"? I built up over a couple of months from 7.5 mg/week to 15 mg/week, then after I'd been at the 15 mg level for about a month I began to see some improvement. That got even better when we increased it to 20 mg. But it all began to fail for me a few months later. My RD at the time told me it takes a while to kick in and it usually does so slowly.  SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare Started MTX the mid of Nov 04.....was feeling more energy almost immediately. Joint relief got progressively better for the next 4 weeks. Janet R : For people who have gotten relief from MTX alone: When the relief : started, how far into treatment were you, and how quickly did you feel [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] : inflamed, and I can't straighten out my fingers. I'd like to have some : idea of what to expect if the MTX starts working soon. |
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