Posted , 5 users are following.
I've just been diagnosed with chronic multifocal osteomyelitis at the age of 27 and they are starting me on treatment with methotrexate. I was just wondering how this effects most people and if I will be able to continue to work my full time job, any information would be great
1 like, 6 replies
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steve195705 fearne12
Posted
I was given my first methotrexate injection today for lymphocytic colitis treatment. So, watch this space! One piece of practical advice - make sure you have your blood test before the day of the injection. I turned up and step one was send bloods for test - pharmacy won't even release the medication until they see the blood results.
timbol415 fearne12
Posted
Hi, I was on Methotrexate for three months for pulmonary/lung sarcoidosis and didn't suffer any side effects except deterioration in my persistent cough and breathlessness - the very symptoms the medication should have been treating. I have done quite a bit of research online but you need to be cautious as to what websites you visit to ensure that you are reading authentic medical opinions and information. I have found one particular website to be very informative www.drugs.com where you can gather lots of information about side effects and interactions with other medications. You can even set up a profile if you register and store the information for future reference. There is also a free App that you can download for IOS/iPhone or Android and this is really useful too. It is quite clear from the research that I have done that we can all react differently to medications, so we can easily be frightened by reading about all the side effects and thinking that we might suffer them all but that isn't necessarily the case. I decided to stop taking Methotrexate after three months and my cough and breathlessness have diminished so I believe I made the right decision. I am now awaiting my next consultation with the respiratory clinic to find out where we go from here in my Sarcoidosis treatment plan. If in any doubt ask your consultant for more information. GP's are not allowed to prescribe Methotrexate, only Consultants and it is imperative that your Consultant advises you of the need to have regular blood tests (full blood count plus liver and kidney functions). This should comprise a blood test BEFORE you start Methotrexate to determine a base line, then weekly blood tests for one month, then fortnightly for month two, then monthly up until six months. A varying time scale may of course apply to your condition. Another important factor is that because Methotrexate is described as a cytotoxic drug it is highly likely that your Consultant will have to enter into a 'Shared Care Agreement' which defines the lines of responsibility between the Consultant prescribing the drug and your GP who may then take over once you are established. It's a bit like a contract and sets out the essential requirements of the blood testing that I have already mentioned. It's nothing for you to worry about because it is there to protect the patient. I hope this helps and wish you well with your ongoing treatment plan
timbol415 fearne12
Posted
Sorry, I forgot to add that Folic Acid is normally prescribed to anyone taking Methotrexate as this helps to alleviate some of the side effects. However, my previous Consultant prescribed me a daily dose of Folic Acid including the day of taking the Methotrexate but this turned out to be INCORRECT. The Folic Acid dose SHOULD have been ONCE WEEKLY and [u]NOT ON THE SAME DAY AS TAKING THE METHOTREXATE.[/u] Again, check this out with the Consultant prescribing the medication to you. Fortunately, an overdose of Folic Acid didn't cause me any harm at all but best to check it out for yourself.
alice88959 fearne12
Posted
I started taking methotrexate last month for Inflamatory Arthritis , I was really sick ! Constantly feeling sick and brain for !
I've stopped taking it until I go back to the consultant in April !
All I can say is everyone is different , you may tolerate better than me !
Best of luck
steve195705 alice88959
Posted
Sorry to hear about your reaction. I had my first injection last Wednesday and so far seem OK. As you say, everyone is different, I'll keep a close eye on things though in case the intolerance builds up. I hope you can find a solution that suits you on your next visit to the consultant..
clare88367 fearne12
Posted
Hi Fearne, yes you should be able to continue work fine on methotrexate. Plenty of people take it without undue ill effect. Others not so much. It depends what you do for a living I guess as to whether you can continue to work or not. For me, it made me ill - fatigued, sick, anaemic, brain fog, hair loss, bone pain (not what you want!), lymph gland pain, and six months of that was enough. But different people tolerate different doses, so it's best to just wait see, monitor yourself closely, write down the things that are different so you don't forget. It might work really well for you.