Are there any herbs or natural health products that are effective for arthritis to limit the use of methotrexate and cortisone?

Hello,

Unfortunately, there are currently no natural health products that have been proven to control rheumatoid arthritis.The natural products most often used in the treatment of joint pain (glucosamine, NEM, chondroitin, collagen...) help relieve mainly in cases of osteoarthritis. In your case, they would not bring you much relief.

From what I understand of your situation, you are currently taking Methotrexate and risedronate. So you are one of the lucky ones with rheumatoid arthritis who are controlled with only 1 drug (methotrexate).As for risedronate, it is usually prescribed to protect the bones during prolonged prednisone treatments. If prednisone is really stopped in your case, you may want to talk to your pharmacist about stopping risedronate.

I do not recommend that you stop taking Methotrexate if your disease is controlled with this molecule and you do not experience any unpleasant side effects. Indeed, although it is a "chemical" molecule, you must think about the risks you will incur by stopping it. You must keep in mind that rheumatoid arthritis, when poorly controlled, can also affect your heart, lungs and/or blood vessels. People with rheumatoid arthritis, if poorly controlled, also increase their risk of heart death...Know that the decision to stop or continue a medication is always yours, but your decision must be thoughtful, considering the pros and cons of each choice.

Hopefully this answers your questions, don't hesitate if there is anything else!

Catherine Dallaire, pharmacist