only RTX ? with no MTX ?

**Alysia** · 03-03-2014, 05:14 AM

Hi,
since I am under the rtx, I have infections almost every month

my immune system is def too suppresed

I talked to my wg-doc about that and he lowered my mtx from 15mg per week to 7.5mg per week. this change gave me bigger intervals between the infections. but I still have them.
I wonder: maybe I should better be off mtx ?
mtx never really helped me. after couple of months with it, and no improvement but more worsenning, I started rtx, our miracouls med.
my doc said that it is common to give rtx WITH mtx together.
Is there anyone here only on rtx ? or must we be on maintenance meds as well (mtx, imuran) ?
p.s. I am also on pred 5mg, but can't seperate from him

thanks.

**KimH** · 03-03-2014, 09:08 AM

I am looking for links to the RAVE study. Is it already attached to a post on here? That is the protocol that Dr Lebovics and my rheumatologist are following. But we are all different so for where I am in the disease that is the path they have chosen for me. 4 weeks RTX then wean off of pred.

**pwc51** · 03-03-2014, 10:08 AM

My rheumy insists on MTX after RTX. I am off the pred now but he thinks I will be on MTX for another 2 years. I hate it with a passion as it makes me feel ill for about 3 days every week.

**JeanMarie** · 03-03-2014, 10:46 AM

I can't use MTX because of kidney problems and Imuran is another problem because of warfarin. So just RTX for me. I'm still on 5mg of pred though.

**mmthomm** · 03-03-2014, 12:10 PM

My rheumatologist is a fan of combining MTX with RTX if it can be tolerated for the purpose of reducing the likelihood of developing antibodies to RTX...I'm still really new to this whole thing but thought I'd pass along his rationale for combining the two meds particularly while continuing the painfully slow taper on prednisone.

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**Alysia** · 03-04-2014, 05:15 AM

Originally Posted by mmthomm

My rheumatologist is a fan of combining MTX with RTX if it can be tolerated for the purpose of reducing the likelihood of developing antibodies to RTX...I'm still really new to this whole thing but thought I'd pass along his rationale for combining the two meds particularly while continuing the painfully slow taper on prednisone.

my wg-doc said also something like that. about the combination of the 2 as more powerful. but then I still wonder if it not too powerful ?

**marylz** · 03-04-2014, 10:27 AM

I am on RTX only after 8 infusions of CTX. I don't think I can take MTX.

**annekat** · 03-04-2014, 11:07 AM

I wish I knew more, Alysia.I, of course, am on MTX and no RTX. I find that the MTX has helped me, and at one point, increasing the dose got me out of a flare. But I think the question you ask is a reasonable one, and I wonder how much good the 7.5mg of MTX is actually doing.