Posted , 9 users are following.
I see my rheumy today and she increased my MTX dosage to 12.5 mg as well as adding prednisone of 10mg daily . Anyone knows what are the side effects I'm expecting ? I'm worried and hate this horrible disease.
0 likes, 17 replies
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Buckeyes sia34716
Posted
Can't tell you much about the methotrexate. I wasn't on it too long but the prednisone I gained 30 pounds! I fought to get off of it! After a year I finally lost the weight and it was really hard!
Best of luck to you!
sherry29159 sia34716
Posted
I am on 22.5mg of methotrexate by injection. I have been on it for about 3 - 4 years. I can't really complain about side effects as I have not had much. Some people do tho. The prednislone is the one I try and avoid but its a fantastic pain release drug. I have just started a short course of it again due to pain but will not take it for long as it does make you put on weight! You may be lucky and not get too much side effects either and as the methotrexate kicks in you can ease off the steroids. But we all react differently so its just going with it and see how it works for you. Sorry you got RA and hope it is brought under control quickly. Good luck.
lynn15111 sia34716
Posted
I'd rather be on Pregnisone because it actually does work. I didn't hve any negative side effects when I was younger. Now it can make my eyesight change in focus and I get very hungry, but I don't tend to gain weight from it. The pain relief is worth it. MTX never helped me at all, my body kept getting new joints inflammed while I was on it.
mary76396 sia34716
Posted
Hi Sia, I'm on MTX but a reduced dose of 10mg as I was having liver problems. I came off it for a month and my liver improved. I haven't had any other problems on it. I can also take Predislonone if I need it for a flare but will try to avoid it. I also have a Cimzia injection every fortnight and have Seen A great improvement since starting it. Cimzia is a biologic and I've heard good things from others taking it. I found weight gain on Predislonone and chipmunk face was the worst symptoms.
EileenH sia34716
Posted
Pred has 82+ listed side effects - no-one gets them all and some people get none to speak about. Some people put on weight - pred changes the way your body processes carbs and that makes you put on fat in certain places but you can often avoid those effects by cutting carbs drastically. That also helps reduce the hunger cravings many people complain of and blame the weight gain on. But everyone is different - I gained weight with one sort but was able to lose it again by cutting carbs while still on 15mg of a different pred, I also know people who had no weight gain problem and yet others who have lost weight!
Did your rheumy say if she was going to use the pred long term or is it just to settle down a flare? I've been on pred for over 7 years now - I haven't fallen apart and other than that weight gain originally which I then lost later I can't really say I have severe problems. I have sweats - that happens with my autoimmune illness anyway, I'm sometimes probably a bit more direct with people when I'm not happy with something - they survive!
Big positive for me: I have WONDERFUL nails while taking pred...
sherry29159 EileenH
Posted
EileenH sherry29159
Posted
Be careful - while you are on pred you need a good supply of protein for your muscles and that is difficult in the context of a vegan diet. I'm not going to say don't because my granddaughter's asthma has improved immensely since she went vegan - and she has lost a lot of pred weight too, 8kg so far in about 6 months. Good luck.
sherry29159 EileenH
Posted
EileenH sherry29159
Posted
They live just outside Edinburgh and we went in to a fringe theatre show and then for a meal in a rather upmarket veggie/vegan restaurant. My vegan meal was superb and their vegan chocolate icecream was even better than the "normal" one! My husband struggled a bit - poached egg and chips but the chips were very good.
I have a friend in the south of England who has been vegan for years - her partner still eats meat though and she cooks it for him. She has commented how much better it is getting with more choices in restaurants than just the veg! I'd struggle in the longer term I think - I'm allergic to something in the structure of wheat, not gluten, but that does tend to limit my choices even further.
sherry29159 EileenH
Posted
Yes wheat is quite a common problem for some and I used to eat spelt as an alternative whilst going wheat free for a while but I don't seem to have a wheat problem. I worry about B12 as that can be difficult to get on vegan or veggie diets and I am researching it at the moment. Its not insurmountable tho and I will get it somehow.
Your vegan restaurant sounds good. I would love to visit Edinburgh some time. May look up vegan chocolate ice cream recipe. I have found a mozzarella dupe recipe on YouTube and it looks great. I already make my own nut milks which is sooo easy and much better than ready made stuff.
Take care.
EileenH sherry29159
Posted
It's only hard durum wheat - as used in pasta and a lot of European bread. I can eat French bread, it is made with soft Canadian wheat, and spelt and kamut are both fine.
I don't live in Edinburgh - we were back in the UK visiting the family as one must once a year. Don't think hubby would go there very often though! He's very unadventurous - if there isn't meat on the plate it wasn't a meal!
I can't say I was too impressed with the immitation cheese for Nome's pizza (we all had real) and even she admitted it was hard. Maybe she'd put it in the oven too long - she makes pizza with Jus-roll puff pastry and I have to say it was very good! I used a sweet potato gluten-free wrap as the base fo mine and it was brilliant but I didn't leave it in the oven for long.
Paula2212 sia34716
Posted
Hi.
my mum is on 20 mg of MXT and alternating days of prednisolone ie 2.5mg and 5mg. She was on more of the latter a year ago when first diagnosed and the MXT dose was initially lower. Her Rheumy has tried increasing the MXT to enable her to get off the prednisolone which I'll doubt will ever happen. Mum is 84 and has been OK on the Methotrexate compared to others side effects I read about. The thing she most hates is that is has made her hair very very poor but her hair was thin anyway and as I say, she is an older lady too. Prednisolone wise, she has not put on weight but her skin is very very fragile. Hope his helps you but we have learned that everyone is different so I do hope you get the relieve you need and minimal or no side effects. Best of luck.
sia34716
Posted
Thanks everyone for your reply. My doc didn't mtntion how long she's gonna put me on prednisone but she mentioned if I feel better I can reduce it to 5 mg myself. I know I have no choice but to take it as my conditions have not improved at all while I was on MTX. I wish you all well and stay strong everyone.
lynn15111 sia34716
Posted
So since your doc already sees the MTX is not helping, will she/he consider puttiing you on a biological? Sulfasalazine is still a very good med. from the 1950's also. I'm also taking Melexocam or Mobic because anti-inflammatory meds will help you wean off the pregnisone.
sia34716 lynn15111
Posted
Unfortunately not. I did ask her about the biologics but she said I don't need that yet... She only increased my MTX dosage .