mtx & fatigue | Arthritis Information

Ugh, so I just connected my new dosage of mtx (25mg) with the fatigue I've had for the last week. Unless it could be the cortizone shot? But I don't think so, my doctor didn't mention it at least... Before treatment I'd get really tired around 1 (this is when I was getting up at 6am) and it would go away, but now I get tired around 1 even though I get up at 9am and am usually in bed for 10-11 hours... I guess I sleep for about 6 or 7?

Does folic acid help with the fatigue? I think I'm going to start drinking tea in the morning, but this is silly... I don't want to do homework, or go anywhere, or do anything except eat and read comic books (lol). I mean, I COULD get stuff done if I really tried, but I'm so tired I don't WANT to... and I have a hard time doing things I don't want to do....

.....*zzzz*

From what I know you should be on folic acid as well when taking MTX.

The MTX does cause fatigue.
The folic acid is for your kidneys .

Mtx does make you fatigue but I believe that goes away in time.

There are some people on this forum that have taken it for a while.

I did not like it myself . After taking it I would sleep for a few days

with only a couple of feeling good before the next dose .

I went back to Arava and that works best for me .

Good luck to you .

I might add to my post above that the fatigue has subsided over the past twelve months. The fatigue might get better after a while (and a little exercise does help).

I love comics, too. I mean, I loooooooooooove them. But only contemporary alternative comics like Eightball and stuff like that.Hi Maime, hang in there because the fatigue will get better over time. It may take a few weeks to a month. For me it hasn't gone away entirely after 2 years of use, but the fatigue is 75% better than when I started MXT. Please take Folic Acid, if you're not taking it. It helps with the side effects of MXT and also protects against anemia. If you're not taking Folic Acid, call your RD and talk to him/her about taking it. LindyFolic acid protects against anemia?! Awesome! Before the mtx we did an iron count and mine was wicked low (borderline, anyway) so I was supposed to take iron supplements for two months... now I take half the dose everyday.

In high school I had really bad fatigue too, but I'm not sure if it manifested because of the RA or if I was anemic before... I just assumed I was anemic before, but I read somewhere recently that everyone with RA has problems absorbing iron (or something to that effect)... so we're all kind of anemic.

Going to be starting folic acid ASAP.... glad to know the fatigue wears off (hopefully before finals, that would awesome ;D )

For the folic acid, make sure you take as close to 1 mg as possible. It comes in micrograms, so that means you need to take 1,000. I get 400 mcg in my daily multi-vitamin, so I take an 800 mcg tablet.

My iron is really low too, and my ferritin test is always at the very bottom of normal. I've had "tiredness" for a long time, but the fatigue I get from MTX is different. I think it's worse. The fatigue from MTX never wore off for me, but I've read that is did for many people.

I hope you feel better soon.