My Dr just changed my oral MTX to injectable and I want to take both it and the Enbrel the same day so the side effects will only take up one of my days per week. I get extremely fatigued and have the headache after the Enbrel and am in bed for about 24 hrs so I thought I might as well do the MTX injection also.
I have been taking the oral MTX the same day as Enbrel. Anyone else doing both of these and if so the same day? I already lose days for flares and I don't want to lose more than 1 day just to take meds. Thanks.
I always did them on the same day..it was easier to remember that wayMe, too. I ask my doctor and he said it didn't matter. They work completely different ways and so don't interact.
At first I did them on different days and I started forgetting the newest one. Now I do the MTX before dinner and the Enbrel right before bed.
sorry about the headaches, I have no sideeffects from Enbrel.
Bee
I don't do Enbrel, but I do Humira and mtx and prefer to do my injections on the same days. I inject in my legs (injecting in my stomach makes my stomach turn lol) and inject both meds in the same leg. Just make sure you continue to rotate your injection sites.
Meds affect everyone differently, but I lost a lot of the icky side effects from oral mtx when I went to the injectable. All I really am is wiped out the next day. Low energy level, no motivation, etc. My hair still falls out but not as badly. When I went injectable my doc upped my folic acid dose from 1mg to 2mg and that seemed to help.
Well I did it! Gramma you're right after a year on oral MTX I pretty much had no problem with the injectable.
Thanks everyone. It is so great to check here prior to new meds etc. and get answers from those who have been there, done that.
I am glad it went well.
I too got the Enbrel headache about 2 hours after the shot - it lasted about 8 hours and was really bad in the beginning. It got better as time went by. Then I switched to remicade and got a headache with that too. My RD gave me benedryl with it from then on - no more headache! I have often wondered if benedryl would have nixed the headache with Enbrel too. If you want to try it take the shot and benedryl shortly before going to bed - the benedryl makes most people sleepy.
Best wishes for no more headache!
Thanks Marian. It is sure worth a try since I have nothing to lose but the headache.Glad to hear things went well with your shot!! It is so nice to not have that stomach upset that you get with the pills lol.
I do my shots in the evening so when I get sleepy from it I just curl up under the heated blankie and go to sleep. The next day I drag my blankie out to the couch and pretty much lay there like a lump lol. I will do some simple housework (like dishes and picking up) just to get the old bones and muscles moving.
hi i am new to ra so for give me but what is mtx i am on sulfasalizine 1500 mg a day not helping whant some diffreht but no chemo drugs tried to get embrl inc said no have to try other drugs but not sure what let them give me need in sight