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Methotrexate - oral v Injection. Anyone have any experiance?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Sunnydays
Sunnydays

Hi,

I wondered if there were any disadvantages to having the methotrexate injection as opposed to oraly?

The oral dose is causing unpleasant stomach side effects, so I presume the injction will bypass this (a bit atleast). But I wondered why the injection isnt given innitially?  Perhaps there are draw backs to it? 

Thanks for any advice 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • gillian_25383
    gillian_25383 Sunnydays

    Posted

    Hi,no GI tract problems with injection.I just get transient pain at injection site (about five minutes)and some bruising (helps me remember which leg and where to stab☺).Probably try tablets at first as injection is ten times more expensive (fine for me as in U.K. )I get mine at the hospital but at our surgery if you want injections the request has to be initiated by hospital (anyway the sharps bin has to go back to the hospital for incineration so I get injections then change bin at outpatients the same day).Good luck
    • Sunnydays
      Sunnydays gillian_25383

      Posted

      Hi Gillian,

      Thanks so much for repliying. We are  in UK too (Wales). I guess they try oral first if the injections are so costly - Makes sense.   So you cant injeect at home then? or do you inject at home and return sharps bin when you go in for the routine bloods? 

    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 Sunnydays

      Posted

      I inject at homeThe first one was done under supervision at hospital by rheumatology nurse but if they are happy then you do it at home.Blood tests at GP surgery.Have phone number of rheumatology nurse in case of queries and just phone to reorder injections.Presume similar in Wales.
  • brenda05405
    brenda05405 Sunnydays

    Posted

    I switched from the oral to injections 6 months ago. I'm not as sick to my stomach

  • cheryl97005
    cheryl97005 Sunnydays

    Posted

    Hi,

    I have known gi upsets with a lot of medication, so when I started on MTX (only 3 weeks ago) doctor started me on the injection.  So far, the side effects are minimal nausea, bloating and some loss of appetite for a day or two. But nothing really bad.  I have heard that the tablets have much worse side effects. I have not noticed any improvement yet though. 

  • leslie19171
    leslie19171 Sunnydays

    Posted

    i have not tried injections i have been told they intra muscular and i can tell you if that is right they r painful but that what i have been told
    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 leslie19171

      Posted

      They are subcutaneous so needle hardly penetrates-infact I only know it has gone in if you watch the liquid level fall.It is automated (sort of)so just press a button
    • lucynewas
      lucynewas leslie19171

      Posted

      No pain at all. A little uncomfortable till you get used to them. Wish I'd started on them first - saved months of side effects.

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