Question about Methotrexate

GammaBx3

Hello,

I'm on 20.0 methotrexate (8 pills) weekly. I take mine every Friday night, just an hour or two before bedtime. I also take 1 folic acid every day. When I went from 6 pills to 8 pills weekly, I did get a little nauseous. However, I then took a med called Leucovorin (sp?), which definately helped me for a week or two. I then stopped taking that and I haven't had any major side effects.

Once in-awhile, but not every week, I might wake up the following morning, a little bit tired than normal with a slight headache. But this passes within a few hours.

I cannot take Enbrel due to the bad reaction I had to Humira. I am no longer considered a good candidate for any of the TNF drugs.

Good luck and if you have any more questions, please post! Be happy to help you, if I can.

GammaB

kab031550

Thank you so much for the reply GammaB! I appreciate your response so soon to me! I am hoping there will be minimal effects from either of these meds.

countrygal

GammaB , what kind of side effects did u have to Humira? Did you take it for awhile before reaction or was it the first dose? Thanks for any info you provide. Which type of arthritis do you have? If you dont mind me asking.

GammaBx3

Hi Countrygal,

I have RA, diagnosed in January 2002.

After my 3rd shot of Humira (so the 3rd week of treatment), I noticed my feet, hands, and facial area (tip of nose down to chin) going numb. And then I would get what I refer to as "bee-sting" bites throughout my body. Of course, being the bull-headed person that I am, I refused to call the doctor. On my 4th shot, these symptoms got worse and I had to. Immediate stop to the Humira. It took months and months for these to go away. Rheumatologist says those reactions can happen, but they are so extremely rare. I should have known this medicine was too good to be true to me as I had no problems taking the shots and doing them myself.

Any other questions, let me know...

GammaB

Donte

I started taking 7.5 mg of Metho 4 weeks ago. The first week I experienced some slight nausea throughout the following day and little bit of the next day along with a slight headache and tiredness. They went away after the second day. The 2nd week was a little better with a lessening of those symptoms. The 3rd week, I didn't notice any symptoms. My doctor increased my dose to 15 mg starting my 4th week, which I took yesterday. I slept a lot after I took it and woke up this morning not feeling very well. Just tired and not like myself. Some stomach discomfort too. But, now in the late afternoon, it seems to have subsided. When I took the three pills, I took them all at the same time. This time, with the 15 mg., I split them up taking 3 in the early afternoon and 3 at night.

Good luck with your new meds. I hope they work well for you. I've heard good things about Enbrel. If I don't start feeling a benefit from the Metho in another month, my doctor is going to add Enbrel.

Zsofia

i refuse to take metho. NO WAY!

did it before . . . . never again. it always made me feel tired, sick and weak. i was pranoid about loosing my hair, i was just constantly sick.

no way. thank GOD for humira. amen.

please please please never stop working.

candibar

Hi!

I have been doing methotrexate for 2 weeks. No side effects. I am making sure I get all my vitamins daily and take some herbs to protect my liver. Among the vitamins I take are folic acid drops I got from a naturopath. I also drink "green" drinks, eat lots of salad and fruit, etc. I am trying to make up to my body for this medicine. Obviously, all these drugs can be toxic, so I will be doing my followup labs to keep close tabs on my liver/kidneys. Oh yes, I also drink half my body weight in ounces of filtered water every day. That helps to wash things out.

Hope this helps

__________________
~ Candibar

mimi423

Hi,

I take 3 metho pills a week and two folic acid pills a day. I have never had any side effect what so ever from the metho, I take them all at once with as much water as I can stand, you'd almost think I was taking sugar pills, no reaction at all. Maybe I'm lucky. I will say that I think my hair is thinning a little on top but that could be age too, I'm 49.

Zsofia

unfortunately i don't remember my dosage, but i was taking it every day and it just made me feel like i was being "dulled" in a way? very flu-like sick and every joint in my body hurt bad. i felt like a ghost of me was walking around and i used to imagine my body's pain tolerance as a circuit board. when i hurt all over, my little red LED lights were all blinking eradically out of control.

of course this was when my RF was very high and i was somewhat anemic too. i hope i never have to go back there again.

lawjockey

I'm on my 4th week of six pills and one tab of folic acid daily. I take mine all at once every Saturday morning, however I might have to change that since on the days where I take the metho, I can't take my OTC painkillers, which makes saturdays a little too difficult for me. Other then that however, I really haven't had any side effects, on the flip side, I haven't really noticed any improvement either.

Lady Olivia

Hi,

I was on methx for four months. It was the worst four months of my life. It triggered off early menopause made me feel really sick and put me in hospital when my oesaphagus shut down all together. It is now nearly eighteen months later and several other meds that I am getting back to normal. My hair fell out as well on the methx and I just couldn't function properly mentally or physically. I wouldn't recommend it unfortunately to anyone. I am on humira and it is great. I also take glaucosamine which really helps. I have had one flare up in the last few months not bad considering i was having my knees drained nearly every fortnight on the methx.
Just remember what works great for some wont always work for you. You have to find your cocktail.
Good luck
Kind regards
Olivia

ariom99

Hi, I was diagnosed with RA 11 years ago, and tried everything. Unfortunately I am hugely sensitive to most drugs, and drove my Doctor mad with constant changing. I tried Methotrexate tabs once, but was so sick my Dr. taught me how to self inject it. I injected 7mls every Tuesday for years, and also took 2mg of Prednisalone a day.
I wasn't happy about injecting poison and started researching alternative therapies because I just never felt right.
I decided to have surgery to bring my fingers back to where they should be, (straight!) That was done by splitting the tendons and wrapping them around the knuckles. It was a long process of recovery, wearing an "Outrigger" which was a strange apparatus that scared young children. I looked like the "Terminator".
I started with aromatherapy oils, having a remedial massage every two weeks, Lyprinol (green lipped mussell extract), probiotics, and some other vitamins. The only medication I take these days is a small dose of Prednisalone. I have never looked back. If I get a flare I take some paracetamol.
This is my first post, sorry if it's too long winded.

mattb23

Hi all,
I've been taking methotrexate for 2 months now and haven't had any side effects, they seem to be working to as my inflammatory markers are coming down all the time, and i'm feeling more able to get on with everyday tasks. Two questions for all you metho takers!! Is it okay to drink any alcohol at all while taking the meds? and in the US it seems you take folic acid everyday, is this correct? In the UK we only take 1 5mg tablet every week!! Would I benefit from taking more folic acid and why? I think thats three questions!
thanks matt.

bmw0323

Hi I have been on Metho for over 4 years at 25mg once a week and have not had a problem. Also I am taking enbrel 25mg twice a week. This has been the best I have felt in 22 years of having Psoriatic arthritis .