I have heard there can be some kind of lung side affect of long term methrotraze. Can you tell me anything about this. I have had a long term cough and can’t seen to get rid of it. I have been on this medicine for over ten years, along with other medication.

My wife has been in treatment for supposed Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis for 10 years. It has affected her back, shoulders, neck, and spine. Though she has joint pain in her hands and knees, and several of her fingers have begun to deform, that pain is mild compared to the other. She has gone through the standard set of single and combination medications, Prednizone, Methotrexate, Remicade w/Methotrexate, Humira w/Methotrexate, and is now through the fifth infusion of Orencia. Her SED rate was 46 when she started the Orencia, and the day of her latest infusion around the 25th of Sept., it was 55. The combination of Remicade with Methotrexate worked the best, but after a while, the dosage had to be continually increased until the onset of Lupus symptoms forced her off the Remicade. She is in so much pain most of the time that she can’t stand up in one place for more than a few minutes before she starts to shake, get nasuated, and has to sit or lie down. The fatigue is chronic, and the combination of Predizone at different times and the nausea causing her to only want ‘bready’ foods or potatoes has caused severe weight gain. The latest suggestion from the Rheumatologist is to go through a couple more Orencia infusions to see if it starts working, and if not, they want to put her on Enbrel. I think it’s time to have a more in-depth study, which I’m sure our medical plan would pay for, but we don’t know where to go or how to do it. Thanks for any help you could provide.

My daughter is thirty years old and is taking Enbrel. When she goes off of it to try and get pregnant. When she goes off of the medicine and hopefully gets pregnant what happens to the Rhematoid arthritis? Does it usually get better or worse? Does it just depend on each person individually? Also after the hopeful successful preganancy how will the rhematoid arthritis be? Is is just a who knows?

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and was told that my lungs are effected. I was told that my lungs had a lot of scar tissue in them. I forgot what medical term was used for this. I was told that they had to control my arthritis so that my lungs dont get so bad that I wont be able to get enough air in them. I have looked all over the internet that I can think of to find information about the lungs concerning this and cant find anything more than that it can affect the heart and lungs, inside and out. Can you tell me how I can get information on this.

I have been using Enbrel for five years and have been bothered by flat warts the last six months or longer. My skin doctor has tried two methods of getting rid of them (Tazorac and liquid nitrogen), but feels my system is not responding due to being on the Enbrel. We will be discussing another approach when I visit mid-January. Is this a common problem?

I’m 6 wks pregnant and was taking mtx I’m pretty bad at taking my medication yet I know I did take it about 1 week before my last menstrual cycle. I then found out I was pregnant but have not taken the medication after that..Is there a chance my child will have birth deffects should I consider terminating my pregnancy? What are the chances?