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Thread: Methotrexate side effects - when do they kick in

  1. #11
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    Been on it since March and have had no side effects at all -- wouldn't even know I was taking it if I didn't pop the pills myself. I'm on 17.5 mg/week.

    Although I've seen many on here struggle with side effects, one of the reasons that it's so popular in my doc's practice (particularly for RA patients) is the lack of prominent side effects, even at the highest dose he prescribes (32.5 mg), and people's ability to stay on it for years. You just can't drink much alcohol (some docs say none at all).

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    I've had the occasional glass of wine and all is good, just monitoring the liver since always high levels of markers.
    Jolanta

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    Hi Jola, I'll bear that in mind when you are next in London!!
    So sad we didnt get to meet up this time, but great to chat on the phone (love your accent!!)

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    Andrew, what the heck is going on here? You sound worse off than I do now. Is the rib broken at all? Did you have an x-ray? I sure hope you get feeling better soon. We know what you are going through.

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    If Andrew's is anything like the ones I suffer, they sort of go pop and give way. Probably not a total break, but it takes a few weeks for it to stop hurting and some days are worse than others.
    Jack

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    Andrew, I have been taking methotexate for almost a year and a half since my diagnosis in August of 2009. Up until about 2 months ago, I took 20 mg. a week orally. Most weeks I would feel nauseated the day I took it and then just "off" the next day - still a little nauseated but mainly tired and just not myself. I disliked the side effects enough that I talked to my doctor and changed from taking it orally to taking it by injection at the same dosage, again just once a week. I greatly prefer the injections as I have little if any side effects and I would strongly encourage anyone who is experiencing discomfort taking methotrexate orally to consider the injections. They are really very simpe and painless and actually the medication is less expensive as well. I hope this helps.

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    I was on mtx for about 9 months. Initially 20mg per week and this was upped to 25mg after about 6 months when some wg symptoms were creeping up. Folic acid was taken on day 3 after the mtx.

    I hated the tablets with a passion - generally felt down the following day (Sunday) after taking it, but was usually good for work by the Monday morning! It wasn't until I flared about 6 weeks ago, stopping the mtx and starting the cyclophosphamide again, that I realise how bad I felt - not sure how much of it was mtx and how much was wg. Certainly the initial upping of the pred 10 fold and starting the cyclo I feel so much better again. I did react a bit to the second cyclo infusion but I can tolerate a couple of bad days every 3 weeks better than bad days every week!

    I cracked a rib back in June / July, leraning over the side of my dinghy! It has never been teh same since!

    I was going to have a colonoscopy the day after I flared as my bloods were showing bad signs - this was cancelled when I flared and, since coming off the mtx, those readings have started to recover, to the point where they don't feel it is now necessary!

    I believe I am going to go onto azathioprine after this cyclo round.

    There is an interesting article about mtx in the following document link - ACR/ARHP Wednesday/Thursday Daily News 2010
    Last edited by pwc51; 12-02-2010 at 10:09 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by pberggren1 View Post
    Andrew, what the heck is going on here? You sound worse off than I do now. Is the rib broken at all? Did you have an x-ray? I sure hope you get feeling better soon. We know what you are going through.
    I wish I knew what was going on. Just jumping from one thing to another these days The rib will be cracked as opposed to 'broken'. No xray this time but it's the same feeling as back in July.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack View Post
    If Andrew's is anything like the ones I suffer, they sort of go pop and give way. Probably not a total break, but it takes a few weeks for it to stop hurting and some days are worse than others.
    Yuh huh exactly, made worse by the fact I'm still coughing up crap so every time I cough the world goes gray for a little while.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Roberts View Post
    Andrew, I have been taking methotexate for almost a year and a half since my diagnosis in August of 2009. Up until about 2 months ago, I took 20 mg. a week orally. Most weeks I would feel nauseated the day I took it and then just "off" the next day - still a little nauseated but mainly tired and just not myself. I disliked the side effects enough that I talked to my doctor and changed from taking it orally to taking it by injection at the same dosage, again just once a week. I greatly prefer the injections as I have little if any side effects and I would strongly encourage anyone who is experiencing discomfort taking methotrexate orally to consider the injections. They are really very simpe and painless and actually the medication is less expensive as well. I hope this helps.
    Thanks for that. I had read that you can take it via injection. Is this injection something you give yourself or does the doc do it?

    Quote Originally Posted by pwc51 View Post
    I was on mtx for about 9 months. Initially 20mg per week and this was upped to 25mg after about 6 months when some wg symptoms were creeping up. Folic acid was taken on day 3 after the mtx.

    I hated the tablets with a passion - generally felt down the following day (Sunday) after taking it, but was usually good for work by the Monday morning! It wasn't until I flared about 6 weeks ago, stopping the mtx and starting the cyclophosphamide again, that I realise how bad I felt - not sure how much of it was mtx and how much was wg. Certainly the initial upping of the pred 10 fold and starting the cyclo I feel so much better again. I did react a bit to the second cyclo infusion but I can tolerate a couple of bad days every 3 weeks better than bad days every week!

    I cracked a rib back in June / July, leraning over the side of my dinghy! It has never been teh same since!

    I was going to have a colonoscopy the day after I flared as my bloods were showing bad signs - this was cancelled when I flared and, since coming off the mtx, those readings have started to recover, to the point where they don't feel it is now necessary!

    I believe I am going to go onto azathioprine after this cyclo round.

    There is an interesting article about mtx in the following document link - ACR/ARHP Wednesday/Thursday Daily News 2010
    Hey, glad you're feeling better these days AND that the colonoscopy is not necessary. W00T!!! Thanks for the link.

    I'll see how it goes for the next few weeks on the tabs and see if it continues or gets any better (assuming that's what it was).
    Forum Administrator
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    Currently but not permanetly residing in Canberra, Australia.

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    I took 25 mg a week for 2 months and was so sick I couldn't eat for about 5 days each week after taking it. They cut me down to 15mg a week and I am sick for a day then I can move on. I was told it takes a month to 6 weeks for the proper level to build up in your system.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lightwarrior View Post
    I was told it takes a month to 6 weeks for the proper level to build up in your system.
    Interesting. What happened to the Wegs during that time? Was there any increase in disease activity?
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