Those who take MTX...how much do you take? My Dr. increased my dosage from 3 a week to 5. I have to say since taking MTX plus the Enbrel, those first few days I feel every energtic.
I take 10 a week(25mg)
I don't take Enbrel though
I am suppose to take three a week. My first dose was Friday... I am scared to take it and thought I might wait four weeks but not sure if I should take it or not... So darn depressed!25mg is the highest dose they will send you on.
I take 20, well should take 20, but i took 15 this week cuz 20 gives me too much pain for some reason. I guess it is a toxic level for me.
common side effects are nausea and nausea lol.
The liver problems usually are years down the road on average before they happen and when they do, you catch it very early so you stop the meds and get better within about a months time. So you don't really have to worry about that.
It's why they make you take blood tests so often during the year.
So we don't need to worry too much about the liver thing? what about the lung problem? Any body have shortness of breath?
I am so anxious and scared... I am freaking out about the 2.5 mg I have to take once a week
Donna
I'm on 12.5 mg. of MTX. I was sort of afraid to take it, too. So far, so good. Minimal nausea. No hair loss. A couple of mouth sores that have cleared up. Nothing major, nothing I can't deal with. I've gone through 2 1/2 months of pills, and I don't think it's that big a deal.I started with 12.5 mg in October and then added Enbril in January. My liver enzymes SGTP went up to 276 and should be under 40. I went down to 10 mg. My liver numbers got better. Just got another bad lab report last month and am down to 7.5mg
I get my bloodwork done tomorrow. If my numbers are better on the 7.5mg she will let me stay on it. If not, she is pulling me off. I am freaked out to get pulled off because I don't want the pain to come back. I have been detoxing for 2 weeks and taking lots of milk thistle. I will find out blood results on Thursday. Wish me luck.
I take 10 (25mg) a week along with Humira weekly. I think we were all scared at first but MTX has made more of a difference than any other mediation I've ever been on.
I have little to no complications from it. When I increase I'll go through a spell where I'm more tired than usual; but that passes pretty quickly.
The benifits far out way the risk in my opinion.
I take 12.5mg/wk and have minimal side effects. Some episodic, low level nausea the day I take it and sometimes a day or two afterwards but that is it. No mouth sores (BE SURE TO TAKE FOLIC ACID), did have a nasal sore the first week because I hadn't been on Folic Acid before I started taking the MTX, none since.Ivypoe,
You are taking what some of would refer to as a low dose. I have been on MTX 20mg weekly for about 6 months now but, I also take Enbrel twice weekly.
I do agree STRONGLY with taking Folic acid. It helps a great deal with the mouth and nasal sores along with the fatigue.
I still get fatigued at times and I do get the occasional mouth and nasal sores. I have creams for those and I just maintain a low profile on Mondays (I take my MTX on Sundays so it doesn't interfere with too many of hubby's activities or time)not knowing how I am going to really feel.
I started out with 10 mg/week and am now on 5 mg/week plus 1000 mg of sulfasalizine.
Susan
I take 10mg a week (4 pills), and I am on Enbrel as well. Although I don't feel the energy you feel...more like extra fatigue for me. And nausea as well.I will admit to a little nausea on occations; often the same night I take it; but I think I'm just use to it now and don't consider the level I have to be a problem. PLUS; I do have the occational cold sore type sore on my lips but I've gotten really bad cold sore type sores since I was a really young child. The sun especially will cause them. I use some lip stuff with sunscreen in it all the time. I honestly won't blame the cold sores on MTX; but it could be who knows?
I take mine on Saturday night so that I can reserve Sunday for rest if need be. Here lately Sunday's just been another day for me. I can't even remember the last Sunday I even napped and I can remember early on where there were days where I never even got out of my pajamas. (Early on with MTX & Humira treatment I mean) I felt exasted all day. Try to enjoy it and just plan an entire day of just you. Tell the family you need your rest and be ok with doing nothing. Eventually you actually look forward to that R&R day; even if you feel a little icky.
I started out on10mg. of MTX & yesterday I started on 15mg.
Trisha
I was at 20 mg for 5 years. They've taken me off of it twice for a couple of weeks and then back on. This last time they only let me go on 15mg, but I think the doctor is counting on the Enbrel to help me more than it does or he just wants to give my liver a rest.
First visit with the RD, he said it was MTX or my life. I was that sick when I started. I was also at 60 mg of prednisone. Now, that was hard.
Your dose is so low. If you have any problems, as they have already said, they'll catch it in the blood work. If they are on it long term, they might do a liver biopsy. But this is one thing they watch like an absolute hawk. I cannot get a refill on MTX if I haven't had my labs.
Without MTX, the disease just keeps going. And you have to try MTX with most insurances before trying the biologics which have the best chance of stopping the disease from progressing or putting it into remission. This is a stepping stone.
At first, and remember I was on a high dose, I had stomach problems and extreme fatigue. I still get a little of that. But I do what the others have suggested and take it Saturday night and don't plan for anything big on Sunday in case I don't feel good.
Give yourself a chance with this one. Take a look at some of the deformities on the Internet at what RA can do to your hands. It's scary. That's kind of your alternative.