methotrexate | Arthritis Information

Hi Everyone..!

My name is Cori and I have had RA for about 3 years now. I have had terrible luck with my first Rheumy as he kept me on anti inflammitories that were killing my stomach and causing me to bleed. )o; It hasn't been fun...lol! I just went to a new one last week who is starting me on Methotrexate along with prednisone. It is oral mtx but I am really leary of starting it as I have read so much about side effects! I know for alot of you, it probably seems minimal to other drugs but can someone please tell me what to expect from it? It's been nearly a week, and I have yet to start!

It's great to have found this group and I am so thankful for all the info on here as I don't know much about RA and don't know anyone who has it..(o; So thanks for all of your insight!

Cori!

Hi Taz..welcome!

I've been taking mtx now for 15 years. I've had no problems with it. Make sure to talk with your doctor about taking folic acid while on mtx. You'll have to have blood work done about once a month. So if anything is going wrong, your doctor will be able to tell from that. Some ppl have problems with mouth sores, feeling tired and feeling sick.

Hoping you'll be as lucky as I have with mtx!

good luck!

Kelly

Hi Kelly!

Thanks for the help! Also could you tell me if it's best to take in the morning or at night? I have read mixed comments on that as well!

Thanks again,

Cori

As you have already noticed, you will get just about as may different answers to questions on mtx (and folic acid) as there are posters! Different people, different docs, all valid, each to their own. I think we all settle into what suits us individually.

I was diagnosed July 2005 and went onto mtx straight away. My own experience is - 7.5mg (v. low dose) of mtx, once a week and 5mg of folic acid, also once a week but 48 hours after mtx. I felt very nauseous after first two or three doses, not for the whole week but as soon as I felt better mtx day was round again! This soon settled down. I used to get an ulcer on my tongue but haven't had this for about 4/6 months. I also get heartburn but this is lessening. I take my mtx in the morning in a teaspoon of honey. I don't get any after affects. This is how it's been for me. I'm happy, my rheumy's happy. There are others here who have had a bad time with mtx. In essence, it's horses for courses. I hope you have an easy ride with it and more so that it works for you - ah......length of time to take affect varies too.

I have a blood test every 8 weeks - another variation!

kelly too.

Hi Cory and welcome! I started straight away on 10mg of MTX and after a month went up to 20mg. I take it at night so that the nausea is mostly in my sleep. Nausea is the only side effect and a few soda crackers take care of that. I also was Rx'd Folic Acid.

Hi Taz,

I take my mtx on Tuesdays at lunch time. No particular reason...just that I take a handful of other pills at breakfast, so I take the mtx alone at lunch. Others find if they take it in the evening they can sleep through any tired/nauseous feelings they may have. Also, some ppl take it on the weekend so they have those days free and clear if they happen to feel tired. So I guess it just depends on what's going on with you while on mtx.

I just noticed you in Canada...where in Canada are you? I'm in Ontario.

Hi again everyone!

Thankyou all for your support and advice! It means alot as I really am lost with this disease..lol! Not knowing anyone else with it really bites...but now I have you all! I really appreciate your advice and will certainly use it! I am not quite so scared of trying it now thanks to you all! As for where I live, I am in Regina Sk right now. But moving back to Alberta to the Hat in a couple of mos! Yay! lol!

Thanks again!

Cori (o;

Taz--

I've been on MTX for almost a year and a half now. I'm on oral MTX--I take 15mg/week. My doctor also has me take Leucovorin (Folinic Acid) 10mg at the same time I take the MTX.

I remember the first time I took my MTX I lined up the pills on the table and just stared at them for the longest time. It took me quite awhile to get my courage up enough to swallow them. But, I'm sure glad I did!! It's helped me immensely, and I don't have any noticable side effects at all. The first few times I took it, I was a little tired the next day, but that was it--No nausea or any of the other side effects.

I hope your experience is like mine--best of luck to you!!

dordale Costco Pharmacies will no longer carry methotrexate and are substituting Qualaquin. Great. I was given 11 MTX which is less than two doses for me and I dont have another appointment for two weeks.

justsaynomore

If mtx is working for you transfer your script to a pharmacy that will supply it. Just bring your pill bottle to the new pharmacy - they will handle the transfer. Sometimes the new pharmacy will give you a small reward -10 for giving them your business.

Is Qualaquin just a switch in companies suppling the generic or a whole different drug?

I looked up the other drug and it is an antimalarial. I think the pharmacy just made a huge mistake - how can they substitute a cancer/RA/psorasis treatment with an antimalarial? This is bizarre and I bet its just a huge mistake. And thanks for the idea on the bottle, I had no idea. I have never had to take drugs on regular basis before. I wonder why Costco would drop carrying MTX, isn't it a well-tolerated, good quality drug? Very strange. justsaynoemore39169.7693171296

Hi cori,

I was also afraid of mtx. I just started taking it 3 weeks ago. My side effects are fatigue for a day or two and some minor stomach upset. I havent noticed a huge change in my ra but my rhuemy told me not to expect an instant cure. so i will keep taking it and hope for the best. hope this helps.

kkotts8

I've had a good experience with Methotrexate. 15 years of taking various amounts depending on my level of swelling, stiffness and pain. Currently, because of a big flare-up I'm taking 6x2.5, with remicade (3 treatments with another in 8 weeks), but still need prednisone (want to get off of it!). reading about all the bad things on the MTX literature is surely scary, but honestly if you need it , you need it!! I have some feeling of weird, fatigue, etc., but nothing too awful. the worst part about all of the RA drugs is waiting for the to work. The doctors say 'wait 3 months' wHAT!!,. Only prednisone gave me instant relief. Good luck and keep us up to date on what's happening.

Sarah

hurts39169.3733101852

Hi All!

Well I took my methotrexate on Monday nite! I am happy to say I am still alive! lol!! I really don't think so far I have had much in the way of problems other than a little fatigue! Altho I am in the middle of trying to move and my husband is away for some time...so doing this all on my own could be the cause of the tiredness I guess...Painting, going thru boxes and boxes with ra is kind of tricky to say the least some days...haha!

I just want to say thanks to all of you again for your replies and support! It sure makes it alot less horrid having someone to talk to about it! I hope everyone is doing well....(o;

Thanks again!

Cori!

Hey Justsaynomore---is that even legal of Costco? They are not docotrs! This is another example of corporations overstepping their boundaries.
Anyway, some antimalarials are used in the treatment of RA---Plaquenil is an antimalarial and is classed as an antibiotic. And yet no one knows why Plaquenil is effective in the treatment of RA. Howevre, mtx as you know, is an immunesuppressant so there's no way they're comparable.
Gimpy-a-gogo39169.3983217593It was an error by the Costco pharmacy - morons. I take quinine sulphate for my lupus, and they wrote on the MTX script paperwork that it would be substituted with this Qualaquin or whatever its called. They put the note on the wrong script, but my husband picked up the script, and was TOLD they were dropping MTX, but its the quinine sulphate they are dropping. It was just another medical error. Morons. Now I have to get my primary to write a new script because they wont honor a quinine sulphate script any longer. Which of course will cost me another doctors visit and a waste of time and energy. Morons. justsaynoemore39169.7690277778

I don't know what your insurance is like but that Costco is scarey. I think you might be better off somewhere else.

My local Costco is really good but my closest Walgreens is dreadful.

Hi Cori,

I really don't have anything to add about MTX, just wanted to say "hi" and welcome. It's good to have you with us.

Nini

Sarah~

if you increased your MTX some you might be able to come off the Predisone. 15mg isn't that high. You've still got soem room to go up and that could very likely get you to a point where you could begin to reduce the predisone.

Sorry to poke in; but I've heard you mention that you want to get off the predisone.....that might make it possible.