Great advice.

There aren’t any “safe” alternatives. Even prednisone can cause issues like diabetes (with long term use). Diet and exercise can help, but these meds help slow down or stop disease progression.
I get it though. I drove myself crazy when I was first diagnosed 10 years ago. I read everything I could get my hands on regarding RA and the meds. So what changed? I had a total body flare in December of 2018 and was in the most intense pain that I’ve ever been in. I made up my mind that if meds would help (I had stopped taking all RA meds because my husband had convinced me that I was poisoning myself), I would stop worrying about every possible side effect. (Now if I notice anything new, I do let my doctor know. I’m talking about the “what if’s”.) I would rather have a better quality of life than quantity.

I handle meds like a champ. Very little effects me and I have a super high pain tolerance. That drug is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Doctors minimize how bad it is. As it is the go to for this disease and the most likely to be approved for insurance. It is so debilitating and interfiers with virtually any mental health medication one is likely to be in as a result of how long this takes to diagnose that the FDA has started new studies aimed at banning it for anyone other than cancer patients.

MTX is scary. There are a few things you can do to help with side effects. Injections have fewer side effects. If you take it in the evening, the theory is, you'll sleep through any nausea. Take the lowest dose that will work. Take the prescribed amount of folic acid, and 8-12 hours after the injection take Leucovor/Leucovorin. It's a prescription strength folic acid. I took it for a long time. It works for a lot of patients.

how is the hydroxchloriquine working for you. are those pills or shots?