Hi Shannon,

I don't have AS - I have rheumatoid arthritis, although there are many similarities, both being an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis.

I can answer your question about methotrexate as that is the drug I take to control my RA. The drug has been around for a long time and is probably still the most commonly prescribed drug for inflammatory arthritis. It can be taken in pill form or by injection. I originally took it by mouth but began to develop quite severe nausea for a couple of days after taking it so switched to injecting it once a week which has significantly reduced the nausea problem.

Although methotrexate (mtx) is often taken on its own, it is commonly prescribed to take at the same time as one of the TNF drugs, like simponi and humira, because it appears to reduce the chances that the TNF will stop being effective or make the TNF more effective.

All the drugs used to treat inflammatory arthritis carry a degree of risk. Each individual has to balance the challenges of the arthritis against the risks of the treatment. In my case, I would be disabled by now if I wasn't taking mtx. You will no doubt learn all about the different treatments, their risks, their benefits and their effectiveness.

You will find different members on KA often hold quite strong views about the various available treatments. Some members hate mtx and will tell you not to take it, others fear the risks of TNFs; some will swear by a particular treatment because it has worked so well for them. I believe all these views, both positive and negative, are valid because they reflect the experiences and beliefs of the many individuals who contribute to KA. My recommendation is that you do the maximum research you can, both on KA and on other sites, talk to your doctors and make the best decisions you can for yourself. Stay hopeful, treatment is improving all the time as new research develops fresh understanding about autoimmune illnesses.

The best of luck to you.

Wendy

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Methotrexate, Celebrex, Plaquenil