Questions

[Victoriaitsnosecret]

Hi- today I was doing some cleaning, scrubbing walls. My right hand swelled up but only under my index and middle fingers. It went away but there is still a little pocket of swelling under my index finger. My left hand has been cramping up disfiguring my hand so that my fingers are spread apart, kind of claw like. This happened when I was just resting. I see the doc in 2 weeks so I will ask him then. Just wondering if it could be related.
Also anyone on Methotrexate experience hair thinning? My hair seems to be thinning? I have a lot of hair but I feel like I can see my scalp in parts.
?.....

Wishing everyone well!

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[Dirty Don]

The hand cramps & any kind of rashing on the limbs could be a sign of flaring. When I started mtx, I lost quite a bit of hair...doc fixed me up by tripling my dose of folic acid...sheesh even had curly hair come back in...for a while...it was all drug related! Duh! Good luck.

[mishb]

Hi Victoria

I'm not sure about the hands but can certainly relate to the thinning hair.

My hair was always very fine and ringlets, now I can see a lot of scalp.
Its thin and out of control curls now.....not tight curls, just messy.......but the hair is still there and it doesn't fall out in clumps, it's just thinner.

I hope the hands come good ........ stop with the cleaning

[KathyB]

Hi Victoria. I also have bouts of swelling, mostly in my hands & feet (lots of tingling, stiffness, some cramping), but have no clue why other than fluid retention. Today I was shaving my legs in the shower and they felt like someone was sticking needles in them. Ouch! More swelling! I've been off a diuretic for a couple of months and wish I was back on! (I was taken off because of dehydration with a nasty case of the flu and increased creatinine rate.) No experience with MTX ... sorry! I agree with Michelle -- quit cleaning! LOL!

KB

[Pete]

Hi Victoria,

I sometimes have cramping in my hands. Now, I take a 99 mg/day potassium supplement and eat one or two bananas each day. This has reduced the frequency and severity of hand cramping for me, but it hasn't eliminated the cramping entirely as I still get them once in a great while. I haven't figured that out yet

As for hair loss, I take 1 mg/day of folic acid. I started this when I started taking mtx last summer. My hair has thinned over the years, but that's probably due to aging (I'm 66.). I don't think it's gotten any worse since I've been on mtx and folic acid.

[shannonkop]

Hi Victoria,

I'm 37 and was 31 when I started the cytoxan and have been on the methotrexate for five years now. I still have a lot of hair, It seems like there is a lot in my brush and on my clothes, but it's not much thinner. How much methotrexate do you take? I take 20mg every monday. I was so paranoid about it and my hair thinning when I first got diagnosed that I actually spent $1300 on hair extensions. Not my best move. I couldn't stand them and after a month got them all taken out and have been happy with my hair every since!

As far as the cramps go - I often get cramps in my feet whereas I never used to. Right in the arch and the toes curl weird. It's usually when I'm on the floor cleaning. I think we both need to stop that nonsense. haha.

Also how do you put your picture on your profile but not on every post? I want to do that like you did.

Thanks.

Shannon