Hello all,

I'm Michele, 37, F. Have had P for what seems like forever,
although it is usually mild. The week before Thanksgiving my hands
swelled and got a horrible rash that looked like blood blisters.
The blisters later "peeled" off. My GP sent me to a rheumy who said
it is PA. The dermo was already giving me minocycline 100 mg/day
for acne and hydrocortizone cream 2.5% for P. After I came back
with 5 allergic reactions to 5 different NSAIDs (including
ibuprofen - never had that happen before!) we gave that up and he
gave me methotrexate 12.5 1x week and Folic Acid.

Now I feel like this PA stuff is just here to torture me. It seems
like every day a different body part hurts and is swollen, red and
painful. Is it normal for this to "chase" around the body like
this? Also, other than Tylenol (which does nothing) what can I do
for pain? I do not want to take codiene and be goofy all the time.

Also, I started reading about MTX and one of the listed side effects
is hair loss. Does this really happen? Because I do not like that
idea.

Thanks for your feedback and I hope all of you have a happy,
healthy, pain-free year!

Michele