We go to Sanibel Island every year in November after Thanksgiving and stay in a condo directly on the beach. Our vacation is all about the beach and the beautiful sunny days.
In the morning we'll go down to the pool after breakfast and in the afternoon we go down to the beach. Sometimes we toss a coin for the beach in the morning and the pool in the afternoon.
Anyway our whole vacation is about the sunshine and relaxation. I do use an umbrella on the beach, a really big one that I can go in and out of the sun with.
I was telling my doctor about this and he told me to stay out of the direct sun because of the methotrexate. How am I gonna do this??
I will never give up this vacation.
So far my arms are tan this year from working out in the yard.
I am only on 10 mg. Has anyone had a problem with burning??
maybe wear lots of sunscreen and a hat and stuff to just lighlty cover up with.
Have fun leaving the "wonderful" IL weather in Nov! That sounds like a dream vacation. I don't have any problem with the sun and MTX. Hope you don't either, but even if you do, I know'll you'll still have a great time. I'm having a great time just thinking about it.I'm on 25mg myself and have been for years. The sun doesn't bother me. I would recommend sunscreen though. No reason to ruin your vacation nursing a sunburn. Better to be safe than sorry.
Hi , I've always tried (tried!), to avoid that 11:00 to 2:00 high sun period, but my skin 'looks like the devil, having stuff burnt off right now! nitric oxide (sp?). I put lots of make up on my face that has sun screen and put 40 sunscreen on 'exposed' areas. (mostly arms, for me as I wear long white pants to the golf course). We always play tennis and golf real early in the morning..
The swimming pool and beach sound lovely with your family and all and it is impossible to avoid the sun completely, but I think the instructions for mtx mean just don't lay there at high noon? I'm not a sun bather though, so it isn't hard for me. (my grand daughter looks at me like I'm crazy wearing long pants in the summer....oh well, she looks at me funny anyway, as she is 16.
maybe you can sort of plan to stay under an umbrella more, sip mai-tais under the umbrellas at the bar and 'avoid' direct, high burning times? There are so many cute 'bathingsuit' cover ups, no one would know. It's all about the allusions of things.
Have a really great vacation, Lynda
Be really careful. Harvard finished a study that show there are more skin cancers in immuno suppressed individuals than the general population. I read that study 6 months ago and it made me suspicious about several very small areas on my face. I went to the dermatologist and the biopsies came back basal cell carcinoma in 2 of the spots and a precancerous lesion on 3rd spot. I've had Moh's excision X 2 with a small skin graft to my nose.
If we're on biologics and dmards we need to be extra careful not just because we burn easier but we also get skin cancers at a higher rate. I've been meaning to post this under a topic with a copy of the study. I think Pip posted it in one of her threads. It's a really important study. I've had so many health issues lately I just haven't wanted to keep posting about all the crap that's been going on. But like I said this is an important study. Lindy
Thanks for all the replys. I had a feeling the sun wasnt that bad with this med but it is a warning. Maybe some people are more susceptable ( spell) than others.Thinkthinn, I don't have RA, and I don't take mtx, but I have lived with an allergy to the sun my whole life.
Just be careful and be smart. Take an umbrella with you to the beach, wear a hat and sunglasses all the time. You can have just as much fun at the beach or the pool sitting in the shade. Make your play time in the sun early in the morning or later in the day when the sun is at an angle where it isn't shining directly on you. Just because you aren't experiencing symptoms from sun exposure doesn't mean you aren't being affected at a cellular level.
And most importantly fill every day with love, fun, and adventures!
Hill
Linda
I have not been advised about this methotrexate/sun risk. I go to a tanning club in order to get as much UVA/UYB as possible. I was told this helps the condition. Matthew, it's one of those things that unless you do the research you won't know about. Rheumy's don't always tell you all the side effects. My rheumy told me about sun exposure because we were leaving to go to Mexico. When I was researching dmard and biologic studies I learned more. Please google indoor tanning for information about skin problems. I know that the Harvard study was on one of the threads within the last couple of weeks. I think Pip posted it because I remember responding to it. Lindy Honey, I looked up the site you mentioned and some of the clothing in there was very nice. Lite jacket for walking on the beach Lite beach pants too. And if youv'e been to Sanibel you know why I cry when its time to leave.