Hi again,
Been a while since I posted, but I still lurk and read.
I had a pretty good year up until a few months ago - had about 10 months where I was feeling good, with just minor flares and I was going to the gym, working out, getting fit. That lasted till Febuary, when it kicked in and since then I've been in whole new levels of pain and reduced movement... all my joints are affected, as well as my back and my neck. (I have psoriatic arthritis, for those that dont know)
I went to the rheumy yesterday, and she has put me on 15mg of Methotrexate and 20 mg of Prednisone. The Methotrexate builds weekly from 2.5mg to 15mg over 4 weeks, and the Prednisone reduces after two weeks by 5mg a week until it remains on 5mg.
I guess this is pretty routine, but it seems like the docs are bringing out the big guns now because I'm in such pain.
The point of my post is that I just appreciated that it's for ever: it's not going to go away -it's something I'll always have to deal with.
I asked the rheumy how long I would need to take the Methotrexate for: She said it was long term.
"For ever?" I asked
"No, not for ever"
"Well, how long?"
"It depends how you go"
It's much like when I emigrated to New Zealand from England. When I first arrived I bought lots of postcards to send 'home' - something I'd traditionally do on holiday the day before I left to go home. Those postcards still sit in my drawer...
