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INCREASED PAIN from Methotrexate!!

Posted , 30 users are following.

jacob75577
jacob75577

I took my first dose of 6 - 2.5mg pills last night for my arthritis.  Woke up a few hours later in the most excruciating joint pain I have ever had--in EVERY joint including my knuckels of my fingers.  Anyone ever experience this crazy reaction to this medication??

1 like, 58 replies

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  • sissie1012
    sissie1012 jacob75577

    Posted

    This is exactly what happened to me. Pain all night and it has been going on for 3 months. what is your doctor telling you. Mine are not doing anything but giving me something to sleep that did not work and now wants another vist.

     

    • jacob75577
      jacob75577 sissie1012

      Posted

      Dear Sissie:

      I took the first dose of the methotrexate and that was it. I figured I'd rather suffer from the psoriatic arthritis than die from the cure. I tried other drugs (cimzia) and regular cortisone but nothing worked. Then I tried Remicade and that seems to do the trick for me. It's an infusion every six weeks and it is a miracle drug as far as I'm concerned. I don't know if you have the choice of trying it but if you do I would recommend it. In any case I hope you get to feel better real soon.

    • sissie1012
      sissie1012 jacob75577

      Posted

      Well they do not know what I got. RA # of 280.8 took me to a specialist 6 months ago. I had had 4 flare ups within a year and chronic foot pain. But for the past 3 months I am dying with joint pain and am 75% worse off then when I started. So bad through the night that I don't sleep anymore. Then they but me on a drug to help me sleep but the pain is so bad that it does not work. They keep pushing the methotrexate and now inflammation has started in my hands. they keep wanting me to come back although I was just in their office 3 weeks ago. I am no longer going to take the methotrexate. It is so bad that by evening I cannot walk good.
  • hollz98148
    hollz98148 jacob75577

    Posted

    I just started my methotrexate yesterday morning, 15mgs for guttate psoriasis.

    I was so scared yesterday that I cried my eyes out, knowing I had to be alone when starting this stuff... and not knowing if I would end up sick and praying to the porcelain god.

    I felt pretty tired last night and had a headache, no nausea though.

    Then today I woke up and I feel like I got beat up!

    I'm stiff, my body is sore and my head ache terribly. I feel a bit nauseous tonight as well, but haven't lost my appetite yet.

    Are these normal symptoms and how long do they last? I literally feel like I got hit by a semi truck

    • mrsmop
      mrsmop hollz98148

      Posted

      Have you taken the folic acid?  That helps with the nausea.  I don't think the stiffness etc is as a result of the mtx, it doesn't take effect that quickly.

      Do you have an sos number for your Derm nurses?

       

    • hollz98148
      hollz98148 mrsmop

      Posted

      Thank you for your response mrsmop! smile

      No I didn't take folio acid yet, the bottle said Monday thru Friday.

      Would I be ok to take it now? as it's been 24hrs since I took my MTX.

      Also yes, I have a 24hr nurses line I could call but I almost feel better asking people who are going thru what I'm going thru .

    • mrsmop
      mrsmop hollz98148

      Posted

      Yes, take the folic acid now.  Give it time to work!

      They tell us that it takes about 12 weeks for the mtx to kick in.

      Did you start on 15mg?  My Derm started me on 5mg to 'break me in' & I only ever took 10mg.  I no longer take it, I am on a different drug.

    • hollz98148
      hollz98148 mrsmop

      Posted

      Yes ma'am he started me on 15mgs

      Going to take the folic acid and munch something and hopefully I will feel better in the morning.

      Thank you so much for your advice tonight!

  • myrab51
    myrab51 jacob75577

    Posted

    I have been on methotrexate since June for joint pain and skin patches. When they put me on it, my C Reactive Protien was five times over the high threshold. It is now October, and I hurt even worse. At my last blood draw, my CRP was even higher. I hurt even worse. I went from waking up at night hurting to not being able to sleep at night from hurting. They upped my dose, and said let's see how it is in December. I am trying to tough it out, but I don't know if I can go another two months like this. Everything in my body hurts. 

  • sissie1012
    sissie1012 jacob75577

    Posted

    The same thing happened to me and they upped my dasage. After several months of increased pain and no sleep I took myself off of it. The symptons went away. I was able to sleep at night again. I did start having swelling in my hands and ankles. Started taking Arava but swelling kept occuring to my hands. I am now taking hymara and feel great so far. If this does not work I will be on enbrel next. God Bless
  • Delila
    Delila jacob75577

    Posted

    Hi Jacob I suffer with Urticaria and was put on Methotrexate 15mg. Which has brought my condition under control..plus Folic acid and have finally come off steroids after a very long period along with other antihistamines ...with instant weight gain I suffered with planter Fascitis in both feet. Now Chronic Heal pain, I fell over a couple of weeks ago and hit my hand on the skirting and can't hardly bend my middle finger through swelling...I know I haven't broke it. But the swelling in my feet and in my knuckles and I'm in so much pain....reading your thread I'm now thinking none of this is right. I've even had to give up work...I can't even take painkillers because of the Urticaria...feeling very down.But reading your thread has made me want to get off it. Thanks

  • patricia8m7509p
    patricia8m7509p jacob75577

    Posted

    I have been taking methotrexate for 3 years now and until this week never associated my pain increases with taking it.

    I had gastric bypass surgery 10 years ago so there are served medications I cannot because of possible ulcer issues.

    I have just returned to work at being our on disability for 9 years and I'm having to take the day off due to the severe pain I'm in.

    I was terrible at taking my methotrexate as prescribed, but recently I have been doing well. They switched me from oral to injection die to the gastric bypass because of not absorbing my medication.

    Since then about 4 months ago, I have been diligent with my shots.

    However in the last several months my pain, especially in my shoulders and thoracic spine cause so much pain I feel like I cannot breath.

    I'm so scared right now, I stayed a new job I love, this is 1 whole day missed and I had to leave really my first week from the pain.

    It's always 3-4 days after my methotrexate injection.

    On top of that something else seems like it's going on. I cannot ficus and I feel Minh my thoughts are heavy and unclear, I'm losing stuff I feel like I'm losing it.

    No one understands how bad the passion is, and most people think your either a wimp or melodramatic.

    I'm seeing my doctor today at 1:30 how well that will go is anyone's guess.

    I go to my GPA not a rheumatoid doc, because I'm have negative antibodies most Terry top say it's fybromyalgia. Physical it's a $45 Co pay.

    I believe that the methotrexate is causing a lot of the problems, but cannot prove it.

    The reason...as I said I was very inconsistent with it at first, but since Nov. I have been Pretty much on top of it and my passion just keeps getting worse.

    Please, does anyone else or have they ever struggled with these issues. I'm in need of some hope.

    Blessings Trish

  • teresa37102
    teresa37102 jacob75577

    Posted

    I too just took my first dose yesterday.  And, yes I am in more pain.  Seriously don't like this.  Has any good news come your way.

  • PMDreamweaver
    PMDreamweaver jacob75577

    Posted

    I have been taking Methotrexate for over a year now along with Celebrex for my RA and Fibromyalgia. I also have Humira infusions once a month to help control my RA. But it seems like nothing is working, I am in constant pain, so severe and agressive that even the medicine that i get from my pain management doctor to help with my bad back and neck, Zohydro 50ER 1 capsule 2 times daily, Neurontin 500mg 1 tablet 3 times daily, and Zanaflex muscle relaxer 1 tablet 3 times daily, none of which even begin to touch the pain I am in. Yesterday I went to pick up my Celebrex from the pharmacy, and mind you I have been taking it along with my Methotrexate for over a year together, and the pharmacist suddenly informs me that my Celebrex taken in conjunction with Methotrexate may cause bone marrow loss. Well now this suddenly explains why every single bone in my body is killing me and NONE of my pain medicines and such are working on me. No one EVER told me about this side effect when I started taking these two medicines together, and all of this time I have been living in pure misery!!! I feel like the doctors and the pharmacy all failed me and mistreated me and caused more damage to my body than it can repair. Now I dont know what to do or how to make my bone marrow repair itself. But suddenly it all makes sense and explains why the pain has gotten worse and worse each and every day, month after month. What should I do? How do I repair the damage that has been done? Can someone please help me? I am in such intense pain that I cant sleep even with all the different sleeping aides that they have tried me on, I cant get any relief from the pain no matter how much pain medicine I take, and the only time I can get any kind of relief is to overdose myself and end up in the hospital, which has happened twice because I was so miserable and so tired of the pain and just tired in general. I AM DESPERATE, SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!
  • carol3005
    carol3005 jacob75577

    Posted

    Hi Hi Jacob I have been on this medication now for tomorrow will be my 3rd Monday of taking my 6 tablets per week I HAVE BEEN IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN since starting this medication & it doesn't seem to be easing any either my consultant has changed my next hospital appointment from May to sept how I'm gonna cope till then is beyond me I feel as though I'm  dying 

    carol 

     

    • luz02964
      luz02964 carol3005

      Posted

      I am glad I am

      Not the only one. I was afraid something's gone really wrong with my shoulder.

    • carol3005
      carol3005 luz02964

      Posted

      Hi .. I am no longer on that horrible medication my own GP not my hospital consultant told me I hab taken a bad reaction to it & to stop it immediately was given the super duper gold injection till I'm medicated agin which I hope will be pretty soon as it wearing off .. 

      Thank You Guys xx 

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