What’s it like to *still* be on methotrexate? Updates from Paulina, Ananthi and Jo

 Paulina, Ananthi and Jo update the audience about their methotrexate journeys for rheumatoid arthritis, including having to titrate the dosage up or down due to liver enzyme numbers, decisions about whether to add a biologic medication in addition to methotrexate, and reflections on the emotional ups and downs of living with a chronic, unpredictable illness during a pandemic.This episode is a follow up to episode 45 (which was originally recorded in July 2020), where eight patients shared their experiences taking methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. Today’s episode was recorded in the fall of 2021.Episode at a glance:Paulina provides an update to her methotrexate journey and what has helped her cope with the ups and downs of rheumatoid arthritisAnanthi shares how she initially tolerated methotrexate but her liver enzymes went up so she had to fiddle around with the dosage a bit to get to a just right amountReflections on the need to stay on top of tracking our bloodwork and take charge of our careJo explains how she felt she wasn’t able to control her disease well with methotrexate alone but her doctor did not think she qualified yet for biologics, which was a very sad and frustrating experienceEveryone reflects on how the pandemic continues to affect their ability to make appointments and see their doctorsWe reflect on the limitations of standardized assessments for rheumatoid arthritisEveryone gives a piece of wisdom for listenersMedical disclaimer:All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.Episode SponsorsRheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected. See all the details and join the program or waitlist now! Full Episode DetailsFor full episode details including a complete transcript, please go to the show page on the Arthritis Life Website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.