Did You Ever Take Your MTX Early...Answer Please! | Arthritis Information

Hi everybody. I stopped MTX when the RD gave me Imuran instead because I was having major skin problems with the MTX. The problem is, the day after I missed my usual MTX injection, all hell broke loose. I called the RD and he said go back on the MTX until the Imuran kicks in. He also gave me permission to play around with the dose each week depending on how I feel. So I took 4 tablets (2.5 each) instead of the injection which I usually took at .5 or .6. I hated the idea of taking both drugs, but had no choice, really so I took as little as I thought I could get away with. It wasn't enough and now, two days before I'm due for my next MTX dose, I'm in trouble. My left ear is hurting, but it's deaf anyway so I'm not worried about that. But my right ear is starting to hurt and that's a huge problem. I'd like to take some MTX tonight, maybe not the whole dose, but something to tide me over. I know I should talk to the RD but there's no way I'll be able to talk to him until Tuesday and that's when my next dose is due anyway.

Have any of you ever taken your MTX one or two days early, or maybe just part of the dose? Since I didn't take a large amount last week and will take a moderate dose this week, (but a bit more than last week) I was hoping I could fudge it a little. What do you think?

You might want to talk to your pharmacist - he/she is an expert at medication dosing, interactions and side effects. Doctors often consult with pharmacists when tricky medication questions come up. Jesse,

Jasmine gave you good advice, to check with a pharmacist. I take mtx but I wouldn't try to give you advice about the frequency of taking it. Your doctor said you could "play around w/the dose" but he didn't mention frequency. I take mtx but I pretty much stick to a once a week schedule, I've taken it later but never earlier.

My doc gave me a 'script for darvocet for periods when I may have pain and my regular drugs, enbrel and mtx aren't controlling the RA. I haven't needed to fill it, but its there should I need it, when my doc may not be available, say on the weekend. This might be a possibility for you in the future.

So sorry to hear you're having a rough time, hope a pharmacist can offer some help. Take care. p.s. would a heating pad help for your ear, just don't fall asleep on it, i think you can use it for no more than 10 minutes. good luck, feel better soon.

I totally agree with Jas about the pharmacist. I go to a kerr drug and I've used the same one for years. I love that they know me and my medical problems. It's a small store so I feel like I get the personal attention there. I've called him on a few occations about some of my meds and he always knows who I am. I love that. They are very important.

As far as the MTX goes I don't think it would hurt to take a couple more since you only took 4 to begin with.....but at the same time I wouldn't continue to take a few at a time like that. It's best to take them all at once at the same time every week.

Here is the deal on the possible inner ear disease. You have Sjorgren's. I noticed that you said you did not get dryness in your mouth. Do you get swelling in the jaw or do your salvary glands ever swell? If you get swelling anywhere near your ears you can get a cast off effect of antibodies attacking your ears.

MTX is not a quick fix. Do you have any prednisone. It really does help my Sjorgren's to take a high dose pred taper. And of course maybe you want to ask your doctor first and i know you can not. I just do not think taking the MTX before you are supposed to will give you much benifit.

I know you go to Sjorgren's world. I just happen to notice what works best because i have it so very bad. And i of course do not do this everyday. Really I have only ever done this twice once was a year ago. The other time was a little over a month ago. But it was a high dose pred taper.

I know you do not want to wait until Tuesday. But that maybe the thing to do. I do not think you will loose your hearing by then. But taking the MTX now will not work any faster. I know it is the only ear you have. I am sorry it puts you in such a panic. I do understand.

I have the Sjorgren's ever and i get RA in my jaw. My ears. Well they are both very sick ears and i know the out come if this does not get under control.

If you take extra now then you will take less on Tuesday. I fear you will put your self in the same situation next week.

Well, I just got home (had a long standing dinner date that I couldn't cancel, though I was in no mood to go out) and it's too late to call the pharmacy, but that's a good idea. I don't know why I didn't think of that. Duh. I could have gotten an answer and maybe be able to take the MTX tonight! I guess I won't take any now and just hope the pharmacist says I can take it in the morning. I think the MXT will help because I was taking it all along until I started the Imuran so I never missed a dose, just took the last dose of MTX two days late, after the RD said I should keep taking it because of the pain.

Milly, my glands don't swell but I did have a feeling of "fullness" in the left ear before it started to ache. I had it for a short time in the right ear too and that scared me so badly. Fortunately it didn't last long. I just don't know what the time frame would be from the time I started the earache, to actual damage and possibly hearing loss in the good ear. My good ear feels nearly normal now so I'll just sweat it out until tomorrow. Milly, in what way are your ears "sick?"

Thank you all for your input. I still can't believe I didn't think to call the pharamist!! It's so obvious. I'll just chalk it up to brain fog. Thank you reminding me of that option.

I spoke to the pharmacist first thing this morning and he said it's OK for me to go ahead one day early. I just took my injection and I'm waiting anxiously for it to kick in. I think I now understand what addicts feel like.

My ears often just start pounding. They hurt. It is not something that antibiotics can fix. Now I do get ear infections also. Like I said I am concerned about Wegner's Granulomatosis. That is vascular in nature. Because my sinuses throb horribly almost always. My teeth hurt badly. And it causes a strawberry colored ginjivites. My gums are swollen and have purple spots, big noticable purple spots. I read some where that it causes the tubes of your ears to close and get infected alot.

I mean i have an infection at the moment. But there is a clear AI thing going on. It is not just my ears but my whole head thats being attacked. I get migrains. I never got those before.

But even when i am well my ears and sinuses throb in a science fiction manner. To big to be true. Too painful to descibe.

I remember that everytime i looked up an AI problem that I have a list of possible things would come up. And like everytime Wegener's Granulomatosis was among the list. But sure my jaw has RA in it. That in it's self can give you a secoundary case of autoimmune ear disease. It just is that if you are being attacked even near your ears you will get some cast off antibodies attacking your ears. I think it would be a less serious form. That is with the jaw. Wegener's Granulomatosis now that is serious.

Here is the scoop. I am taking antibiotics for an infection. I do not have any expectation of it getting rid of the throbbing in my sinuses or my ears. They do as they want to. It's an AI thing.