Achy joints drug agony revealed

THREE-quarters of arthritis sufferers stop taking medication due to unbearable side effects, according to a new survey.

The gold-standard treatment, methotrexate, has long been associated with nausea, headaches and fatigue.

And, according to the poll of more than 500 rheumatoid arthritis patients, half skip medication for days at a time, and about 70 per cent stop taking it.

The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society’s research found that 40 per cent of patients feel their concerns are ignored. Only nine per cent said their doctor had explained all the ways they could take the treatment – by injection, pills or liquid medicine. Clare Jacklin, the society’s chief executive, said: ‘Knowing all the options and feeling involved in decision-making is shown to result in better adherence and improved relief.’