Corticosteroids and Arthritis Q & A

I have had RA since June 2001 for the first 18 months I had steriod injections every 2 months intially and the every 3 months after that while I went through the DMARD’s without sucess. I am now into my fourth year of RA and on my second TNF therapy and yet between Febuary and July I have had 4 injection 2 into muscles and 1 to each of my hips. I always thought that the injections were short term measures until I was stable. What I would like to know is it safe to have had this many? I know that I have definetley had over 20 injections and I am only 29. This really concerns me as I getting paranoid about the risk of osteoporosis. I know of people being refused injections and they can only have 1 or 2 a year.

I am on Prednisone for my RA and will be off of it in two weeks. Today my doctor said that my blood pressure is high(160/100) This is frist time since I start taking Prednisone about 6 months. My BP has always been normal. Once I stop taking Prednisone will my BP go back to normal and how long will it take to go back to normal?

I have just injection in my right knee,[steroid] my doctor said it can last two or twelve months,is this right ,and will it come back worse than before.

I was on 20mg of Prednisone for 3 months and then 15 for a month and 10 for another month. Now my doctor has me to go down to 5mg for two weeks and then off totaly. This is my second day at 5mg and I feel good. Is that considered fast to reduce the Prednisone?

I have been taking prednisone for 2 years and have just tapered it to no more prednisone. Weight has been a problem for me for 30 years. I have lost 15 pounds onWeioght Watchers in the last 3 months. I exercise at a gym for 1 hour a day 5 or 6 days a week, and lift weights on 3 days. Will the difficulty losing weight which has become much worse with prednisone lessen as time goes by?

I have been tapering off prednisone for about 2 years. I am taking 3mg a day and hoping to go down to 2mg next month . I seen to have more stiffness in my joints , but I am determined to completely get off it. I also take 1mg of folic acid a day and 12.5mg of methotrexate a week . Would it help to increase the methotrexate.