I've been on 20mg. of mtx since May without any negative side effects. However, I'm beginning to wonder if the following are possible side effects and I guess I began to wonder about them a couple of weeks ago: 1. My mind is wide awake but my body is in a constant feeling of tired/fatigue(I can fall asleep at anytime or anyplace); 2. The last couple of weeks I've gotten the itchies pretty bad without any kind of rash; and 3. I'm not experiencing any joint pain, even with my prednisone being decreased 1mg. per month, but I ache all over on a scale of 2-6.
Will be weaned from the prednisone by the middle of December.
So are these symptoms possible side affects of the mtx? Is this to be expected or should I contact my rheumy? By the way my lab reports consistenly come back A-Okay.
When I got down to 1 mg. of Pred my body ached every where. I am stuck at 3mg.
I took MTX for almost 3 years and experienced some similar side effects. I was also tired/fatigued a lot and though the joint pain was mostly gone I also felt some body aches. After 2 years I also started having a recurring thrush infection that would return as soon as I stopped the anti-thrush meds. I've recently changed to Humira and have very few side effects so far. For me, MTX worked but it had its down side.
Alan
I can only tell you about my experience, but when I had the symptoms you describe (fatigue and overall ache) my disease was still not under complete control and it was ALL about the RA, not the MTX. In fact my RD increased my MTX just a little bit when I told him I still had these symptoms, though I felt tons better overall. Today I don't have a problem with either of these two things.
I have the itchiness witout the rash as well. It is very irritating! I have been on MTX for 4 months but the itching only started a couple of weeks ago, after a dosage increase. I still have fatigue and the rd says it is because the ra is not undercontrol yet. I have not asked her about the itching yet because I thought is was just me. After reading your post I begin thinking back and looking at my journal and realized that the itching started when I started taking tramadol. I am going to switch pain meds and see if that takes care of the itching. Have you asked the rd about your itching? If you find out any more about it please share, I would love to know waht is causing this problem.
I had a previous doctor that wouldn't stop my meds when i had the exact same problems as you. I would have a large increase in inflammation with mtx.
The new rhumatologist that i see was horrified that my doctor kept me on it for all this time. It seems that an allergic reaction which is rare was occuring.
I would try to get help right away to get off this medication. I stopped it myself and am doing quite well so far on arava.
Watchingwolf,
This disease called RA, is strange animal, coupled with FM, CFS, MS, Hypothyroid, and other chronic illnesses. (Hopefully, you don't have all of these ailments). It doesn't make it any easier with the cocktail of meds given to us. Please, contact your Rheumy or physician that your disease and treatment is not stable. Yes, there may be more adjustments made to your meds but it beats self-dosing and ending up worse from playing doc. Hope this helps.
Smhiles
MTX knocks me out. I can count on not having the energy to wake up for work/class the next day. It pretty much makes you so tired, that you cant move.