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Missed one week of methotrexate and feel awful

Posted , 7 users are following.

gillian_25383
gillian_25383

Had to miss last weeks dose due to infectionFelt ok for 3 days,a bit sore yesterday but today feel as if I have been run over by a bus;in pain from neck to feet.Is this normal as I cannot believe how quickly pain has come back

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH gillian_25383

    Posted

    If the mtx is helping you manage on a lower dose than without it then not taking the mtx will be the same as a sudden reduction in pred dose to one that is too low. That is what would happen to someone on just pred who was at near enough the right dose and suddenly took, say, 3mg less. If the inflammation is under control then it is likely to take a few days for it to build up enough to cause the symptoms again.
    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 EileenH

      Posted

      Am on monotherapy as prednisolone and I had fallen out big time.Go back on methotrexate on Tuesday so fingers crossed I improveThe methotrexate had just started to work beautifully (been on it three and a half months ).Atleast can tell rheumatologist on Thursday that it is working;also that without it my GORD is back under control and no nausea.It will be an interesting appointment
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy gillian_25383

      Posted

      Gillian are you saying you were just taking methotrexate and no pred for PMR? I could imagine just stopping it cold could be horrendous. I forgot to take my pred one day and felt I had been hit by a double decker bus. 
    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 ptolemy

      Posted

      Did a rapid reduction and came off prednisolone in June.Started methotrexate in August and as advised lived on my pain meds till it kkicked in when began reducing painkillers
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy gillian_25383

      Posted

      Gillian I am surprised that pain meds other than pred helped your PMR, usually they are pretty useless. What were you taking? What was the problem with pred? 
    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 ptolemy

      Posted

      Huge weight gain (not good post heart attack )steroid hump,bleeding under skin&thinning skin.Tramadol and paracetamol (not allowed NSAID's cos of kidney problems )

    • Dave-California
      Dave-California gillian_25383

      Posted

      I believe from research and my reumatologist that Methotrexate reduces the activity of your immune system which typically is overactive in PMR conditions. These drugs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug) (DMARD) such as methotrexate ‘dampen’ down the underlying disease process rather than simply treating symptoms.

      My rheumatologist identified that some of my symptoms developed from my preliminary long term steroid use and that methotrexate would assist me in maintaining a long taper, hopefully to zero with less pain, but definitely could not replace prednisone.

      I’ve been on MTX at 25mg/week for the entire time that my prednisone taper is actively being reduced and I’m currently at 4mg pred. I think that there is some significant benefit from using a DMARD but I don’t think it replaces prednisone.

      Dave

    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 Dave-California

      Posted

      Yes,that is how it works and my blood test results have never been so good.Only had to come off the week cos they had been a tad too efficient hence the infections
    • ptolemy
      ptolemy gillian_25383

      Posted

      I managed to keep the weight gain under control by cutting out simple carbs and gluten, but still have problems with bleeding under the skin, the spots sometimes break open as my skin is very thin and are then really sore. They make a real mess of the sheets too! I am amazed that Tramadol works, it had absolutely no affect on my PMR pain at all. 
  • pauline36422
    pauline36422 gillian_25383

    Posted

    gillian i cannot understand why you would stop medication because of infection

    i would have thought it would help.  i am now down to 4.5.   of pred...i have had 2 flares from day 1  3.5years.  and wouldnt risk another. i am doing  fine again so far. no pain.   going down very slow.  quater  mg   each drop.  it will take time ,but i dont care as long as  this horrible  illness goes out of my system  altogether.

       all the best  with yours

     

    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 pauline36422

      Posted

      Hi Pauline,as methotrexate works by depressing the immune system the rheumatology nurse said it was too stressed with the addition of the infections;hence the need to miss a dose.Feeling a lot better on that front so been told to resume this week (when on methotrexate lots of blood tests and close supervision )
  • steve_1
    steve_1 gillian_25383

    Posted

    You got away lightly,  when I missed a few doses of pred I thought I'd been sat on by an ephalump
    • gillian_25383
      gillian_25383 steve_1

      Posted

      Hi Steve,probably on a parr with you as I suppose a double decker bus equates weight wise to an elephant .Could have sat in a corner and cried this morning when I got up but not that sort of person (I just end up all red and blotchy LOL) but at last painkillers kicked in.What a joy life is at times.
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