Hospital's strange reaction to methotrexate - anyone have similar experience?

I'm a nurse and understands about being stuck by a needle what possible affect it could have. But have you experience healthcare staff acting like you have a plague cause taking MTX? Btw I'm on MTX take 8tabs wkly.

Needle stick is a very different thing! Years ago they probably still kept healthcare staff off because of the risk of AIDS. That no longer applies in many countries.

I knew you had to be careful, but everyone had previously given me the impression it was because my immune system was suppressed eg don't get sunburnt, keep an eye on cuts for potential  infections, keep skin moisturised, floss, etc, not because I was an actual danger to anybody else. I have three monthly blood tests and never once has a phlebotomist said anything along the lines of "Ooh, methotrexate. I'd better put on double gloves" and when I was  in hospital none of  the other nurses had on gloves when taking my BP or performing normal tasks like administering pain meds -  maybe they did and I just didn't notice  (but I don't think so), but they certainly didn't specifically "glove up" when dealing with me.

I can appreciate your sister's anxiety about potential fallout from a needle stick injury - any needle stick injury in any situation is a worry, but especially so in a hospital -  but I really don't understand why I am a greater danger to anybody else than is the average patient. I can understand if it was a case of, because I have an impaired immune system, that I may be more likely to be harbouring an infection. However, this is not the impression they gave. The biologic I take also suppresses the immune system, but didn't get a mention. It was specifically taking of Methotrexate - as if it had some type of toxic effect on others and causes an evil miasma that almost permeates the environment.

It sort of raises red flags in my mind about what Methotrexate is actually doing to me. 

Yes, I was treated as though I had the plague, bin beside the bed with CYTO-TOXIC, nurses dressing the purple gowns and purple gloves.

This is what the other patients in the room noticed and wondered about, because I was soooo obviously being treated differently to others in a 4 bed room, and why I asked the nurses to explain to them that I was no danger to them.

Because I have been on MTX for 15 years for arthiritis, I refused to take my dose, due on the Friday, the day after my surgery, missing one dose does not seem to be a problem for me, such a fuss was made about me refusing my meds.

And then when it came to my 2nd hip replacement, again due Friday, same day as my surgery, chemists in pre-op-clinic, said just keep taking as normal, but on day of surgery I was specifically asked had I taken my dose of MTX, and said NO, I did not think it was a good idea, male voice in the background said smart girl, referring to me, but when I got to the ward, treated as though I had again taken my MTX, all nurses treated me as though I had something nasty.

Thanks for your response.You show how irrational this nurse's behaviour was.

As a former nurse it is good practice in general to use universal precautions for all pts. MTX is considered a chemo mild one and understand about the disposal of oncology wast. Hospital staff need to be mindful amd considered to pts on the receiving end. No one once to be treated as a leper. Perhaps they should had put you in a pvt room to begin with. As to holding your MTX while taking surgery that was a wise decision,MTX increase bleeding time,I'm on coumadin for PE and my INR ran higher 3.6 therapeutic range is 2-3. Some nurses become robotic and forget pts are people with feelings and emotions.

Excuse my grammer had my grandson didn't proof read 😂

Because of my RA, or in reality psoriasis arthirits, for the last 15 years, I have educated myself about medications and being a little doubtful about MTX and other RA meds, I ask questions, and even then more questions.

I was prescribed Arava or Leflunomide, at 20mg dose, and within days had developed really nasty feeling headache, and I don't suffer from headcahes, went to my regular GP, who was supposed to follow up with routine care, between specialist appts, and told him I felt terrible, blood pressure through the roof, I pointed out to him the only med I had changed was the Arava, he looked up in his computer, and said no relationship, I argued with him and said it must be, he gave me a prescription for strong blood pressure meds, which I had filled.

When I got home, I looked at the arava bottle and there on the side of it was the manufacturer, I rang them and asked for medical advice, explained what had happened, and they immediately asked for my regular Dr's phone number, about 20 mins later got a very abrupt phone call, "you know those meds you were talking about this morning don't take them anymore", and the sod hung up on me, he didn't even bother to write a letter to the specialist, I mentioned to specialist what had happened at the next appt, and she started flicking pages of my file, saying no letter here mentioning that. GRRRRRR!!!!!.

I have been tipped off by my regular chemist who I told my story to about GP, and he said that's funny we have just had an alert about blood pressure with this arava, apparently only about 2% of patients have this issues with this particular med, annoying is it worked, arthritis was gone, but side effects were going to kill me, some years ago now, but was I one of the ones who did have a reaction to the med.

I do the same for my husband, he has heart failure, and I have made a study of his condition, just for your interest, when they did an angiogram, he has NO blockages in his arteries, apparently his sister who also has a heart condition has the same, no blockages.

I have even said to the heart Dr's are you not interested in why these two heart patients have no blockages, as I understand it 98% of heart patients issues are caused by blockages or plaque in heart arteries, and only this year have I had a young cardiologist show any interest at all, 7 years on since husband got sick, now wanting to test our children, starting with echocardiogram, to see if they have any plaque.

Only explanation I have is genetic, maybe of interest to some is I have traced this family back to central London, 1800's or so, and I have been able to trace out a couple of other branches as well, so if Dr's really interested I will be able to give them the family tree and descendants, all from public and census records.

 

That is very good! And I encourage every and anyone to be proactive in their medical plan and that of their love ones. Drs uses the same thing we have access to,the internet! Our body is the strongest thing we have listen to it! If you are feeling a certain way or having symptoms after starting a new medication and your PCP tell you differently like in your case don't stop keep going and find answers. Even if you have to tell your Dr you can't continue with a certain medication. It's your body and your life!

Thanks. Yes,  perhaps  that's it - just an officious head nurse for oncology at that specific  hospital who has collected a cadre of like minded people around her. As I said, my previous hospital visits for my knees, no one mentioned it, and, during this stay,  the actual rostered staff in the general ward didn't seem fussed at all.

When I had my knees replaced, it was all done very quickly - probably three/four weeks from seeing the Orthopaedic surgeon to the operation, and nothing was mentioned about not taking the methotrexate beforehand (which they should have) and afterwards the staff quite happily administered my weekly 10mg dose without a problem.

If I ever have to have elective surgery again, I will investigate the hospital's attitude to methotrexate beforehand. The last thing I needed wast his woman's reaction at that time.