I started with the injectible methotrexate 3 weeks ago (was on oral for over a year). I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like there was a hole, or empty space, in the middle of my chest. Not sure how to describe it, but it scared me and it's still there, 7 hours later. I started looking for info online and came across this http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a68201 9.html
which really put fear in me about methotrexate. Anyone have the hole in the chest feeling? I've worked myself into a worry that I have lung damage.
Hi Juliah,Dear Mary, thanks for sharing your experience. Can you describe your breathing problems? I woke up feeling as though there was a hole or something in the middle of my chest and had this weird sort of deep down cough. It just felt really wrong and like nothing I have ever felt before. I am glad to hear enbrel is working well for you. I will talk to my RD about that. love and hugs, julia
Hi Juliah, yes, I'm always imagining that MXT and the biologics are damaging my body. I read all the literature before I started MXT and knew what I was getting into but I also knew that if the RA/PA wasn't controlled that I wouldn't be functioning and in a wheelchair. It's the luck of the draw and I truly believe the serious side effects are rare. The amount of MXT that we take for RA is a small amount compared to what is prescribed for cancer treatment. I'd like to see some studies and statistics from RA studies and MXT.
You really need to talk with your rheumy about your feelings. Take care. Lindy
Juliah,
Let them listen to your cough - I bet the nurse can even do that over that over the phone! I think you need to be seen, like the others said, but I bet you can get some peace of mind right away if you call.
Mtx can cause lung problems and rheums and their nurses know what it sounds like when it happens (it was demonstrated to me; it sounds just like...a cough). They even did chest xrays on my daughter prior to starting mtx, so they had a baseline for any changes.
Mtx or not, funny feelings in your chest and coughing need to be checked out. Take care and keep us posted!
Juliah...I do agree, you should have this checked out. I hope it is something simple, but who knows, and if it is a lung thing you should know.
Take care of yourself, and I hope things go ok. Let us know!
I don't have that same feeling you describe and agree that you need to have it looked at, but I saw that very same site when I was doing my MTX research and truly, that one was the scariest of any of the sites I read, by far. There are worrisome side effects, to be sure, and I never forget that, but that site seemed so over the top in the way it presented the warnings. I really, really understand why you're worried about it, I am too, but I decided it's the lesser of the two evils and there are many, many people who do well on it for years with no problems at all. What you're experiencing may have nothing to do with MTX at all. Please let us know how you're doing. Hi Juliah, it was different from asthma which is for me a cough and wheeze on expiration. I did have a non productive cough and trouble getting air in. A nebulizer treatment at the docs helped. I have another appt. today because I now think I have a sinus infection on top of it all. I had sinus surgery about 4 years ago because the chronic infections were causing me to have asthma attacks all the time. I haven't had one since the operation, but I am sure I have one now. I just hope I won't have to stop my enbrel! It is bad enough I have to stop my MTX and provigil Well, I think anyone would be scared after reading that site. I know it renewed my goal to get off this stuff!Hope the doctor can put your mind at ease or at least tell you what is wrong.
If you decide to go on AP therapy the drugs are not very expensive at all. Especially compared to the biologics.
Take good care.