Rheumatoid Arthritis with a manual job

[dollybird]

DH was diagnosed with RA in October and started treatment with methotrexate in November. He is self employed in a manual job which he loves, and is really worried about how he will be able to manage long term. So far he's only seen minimal improvement, but appreciates it's early days, and I think he's still coming to terms with his diagnosis. He doesn't want to accept that his body might not be able to work as hard as it used to, so still (IMO) pushes himself too hard.

Add to this, at his check up last week, they weren't happy with his liver results from his blood test at the beginning of January, so he had another blood test. It seems his liver isn't tolerating the methotrexate, so he's had to stop taking it until he has another blood test next Friday (14th). His symptoms already seem to be flaring up.

So, I have two questions, are there any other drugs which don't affect the liver, and does anyone have any positive stories of managing with RA whilst doing a manual job? He's never done anything else, and I worry that not being able to work will really affect his mental health.

There are lots of different drugs for RA, I think methotrexate is often one of the first they try. I have been on hydroxychloroquine for five years. It does control it quite well but even when I have no joint pain I don't really have the stamina I used to have. I do still get ""flares" from time to time and while painkillers help with the joints they dont help the fatigue which imo is a very big part of RA.
It's very possible that another drug will work for your DH. He should ask for some anti inflammatory drugs to help tide him over meanwhile.

Thanks quirrels. It feels like at the moment, as it's still early days, that the pain us the worst thing, but he has said that he doesn't have the stamina he used to. He thought that was the drugs, but it's been two weeks since he took anything and he's still knackered. He's hoping he will still be able to do some work, but it's hard trying to decide which work is the best to give up.