how long the medications has to go on for JRA?

hi,
i hv JRA since last 10 years.for a few years it went into remisiion.now again i m having aches.my questions are...
1) how long i will have to take medications.?
2)can we have one single tab of methotrexate of 15mg weekly than to 3 of 5mg each?
3)what can be done to overcome side effects of methotrexate besides folic acid?

[txsilver]

I am sorry you are having symptoms again.  I hope you find yourself back in remission soon.  Honestly, how long you have to take the medication depends on your response to it.  Your best bet is to pose this question to your doctor.  I am not aware of a single 15mg pill of methotrexate.  There is the option of giving it as an injection instead of a taking pills.  I did that for awhile.  Really, it was not bad once I learned to relax while I did it and there were fewer side effects, too.  There is another medication you can take exactly 24 hours after you take methotrexate that will help relieve the side effects.  It is called leukovoran and is like the "antidote" to methotrexate.  You cannot take it any sooner than 24 hours after the methotrexate though or you will not get any of the benefit of the methotrexate.  You may also want to talk to your doctor about increasing the folic acid.  Sometimes you can, depending on the dose you are currently on. Hope you feel better soon!