Hi Mel. I'm from Sydney, have had sero negative arthritis for 4 years and have just this year been started on Orencia, as well as mtx and prednisone and mobic this makes up my cocktail to control the RA symptoms. I only work parttime but find that panadeine forte is not enough. I was referred to the Pain management clinic at RPA and since then have been prescribed Norspan patches. I still take the panadeine forte for BT pain if I need to, or I have stronger meds if things get out of hand.
In the early stages its frustrating waiting for the meds to kick in. Mtx can take 2 months before you notice any improvement. Higher doses of prednisone like for me 50mg for 3 days or a pulse of it, can give fairly good relief within a day or two.
You're in the early stage of just waiting to see what will work for you. 10mg of mtx never helped me, it wasn't until I'd gone up to 20 that I noticed an imprvement but I know some people who are on 7.5mg! So it just depends on how your body copes.
Come and rave anytime, its not an easy disease to deal with , you can have some very debilitating flares at times when you're overdoing it and its very hard to pace yourself. But welcome , welcome, good to meet a fellow Ausie, golitho 