Question
Dear Sir/Madam I am 64 years old. Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with RA and several years later, with Fibromyalga. For the past six years, I have been taking methotrexate, enbrel, plaquinil and codeine for pain relief. I recently consulted my family doctor about unexplained weight gain, unusual because my appetite is poor. He is having numerous tests done which hopefully will explain the edema which he thinks I have. I am undergoing all the tests,but can the drugs I am taking possibly be a cause of the edema? Thanks for your time.
Answer
HI Mary,
In general, the drugs that you list do not cause edema. The arthritis drugs that can cause edema are the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, etc.
