Last week I took 2 X 2.5 methotrexate as directed by my doctor. After taking it I had the wORST flare-up with stiff hands, feet and neck. I told my doctor but he refuses to believe it was the MTX! I took the same dose yesterday, and tonight my left leg from the knee down is strangly 'cramping'. I feel stuffy like I'm getting a cold and can't sleep. My rib cage feels funny. I took an additional prednisone at midnight as suggested by the doctor&nurse when I warned them (at noon) this all could happen, tonight!! Again they didn't believe me, but here it is!!
5mg is not much MTX at all. I take 25mg and tolerate it very well. Some folks just can't take it though.....you might just be one of them.
I think if you are having problems just taking 5mg it's unlikely you are going to be able to increase MTX enough to be helpful.
Maybe skip it next week and see if the symptoms go away. You're in charge of your body. Not your doctor, not your nurse or anyone else for that matter. You do not have to continue on any medication you do not want to take. Experiment and see what happens.
Good Luck. I hope you feel better.
I'm with Lovie. Five mgs. of MTX is a low dose and if you are having reactions like that, MTX is certainly not for you. Everybody's different and I think most people tolerate MTX at least fairly well. I think Lovie and I are on the high end of the MTX dosage scale. Hurts, I hope they can find something that works for you really soon!Hi I'm a newbie and I dont know whether this helps but ....
Just been diagnosed with aggressive form of RA known as Adult Onset Stills Disease. I was put onto MTX too as the same high dosage because it was the cheaper option for my Hospital. Suffered severe reaction including fever and temperature spikes, heart problems etc etc etc.
My Doctor fought the Hospital board and managed to get the go ahead for a new drug called Anakinra, part of the Kineret group. I self inject 100mg perday. The advantage is that it is a biological drug and not a chemical one so there appear to be no nasty side effects like you get with MTX. Maybe an idea to have a word with your Doctor about this.
I have stounded my Doctors with the progress I have made over the last 2 weeks and have just come out of hospital after 7 weeks, with time spent in Intensive Care as my symptoms were life threatening.
Good Luck and keep me posted.
Oh hurts that is just awful.
I hated mtx too made me feel sick - mostly just gut stuff.
I don't have any problems Arava. Ask to try it at the 10 mg level. Don't take the loading doses. It'll take longer to work but you won't shock your system so bad and end up sick again.