MTX dosage | Arthritis Information

Iwas wondering what dosage of MTX everyone one began at and how long they stayed at that level before it was raised.

I started at 10 milligams and I was up to 15 fairly rapidly.

I guess I'm wondering what may be next and when.

Iwas supposed to have an appointment in 2 months but because they are busy my appointment is closer to 3 months. That annoys me because if that what the doctor says I figure that's what I should get. I worry she may have been going to raise my dosage and I won't be there at the right time.

I rarely get scheduled, they call me at a later date. There I think I'm done. A small problem I realize but I'm new to this and kind of anxious.

I started at 8 mg almost one year ago. I now take 25 mg injectable. I didn't make the jump from one to the other, it's been steadily increasing over the year. Linncn2008-02-26 15:01:10I started at 7.5 mg and I think within 8 mos. I was up to 25 mg.I started at 12.5mg and stayed at that dosage for about 2 months. Increased to 20mg at month 3 and then increased to 25 mg at month 4. I started on 7.5 mg and was on that for 2-3 months. I then increased by 2.5 mg each week until I reached 15 mg. I haven't had an increase since then.I started on 7.5 MG and every week they would ask how I tolerated it. When I said fine they would increase it by 2.5. Now I take 15 MGS and have for a few months.Thanks for your replies. It appears I'm not too far off schedule so I'll try not to worry.

I had shingles and had to miss a few doses but I don't have any side effects except very slow healing and perhaps shingles because of my lowered immune system so I'm grateful for that, plus I feel good!

Thanks again.

I do have a little swelling in my hands that I am a bit concerned with but they are very usable.

I started at 10 mgs. for two weeks and then was bumped up by 5 mg. for two weeks each time until I reached my present dosage of 20 mg. which I've been on for several months.

I don't think you need to be worried about being bumped up on a strict schedule. If anything, having a later appointment will give your body more time to adjust. Having said that, I totally understand how you feel about the delay. Especailly when this is all new to you, you want to do everything by the book, right on time and in the right order. In this case, though, I don't think an extra couple of weeks is going to do any harm. You'll find you won't always get to be seen exactly on any certain schedule. It's just the way it is sometimes. Try not to worry, you'll be fine.

Was it really awful having the shingles?Why do they increase the dosage? I'm really new to all this, sorry. They start low and make increases to the dose if it isn't controlling the disease. Mine was increased because I kept having flares.oh I see.... another question... can you still have damage to your joints even if you aren't having flares? It wasn't awful having shingles at all. If it wasn't for the rash I would have had no idea there was a problem. I had no pain. I think mine was an unusual case as even the RD's

nurse told me how awful it was.

I've never had it, but I've heard people say it's very very painful. Glad it wasn't for you :)I started at 7.5 mg and quickly went up to 20. I had to drop back down to about 7.5 and it was really bad.. I felt like the remicade was just water. I went back to 20 in 6 weeks though.I don't know about the damage part. Someone with more knowledge here will be able to help you with that. As for dosage, sometimes they bump you up because the lower dose isn't working and sometimes, as in my case, it was just to give the body time to adjust to the MTX. The RD always intended me to be at 20 mg. but wanted to get there gradually, over several weeks.

About damage-

My doctor tells me that even if you are feeling good RA is silently eroding your joints unless you use drugs to slow or stop the erosion. He's touting the TNF blockers but I read somewhere MTX does too. I think the TNF blockers are supposed to do any even better job of it.

I started at about 7.5mg as well and slowly increased it. I've been taking 25mg for a while though. I took Humira with it for a while and we decreased it but had to increase it again when I went off of Humira.

It's always best to stay at the lowest effective dose that's why doctors start you out low and slowly increase it. (Plus it gives your body time to adjust). If a lower dose isn't working good enough, they'll add one or two more pills and see what happens.

Lovie, Why did you come off of the injections? I, too am on the inje. mtx, and starting Humira. I notice that you are also on B12 injections, which I have thought of asking my RD abuot, but kind of felt he'd think I was a needle junkie if I asked for more! Why are you taking them, and have they (B12) helped?

Lisa M.

pred, mtx 25 injec., Humira (this weekend starts!), folic acid

[QUOTE=dotty]It wasn't awful having shingles at all. If it wasn't for the rash I would have had no idea there was a problem. I had no pain. I think mine was an unusual case as even the RD's

nurse told me how awful it was.

[/QUOTE]

You were lucky! I had it above my right eye and it was painful, even when something like my hair touched it. Ouch! Not nearly anything like an RA flare, but it hurt.

I started on 10mg of MTX and after about three months my RD raised my dosage to 15mg. I was on 15mg for about eight months and then my doctor added Enbrel instead of increasing the MTX. I have to say, the combination is working very well for me.

dordale
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