Question
I am writing in for my sister-in-law. She has been diagnosed with SLE and is having a very rough time. As of now, she is being treated with methotrexate (injection) and prednisone. We have heard about a treatment combining MTX with another medication that, in some patients, has reduced or eliminating the need for the steroids. Do you have any facts on this; if so, please share them with me. Also, do you know of medications that will help her have more energy throughout her treatments?
Answer
This is a hard question to answer without knowing more about your sister’s problems and past history. Many agents have been used to try to “spare” prednsione usage. They include methotrexate, plaquenil, cellcept, imuran. She needs to discuss these possibilities with her rheumatologist. Fatigue is a difficult problem and generally is best treated with conservative measures (rest, exercise) rather than medications. Also there should be an assessment for depression.
