MTX side efffects

[maria garcia]

When taking MTX do you start feeling more side effects as time goes by? Im assuming by the meds supressing the immune system you get more suceptible to more infections and does your body feel weaker?Im trying to find out what to excpect in the next months. Today my daughter took her second dose. She asked me if she is soppose to get more side effects as the months past. Any Answers?

[pberggren1]

I honestly do not know. But with any immunosuppression there is always increased risk of infections.

I was on mtx twice but do not remember any bad side effects.

[Al]

When taking MTX do you start feeling more side effects as time goes by? Im assuming by the meds supressing the immune system you get more suceptible to more infections and does your body feel weaker?Im trying to find out what to excpect in the next months. Today my daughter took her second dose. She asked me if she is soppose to get more side effects as the months past. Any Answers?

I can't tell you about MTX specifically, Maria, because I don't take it. Many others here do, though, and will be sharing their experiences with it. About immuosuppresion in general, I can share this: Yes, you are at a higher risk for infection. This does not mean you can't live a mostly normal life, but it is a good idea to avoid large, rowdy crowds, those especially where people you know are sick are going to be getting too personal, like yelling in your face. Your body does not necessarily feel weaker. WIth some drugs, you have to keep checking the blood tests for indications of anemia. I am myself technically anemic, although I (usually) have enough energy to put in a full day's work. Part of this is, I think, that the prednisone counteracts the anemia to some extent. When I ws on a high dose, I regularly got up before 6:00 in the morning which was, both before and after, an unknown experience for me! And yes, side effects can change, but most of the changes, I think, are due to changes in dosage, or new medicines, or diet ( after starting Imuran, I found that some foods I could not stomach). But all these vary a lot from person to person, so all we can do is report our personal experiences, along with the standard list of side effects.

Al

[mishb]

Maria, I have been on MTX since April this year and my rheumy said it takes at least 6 to 8 weeks to settle in.
I have had no side effects whatsoever from it.

I'm sure the drooling from the mouth, :drool: :drool: the hump on the back and the twitch of the second head attached to my shoulders has nothing to do with any MTX side effects.......sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously though, I just take the normal precautions in regards to sick people, as Al has mentioned, and haven't seen any problems yet, in the past 7 months.....I am currently taking 20mg

[maria garcia]

Thank you that makes me feel much better. I though that when the MTX starts working on the cells or whatever it does inside the body the patient would feel weeker like chemo (cancer pts).

I feel much better. We do have an appointment in a month with the rheumy and her bloodwork wil be checked.

[Hammy8241]

Been on Mtx for three years, no problems.

[Dirty Don]

As Al suggested, just be alert to major or minor changes in numbers in tests AND how your body is performing. I've been on mtx, low dosage, for a while now. Except for dosaging adjustments, have had no problems to date.

[gurinbasra]

Been on Methotrexate first orally - which did make me sick, but now for the past 2 years and currently via injections and everything's just fine! Don't feel any different the Thursday mornings I take it (25mg). Sometimes I get the needle jitters, but I calm my mind down and get on with it.

[Dryhill]

I have been taking 20mg of Methotrexate orally and have had no side effects. My doctor told me I should also have 5mg of Folic Acid three days after taking the Methotrexate, and in the UK the NHS insists anyone on Methotrexate must have a blood test every two weeks.

Just to reinforce what others have said, yes the immune system is suppressed so a person is more at risk of infection. All my family and friends know not to visit me if they have a bad cold/flu/infection but one still has to lead a "normal" life like going shopping. Like most things in life one has got to weigh up the pro's and con's - last night I went out to a church fundraising function partly to support the church but also because I wanted some company. I decided the risk was worth taking.

[Al]

Just to reinforce what others have said, yes the immune system is suppressed so a person is more at risk of infection. All my family and friends know not to visit me if they have a bad cold/flu/infection but one still has to lead a "normal" life like going shopping. Like most things in life one has got to weigh up the pro's and con's - last night I went out to a church fundraising function partly to support the church but also because I wanted some company. I decided the risk was worth taking.

As I have said before, it is not easy to be a complete human in an isolation bubble. We are social animals, and so much of our nature is tied up with this fact. There are trade-offs, of course, when the immune system is suppressed. On the whole, however, I truly believe in the therapeutic value of (careful) participation--to the extent that you enjoy it!

Al

[vdub]

I took mtx orally for 18 months. The first 11 was at 15mg/week and no problem. The last 7 months was at 25mg/week and I definitely felt sick for the first 3 days after taking it. Fatiqued, indgestion, irritable, over heating, and just generally crappy. I was glad to get off it.....

[malin]

I've been on oral MTX for about 7 years now, the first year was hell but I don't know how much of the "effects" I was experiencing was down to MTX or just wegs generally... but I would say it took me about a year to "settle" down with MTX but even now I still sometimes feel ill the day after taking mtx and I do suffer from fatigue but again, can't say if that is down to mtx or wegs but probably both! :p

[Chris G]

It's impossible to say how your daughter's body will react to mtx. Her dose is very low. Many of us have been at doses as high as 30mg per week. Side effects at that dose could/would be greater than at 15mg. That is to say.....if she's even going to feel any side effects at all. Many people here have few or no side effects.

For me, I had to stop taking it, as the side effects were not tolerable. But that's just ME. To drive my point home, I recently found out that my friend's dad takes mtx for R.A. His dose is a whopping 60mg per week! I about fell off my chair when he told me. He has no noticeable side effects at all!!! I was astounded.

If you have anxiety about your daughter's drugs, she will feel your anxiety. You could possibly be prompting her to EXPECT side effects that may never come. I know it's so hard when our kids are sick, but try to play it cool if you can. If you can't, then pretend :tongue1:

So, meanwhile.......have you seen improvement with her eyes, sinuses & cough yet???

[Dirty Don]

For those interested, I am on what I thought was a low dosage of mtx, 12.5/week...but I did experience some lethargy and nausea early on in treatment. As the doc adjusted the time, not the amount, I now take the same amount, all in one day, but 12 hours apart...the lethargy has subsided relative to the mtx, so has the nausea...all seems well, numbers are good, getting more active...blah blah blah! Take care

[Tim Roberts]

Maria: Just a few comments about the side effects of methotrexate. I was diagnosed with wegner's in August of 2009 and I started on 60 mg of prednisone and on 20 mg of methotrexate orally. After 8 months I was finished with the prednisone but I took the methotrexate at the same dose orally for about a year and a half. It made me feel pretty crappy the day I took it and kind of washed out the next day. I talked to my rheumatologist and we agreed that I should take it by injection rather than orally. That really improved the side effects. Since then, my doctor has reduced my dose to 15 mg by injection weekly and the side effects are almost gone. My advice, simply based on my experience, is to inquire about taking it by injection. Not only is it better absorbed by the body but the side effects are usually much less. I know it sounds difficult to give yourself an injection but it really isn't that bad and she will get used to it in no time. I hope this helps.

[maria garcia]

Christina is doing well with MTX no side effects, next doctors appointment we will know how her blood work is. I know I can't keep her in a bubble and trust me, she is not. She just got her car this year and she is out and about. Actually Ive probably have been more linient with her than her older sister when she was her age. About Germs there is probably more germs in the house. I have a preschooler who just started school this year and has cought every cold and my older daughter also has gotten sick she had Mano. So it been hard to keep the germs away. But so far christina has done very well.

[delorisdoe]

I did not get sick more often while on cytoxan. I did not avoid public places as I worked with the public and had no choice in the matter. I became more afraid of getting sick once I was done all treatment as I worried that a virus or bacteria would trigger a relapse.

[Dennis J.]

Maria thanks for asking this question. I just started MTX about 3 weeks ago, after a horriable experiance with AZA. I never asked this question because it didn't put me back in the hospital like the AZA did. I'm glad you did and allthe best to your daughter.