Colds and Viruses
Hi everyone. I am a newly diagnosed member of the Psoriatic Arthritis brigade. I suffer pain my feet, ankle, knee, wrist, shoulder and fingers. I have recently been prescribed Methotrexate. I have taken 2 weekly doses now and they knock me sick. Is it normal for people to go through various drugs before finding one that works? Also, I am a little bit anxious about becoming ill. All I have been told is to call the doctor if I get a cold or a sore throat. Is this the reality or can I still get a cold and carry like normal?
Hi @Paul Newman, welcome to our community! I am so glad you found us. I hope our community can help you with any questions and support that you need. Methotrexate is usually the first medication a doctor will prescribe to PsA patients. Unfortunately, this medication can make you sick. If you haven't reached out to your rheumatologist yet, I would encourage you to do so. Sometimes the side effects can be worse than the medicine and you will need to try something else. To answer your question, yes, many of our community members will say they have had to try a few different medications before they found the one that helped them. It is important to keep an open dialogue with your doctor so that they can help you. Many members have suggested keeping a journal to keep track of how they are feeling and when and how often they get symptoms. Everyone is different and reacts differently when they get a cold or sore throat. It is important to remember that you are on a medication that lowers your immune system to fighting infections, so it is a good idea to keep your doctor informed. And it is good for you to keep track so that you know if it is a mild illness or if it becomes a flare up.
I am sending you an article from one of our advocates that talks about her experience with horrible side effects: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/side-effects-feel-worse-than-psa. I am also sending you this article from another advocate with tips for trying to stay healthy: https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/exposure-germs. I hope these articles can help. We are here for you. Jill, Team Member
Thanks Jill.
Welcome to our community @Paul Newman. I am a team member with Jill. We are certainly glad you are here. I had the same reaction to Methotrexate when I was on it. However, I do know people that have not had any major reaction to it so maybe it will calm down a bit for you once your body gets used to it. That is my hope for you anyway. It can take several attempts to find a treatment that works for you. The thing is it is important to keep trying until you do. Psoriatic arthritis can cause irreversible damage if not treated. Wow I must say I am a little surprised at how urgent they made it sound if you get a cold to call the doctor. I was never told that. Maybe it has something to do with CoVid but I can't be sure of that. You will learn to navigate through this. We will be here to help you should you need any information. There are great articles you can read that will help fill in some blanks for you. Again welcome to our community. Vickie W., Team Member
