Methodrexate

[simon newman]

I have been on Pred for about 10 months and am now down to 13mg per day - but my WG specialist here in France has changed me to Methodrexate (10mg rising to 15mg pere week) starting this week (with an overlap Pred period.)

Can ayone help me with my apprehensions, which are mainly to do with the possible side effects - nausea, vomiting, hair loss etc - thanks, Simon

[oaktreehill]

Hey simon..

Ive been on methotrexate since June 2010. Started on 15mg and now on a constant 20mg per week. I think I have been fortunate with it so far... I take mine on a Friday morning and do experiance increased tiredness on the following saturday especially. Occasionally I will feel a little nausea but never been a problem. Apart from that I have suffered a little hair loss - nothing that is noticable though. Just noticed from brushing and in the shower that more hair comes out that normal.

I did have one abnormal blood test result last August when I originally increased it to 20mg per week. I had increased liver enzymes and had to come off it for a few weeks to normalise the liver but apart from that nothing major. Hope everything goes well with you first dose.

[Hammy8241]

Been on Mtx for over a year now on larger doses (both oral then injection)than you with no known side effects. . Some do have problems - like many things in life, whats is good for one may not be so good for others - hope you are in the former group.

[simon newman]

Thanks for letting me know experiences - a problem shared and all that !!!!

[simon newman]

Thanks for that - good to hear of your lack of side effects - Simon

[Sangye]

Hi Simon, I was only briefly on mtx injections but didn't notice any side effects. (I was in pretty terrible shape already, so that data might not count!) I have noticed a trend on here-- people taking the injections say they experience fewer side effects versus the oral.

It's always scary starting a new drug.

[simon newman]

thanks for this info, Simon

[jtausan]

HI Simon,

I have been on oral Methetrexate for a year now. I started off at 10mg week but am now up to 20mg a week. I take mine on Saturday night at bedtime. When I first started taking it I got a really bad headache right away, but now that Ive been taking in for a while I might just get a slight headache. I have increased tiredness on Sunday's. That's why I take it on the weekends so as not to affect my work during the week. I am also on 10mg of Prednisone and honestly I think that bothers me more.
I hope that helps.
Jodi

[JanW]

Hi, Simon: I am on 17.5 mg of mtx (no pred) and have never had a problems. Been on this dosage since last March. Hope you are the same It got my disease into remission by last summer and if I continue to feel so well my doc will start reducing at my next visit, hoping to get me med free.

[malin]

I've been on oral MTX for almost 7 years now and in the begining I suffered some nausea, fatigue and so on, but I can't say for sure all of it was down to MTX since I was suffering so bad from Wegeners itself along with pred and other meds.

But I can def. say that I suffer some nausea from mtx, even now, 7 years later I still feel slightly ill the next day or so, but not as bad as it was in the begining. I haven't suffered any hair "loss" but my hair quality is def. poorer than what it used to be, a lot thinner and just generally worse...