MTX side effects -- worth it? | Arthritis Information

3 weeks on MTX and it has caused nausea, extreme fatigue, and my hair is thinning out. I also have headaches but those could be from the fatigue or not eating enough because of the nausea. Seriously, is this worth it? Will the side effects lessen with time? I had more energy in a full RA flare than I have right now. only you can decide if its worth it...MTX is a very good medication at the right dose but not everyone can tolerate it. What dose are you on? How much folic acid are you taking? Are you taking it orally or injection? what other meds are you on

Depends on how you are without it.

Some of us need these drugs and are willing to take any side effect just so we can get out of bed in the mornings.

If you really don't need the drug, herbal treatments, ibuprofen etc. each day might be the way to go if you don't want to take it.

Just make sure your Rhummy is involved in any decision you make.

For me; It's worth it. Over time the side effects lessen I think. When I first started taking it I would spend the next day in bed and felt like crap for the next two....but that's dramatically better now.

I need the MTX. It improves my quality of life dramatically. Had I been managing fine without it I would not have wanted to start it knowing all I know about it now. That being said you just have to decide for yourself if it's worth it.

The side effects lesson pretty quickly, the first month or two were not so good. There are things you can do to help the side effects go away. MTX is THE first line med for RA for a couple reasons. It works for more people more of the time then any other medication. It also has an advantage that only Remicade has and that is you can increase the dosage.

The first couple weeks you are supposed to build up the dosage. So it the doctor told you to take 6 pills, you should have taken two the first week, 4 the next week and 6 the third week. Drink a lot of fluids the day before and day of. Take it at the evening meal with lotsa of carbs, like pasta. If you take it with dinner you'll sleep through some of the nausea.

Robutussin cough syrup helps greatly with the nausea, I don't need it anymore but use to take a day time dose on the way to work and a night time the next evening.

My hair thinned for the first two months and then that stopped. My hair changed--for the better. I have much less gray hair and it has a nice curl to it.

I recommend you give it two months (it really does work) if it stills bothers you ask to try the injections. Then you will know you tried your best for MTX. MTX even helps the TNF's work better.

Good luck,

Sometimes the medications seem worse than the disease. The side effects from the meds are apparent - nausea, fatigue but the effects of RA are not so apparent such as damage with active disease.

For me the effects of the meds. are worth it. Like Lovie, I had nausea, headache and extreme fatigue but it did get better. After two years I only have a small amount of fatigue the next day. Most of the side effects attributed to MXT are when high dose MXT chemotherapy is prescribed. The doses prescribed for arthritic conditions are small doses and in time the side effects will disappear. Some people can't tolerate it in any dose and have severe side effects. If you need to discontinue MXT your RD will prescribe another dmard.

Take it in the evening and you'll sleep through the worst of the nausea and fatigue. I never had hair thinning. Give it a little longer, usually about 3 months. Lindy

I'm just coming in to echo what was said by Lovie, LinB and birdgirrl..

I hate that I need it.. I hate to take it.. but I like that it helps me.

Thank you for your input. I take the injection -- .6 which I think is the equivalent of 15mg. I am at the rough point where I have the side effects but none of the relief. I'm hoping that balances out to where I have all of the relief and none of the side effects. I take B complex and 2 mg folic acid daily. I take it tomorrow and am already down about it today.

I know I have to give it more than 3 weeks before deciding anything but I love hearing that it does help most people who take it and that the collective experience is that side effects do lessen.
For me it has definitely been worth it. I am thankful every day that MTX worked for me.

I've had no side effects since early on...my hair is thinner but nothing dramatic. Sometimes I wonder if it is the MTX or just that my hair is falling out. I take Biotin which I believes controls the hair loss.

Patti372008-08-25 02:31:46All I know is when I started enbrel and finally weaned off the MTX I felt like a million bucks. I didn't realize how tired MTX made me.I would like to share my experience with MTX. Started on oral and was always sick. Ended up so sick that I was hospitalized for a night. Switched to injection (,6 ml). I used to take it every Tuesday p.m. Took it at night with a half a sleeping pill. Took leucovorin the next day for side effects (lots).Was so sick that I stayed in bed Wednesday and Thursday. At noon on Friday I came to lfe. By Monday I was dreading it again.

My whole life evolved around my needle day. This included traveling and spending time with my grandchildren. I was constantly not feeling right. I have severe RA (they tell me) so I was terrified to go off it and my RD was encouraging me to stay on it. I finally decided that the side effects were definitely NOT worth it. This was after about 3 years!!(So I am not a quitter!). I am now on Arava and Plaquenil. Of course i still have pain and good days and bad days but I feel sooo much better, that constant nauseated feeling is not there and I feel like I have control of my life back.

I realize that everyone is different and you need to follow your doc's advise. But, my experience with MTX was really not good and there are alternatives out there.

Hang in there. Good luck and God Bless.