methotrexate | Arthritis Information

well i took my first dose of the methotrexate on saturday. and it was weird. i felt fine, fine fine, woah weird, dizzy kinda woozy feeling like in a daze, then nauseous. threw up about 2 hours after dose. then extreme fatigue...i mean almost peed my pants bc i didnt feel like getting up! called my dr he said try pill form again then if nausea continues switch to injection...hmmm we shall see!

anyone elses reaction to the methotrexate?
the info on it is very scary, but my dr assures me with proper dosing and folic acid side effects and toxicity are usually minimal...who knows!
I have heard other people say they had this kind of reaction. Some got adjusted to it, others switched to the MTX injections with success.

I started out on 3 pills and then they increased it by 1 until I was up to 6 where I stayed. I get very tired the first couple of days after I take it but all in all I have always tolerated it very well and it does a good job for me.

Good luck with your adjustment!

Try taking before you go to bed and drink lots and lots of water before taking and after.

I take mine at about 10 pm, right before bed (and usually indulge in a dessert right before, my justification being that I don't want to take it on an empty stomach).

I was definitely a bit more tired the day after for the first 5 doses. I took dose 6 last night. I had a go go go type of day and I forgot (in terms of fatigue level) that I'd taken it. Don't get me wrong, I was tired (that's hard to shake) but didn't have the hungover feeling.

I would recommend trying it in the pm?

My only side effect otherwise was some mouth sores (bad cankersores) and I switched to Biotene toothpast on the recommendation of someone here (thanks, whoever it was!) and also started taking 2 mg of folic acid a day, instead of one.

I take mine Friday nights. I think it works well with food. Every time it is a different experience. Sometimes, I really can't tell I have taken it. Other times, I am a bit sick to my stomach, dizzy and tired. I do find I am grumpy and can do without people in my way! By Sunday, I am back to normal. You are getting the folic acid ---aren't you?It did me the same way. the injectable's work better for me. I am off of it now caused me to have a bloody nose for almost a month....... Take care anutI have just started on methotrexate too and luckily as yet no side effects but I do take 5mg folic acid the morning after as it was suggested this would help with side effects. I take the methotrexate just before going to bed and make sure I drink a lot.been on MTX for a year and a half, started at 7.5 mg. topped out at 25 mg. Everyone is different, for me I found I have to eat 3 good meals that day, and I swallow my 10 pills right before going to sleep. This way, minimal side effects as I'm sleeping. I do take 1 mg. of folic acid each day, including the day of MTX and I take 50 mg. of Leukovorin.

Good luck!!

I have been taking 10 mg. of MTX for about a year/half now. In the beginning I was very tired but no other effects. Sometimes I get an upset stomach after taking it but nothing that is really a problem. I take two pills in the morning and two at night.Hi Urka

You are putting a toxic substance into your body which your system will take some getting used to. The side affects will subside. I felt like I'd swallowed a garbage pile when I was first on mtx. it was about three weeks before I was ok.

There are many schools of thought re folic acid, some say take it every day, some say the day after mtx, some 48 hours after or it will reduce affect of mtx and others who say there's no need to take it at all. I say do what your doc advises.

I hope you will be feeling better soon.

I've been on it for years. I always take mine on Saturday night so SUnday can be a down day if I need it. Rarely do I now....but I use to. I use to stay in bed almost all day Sunday resting and napping. We can all use a down day anyway so that always gave me a good excuse.

Hope you adjust quickly. MTX has made a huge difference for me.

hi urka when i first took mtx had no side effects lasted 4yrs whith pred..

2nd time i took mtx knocked me off my feet.. i took folic acid every day
except mtx day.. and took metoclopramide.. 1hr before mtx and 4 hrs after
it is a anti sickness drug.. it maybe you simply can not tollerate
mtx..
Boney... thanks guys! i was trying to tell my friend about this experience and while she was empathetic she really had no idea what i was even talking about! nor does my hubby, or family. they feel bad that i feel bad, but it helps to talk to people who actually suffer from ra! it was actually on the nbc nightly news this evening, on a section about health issues that women suffer from more than men! i was geeking out while i couldnt log on here bc i had so many questions about the methotrexate and junk but my brain fog has yet to lift and all my old passwords and accounts are lost in oblivion, so i had to start over:((

i am hoping this weeks dose gets easier, i think i just have a sensitive stomach bc the plaquenil made me really really icky to with bad stomach cramps and junk.

i am concerned about some of the side effects. have you guys been able to wean off prednisone while on the methotrexate? i really hope i can *crosses fingers* bc i swear i am an evil evil person while taking the pred even in small doses...just ask my hubby.

biotene? is that an all natural toothpaste? at a grocery store walmart type store?

i did drink lots of water that was one thing i remembered, but the crazy thing was i stayed with my mom and sisters that saturday night bc i wasn't sure how i would feel and my hubby works night shift and they have a cool studio apt over the garage, lacking only a bathroom, and it was pouring raining, so i had to trudge downstairs every half hour to pee!

oh snow owl, i take 10 mg along with 1mg of folic acid everyday, my doc said i can take two in the morning and two at night if i wanted to and i might have to try that if the nausea doesn't stop.

urka33472008-05-13 18:26:12
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