Confused and Scared

Hi,
I'm so grateful that I found this forum.I'm a 45-year-old female and recently received an autoimmune arthritis diagnosis from a Rheumatologist (still to be decided whether it's RA or PsA) after I developed pain in both middle finger PIP joints that has lasted for 10 weeks. My left middle finger has slight swelling and hardening on the right side of the joint. Both joints hurt when holding something heavier or grasping something (e.g. pulling covers over myself at night). The immediate pain I get is a sharp shooting sensation but it subsides pretty quickly. While I do experience stiffness or tightness in the morning after waking up it gets better quickly. My pinky fingers PIP joints, and wrists also ache but much less than the middle fingers.

The rheumatologist ordered blood work but everything came back normal. He did a thorough exam and thinks there is some minimal swelling and tenderness in my toes as well as the lower back. I am still awaiting an MRI of the back and x-rays of the toes (X-rays of the hands had been ordered previously but no changes were found). I have a family history of psoriasis but do not have it myself.

The rheumatologist suggested I start Methotrexate – 25mg/week. This came as a shock, especially after reading about the side effects. I told him that I was not ready and wanted to learn more about the disease first. He prescribed a course of Meloxicam but stated that early intervention with Methotrexate can possibly lead to full remission and/or better overall prognosis.

I would love to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience, given that I have very minor pain and feel completely healthy otherwise. I'm scared to take Methotrexate for a condition that currently does not have a definitive diagnosis.

Thank you for reading my lengthy post. Your feedback and advice are greatly appreciated!

Hi Mary,
Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate you sharing your experience with Methotrexate. I can't imagine it's been easy for you, having to deal with RA for so long. However, it sounds like it didn't stop you from pursuing your goals and dreams! It makes me feel a lot better about starting it. I wish you all the best! 😊

Hi Sue,
Thank you for your response. I'm glad that you are not experiencing any side effects! It makes me hopeful that in case I do need to start Methotrexate that it won't be so bad.
I actually ended up switching rheumatologists and my new doctor has been fine with taking a more conservative approach. I'm currently following a very strict anti-inflammatory diet and actually feel that it's making a difference. So far I haven't started on DMARDs.Things seem to have stabilized and I only have minimal discomfort. I had a follow-up ultrasound and x-rays done last week. I'll find out if there have been any changes at my next appointment and if she thinks I should start on Methotrexate sooner than later.
Again, thanks for your kind words of support; it means a lot to me! All the best to you!