How long in methotrexate? | Arthritis Information

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I read a medical article released this weekend stating that methotrexate only lasts a year to 3 for most people and that it basicly mutates and causes inflammation instead of helping against it.

I was just wondering how long anyone has been on it and if it has been longer than 1-3years and still working.

Thanks.

I've been on MTX for about 14 years.  Over the years I've had to increase the MTX...plus add other meds to it, but it's still working.

How much are you on now?  I am on 15mg with week 7, i have a hard case of RA, so they started me on 10mg for 4 weeks and then 15mg for 4 weeks, they will up it to 20 probably on the 20th.

Also, do you take any other pills like pred or anitflams?  If so, how long has you taken them?  I take 10mg pred and 2 celebrex a day and still have lots of pain.

Thanks.

shanbr38816.7982407407Shan, I was diagnosed just recently.  I started taking 15mg pred a day, and I take 15mg a week of MTX.  I am supposed to drop to 10 of the pred after my next visit with a weaning program.  I have an appointment on April 25th.

My mom has been on MTX for about 8 years.  She takes Arava and that combo works great for her.  So far, I feel that the MTX has helped me a lot.  Just the pred alone wasn't doing it completely for me.  I have already felt a huge improvement.

We have both have very little side effects so far.  But it is such an individual thing.  I was in a hardcore serious flare for almost two months unable to walk practically.  I feel like a new person, so any minor pains are nothing to me now.
I would be very interested in reading the article. Can you tell me where you found it or link me to it??

I'm taking 25mg MTX, celebrex, plaquenil, sulfasalazine, flexeril and oxycocet for pain.  I was taking prednisone, but have been off for a long while now.  My doctor has been talking about putting me on Arava...so..that may start when I see her next month.

I've been on MTX for than 4 years now. I've also had to increase it....and I now take Humira as well. All RA meds loose their effect after a while. You'll either have to add something or increase.

All in all though MTX is still my stronges line of defense in my opinion.

Lovie, that's good to hear. I was reading up on the Johns Hopkins arthritis site, and they feel that MTX is a very valuable medicine with some of the least harmful potential side-effects. I think they said you can be on it quite a while, upping the dosage.

I've read of a number of people who are on it - alone or with other meds - for a number of years. It just depends on the individual - how the body reacts or doesn't. I don't think there's any definite predictor there.

That's because we're all individual. We're all SPECIAL!

Hi Shanbr,

I've been on methotrexate for about 16 years and it has always worked great for me. However, in January I started lowering the dosage because I was feeling just so good and now I am paying for it. I am in soooooo much pain in both shoulders and right elbow. I am increasing the dosage gradually and hopefully will be getting some relief very soon (shouldn't mess around with a good thing)!  

ATC 

I've been on MTX for almost 4 years now 20mg.   I find that IF I have to get off for infections etc... It takes about two to three weeks for it to kick back in.

Thanks everyone, it's nice to see it works over the time allotted.

Originally i saw the article posted in yahoo.com's health section, they place a lot of articles in there each week on all sorts of healthproblems.

arconnors

I'm sorry to hear the decease isn't good well. I think that's what were all working toward; to be able to reduce our meds or one day be off of them all together.

In your experience have you ever been able to decrease treatment and get desired results? Or have you steadily increased over the years to get the same results?

Thanks Shan---

Hi Lovie,

When I started taking Methotrexate 16 years ago I gradually increased the drug until I was injecting 20mg. weekly (0.8 ML) and because I was feeling so good for the last several years I decided to ask my doctor about lowering the dosage. She said the I could "fool around" with it like go from 0.8 ML to 0.7 or even 0.6 but I went down to 0.5 ml. and as I mentioned in my earlier post I am experiencing a lot of pain now so I am gradually working my way up to 0.8 ml again. And to answer your question, yes, I have tried lowereing the dosage in the past (when I'm feeling really good) and the pain always comes back with a vengence!! I guess its just wishful thinking on my part that maybe, just maybe this horrible illness is finally going to go away! 

ATC

I was on MTX for just over 3 years and I did suddenly get a lot worse on it although to be honest it never worked great for me, and I was on 30mg.  The same thing has happened to me with other drugs, always around the 3 year mark, I think my body just becomes resistant to them.  Everyone reacts differently to different drugs, treatment is so unpredictable but you have to try and eventually you'll find something that suits you.

TC

Moonie


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