sores in mouth from methotrexate

[jeriorleans]

A.j. has only taken on dose of the methotrexate (4 days ago) and he keeps biting the inside of his mouth. He says it feels swollen. Is this the sores the doctor warned about?

[Sangye]

Is he taking folic acid? That should prevent mouth sores.

[DEE]

hi i used to get a swollen mouth and ulcers when i first started taking methotrexate took folic acid tablets and settled down just used to make me feel alittle sick for the fist few days
hope thinks get better soon DEE

[JanW]

I started with the folic acid tablets about a week before I started the mtx and haven't had a problem so far. My doc prescribed the folic acid primarily for nausea but said that he would be checking my mouth closely for ulcers on my biweekly visits.

[jola57]

I think I have been on mtx since september now and I have always taken folic acid and no sores at al.

[JanW]

Hi guys -- got good news from my rheumy: my liver results are completely normal so I was cleared to take the therapeutic dose (15 mg) of methotrexate. He suspects that the spike before was because I was still using NSAIDs and (more importantly) having a couple of drinks on the weekends when I took the first challenge. I took the dose yesterday I'm wondering from some of you more experienced folks -- how long before you started noticing any (positive) difference in the way you feel? I only have ankle pain (even my nasal crusting seems to have gone away) so I'm trying to gauge when that might feel better, keeping in mind that I'm not on any prednisone.

[elephant]

Sounds very promising Jan. If your nasal crusting is going away, that is a great sign. If you not wheezing and breathing better....heck...lets have a party!! I know we all need to celebrate!

[JanW]

All of my wheezing and breathing problems were caused by my stenosis, which turned out to be a very easy fix!

[Sangye]

I've heard it takes about 2 months for mtx to really start working. I'm with Elephant-- with those major symptoms gone, time for a party.

[jola57]

Yeay JanW. Mtx is a maintenance drug as told to my by my rheumy so you may not see a big difference in your ankle pain. But it may keep you happily free of all the other nasty symptoms.
I am on 10mg (down fro 15 because of liver enzymes being up) since September and down to 7mg pred and doing good. My ankles still swell up and my left looks and feels twisted, one of these days I will see an orthoped about it. I don't even feel that tired anymore, just a little. So this is good news if you are on 15 and no pred. Hurray.