working on methotrexate | Arthritis Information

HI!

DIAGNOSED FOR 2YEARS WITH RA, USED TO BE FULL OF LIFE! NOW TAKING METHOTREXATE 20MG BY INJECTION CON WANTING TO INCREASE TO 25MG!! SHOCKING SIDE EFFECTS, SELF EMPLOYED BUT DONT WANT TO GIVE UP WORK BUT FIND GOING IMPOSSIBLE, SEEM TO BE WORSE NOW THEN WHEN I FIRST STARTED! THINKING ABOUT GIVING UP METHOTREXATE BUT WHAT NEXT?

ANY ADVICE????

MTX is often more effective used in combination with another DMARD. Discuss with your doctor.

THANK YOU

I ALSO TAKE DICLOFENIC AND PREDNISOLONE

Hi Patricia..welcome!

I agree with Lovie...I've found for me, that the addition of plaquenil and then later sulfasalazine really helped.

Good Luck!

Hi Patricia
I've been on MTX for all of 11 weeks. Totally commiserate with how you feel. I'm taking 10mg (so half your dose) on a Thursday night (had to change it from a Wednesday night because I just couldn't concentrate at work) the spreadsheets were all over the place! My GP has me on 40mg amitryptaline at night. Lasts me till about 6pm the following evening unless I've been out in the garden picking up leaves, then I have a choice of pills to take ranging from paracetamol to tramadol. I try to just take the paracetamol but it depends on how busy I've been with my hands as to whether or not that will be enough. Its just trial and error finding something that suits your body and its needs, speak to your GP and see what he/she can suggest before stopping. Lots of these drugs take a while for your body to acclimatise to them. Frustrating but true.what kind of side effects are you having, Patricia?Patricia - are you taking folic acid with that?

Also, what kind of doctor is treating this disease? PCP? rheumatologist?

Is there any reason why you haven't tried one of the newer biologics like Enbrel?

I'm an old hand at Methotrexate and I've learned that when you up the medication, do it gradually - 2.5 mg at a time.

Learn to pace yourself.