Question
I have rheumatiod arthritis. I am on 20mg per week of Methotrexate and a NSAID. I just tappered totaly off Prednisone. Should I tapper off the NSAID and only be on Methotrexate or is most people on some kind of NSAID for the rest of their lives?
Answer
Many but not all patients remain on NSAIDs. NSAIDs help osteoarthritis or soft tissue problems (tendinitis, bursitis) that often accompanies RA. However, since the introduction of the TNF inhibitors that greatly improved RA treatment, and with the safety concerns recently raised about NSAIDs, I think many more patients are using NSAIDS on an as needed basis.
