1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Starting methotrexate

Posted , 6 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Today I am starting methotrexate 10 mg along with folic acid once a day. I am optimistic this is going to bring my flares under control. Just wondering if I will have to be on it 3 months to see the results. I've been having back to back flares since July so I figure 3 more months is ok. I talked to a lady that took metho for 10 yrs and she loved it. Here's looking to a brighter future smile

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • f70804
    f70804 Guest

    Posted

    Also just about to start. I've only to take folic acid 1 x week tho... Wonder why that is? Anyone have any ideas? Also feeling optimistic that things might become more controlled. terrified too tho...

    Work in a school and worried about how my immune system will cope.

    What other medication are you taking?

    • Guest
      Guest f70804

      Posted

      I am taking folic acid once a day along with 200 mg of Celebrex
  • frances85589
    frances85589 Guest

    Posted

    Yes same as 2f70804 I was only on folic acid once week.side effects for me was thinning of hair and raised liver levels so I had to come off it but wish you well as they refer to it as the golden drug as its most effective.Your immune system will be lowered so make sure you have your flu and pneumonia injections
    • f70804
      f70804 frances85589

      Posted

      Yep, my rheumatologist referred to it as the gold standard... So hoping it might well make a difference to me. My hair has already been thinning for the last few months and I've not even started the MTX yet. Brought it up with GP and at the hospital but I have a massive amount of hair to start with and they didn't seem too concerned. Were you given any advice regarding that side effect?
    • Guest
      Guest frances85589

      Posted

      Fixing to take the flu shot this next week. Doc said it is not good to take a steroid shot and flu shot the same day, sometimes the flu shot doesn't take so it is on my schedule. As for the pneumonia shot i took that last year.
    • Guest
      Guest f70804

      Posted

      No, I wasn't given any advice concerning hair thinning. if that does happen i will take it as it comes. I am thinking positive as i can. I took my first dose yesterday and by evening I felt the difference, I was not nauesaed (sp) and started getting my appetite back. I felt like i took 100 hits of no doze. I could hear the blood pumping in my heart and it was so loud it was deafening. yeah, wow! Went to bed and woke right up still wound up. Got up and still wound up, Then....I crashed and have been sleeping all day and hour or two at a time but really hard sleep. I'm keeping a journal of everything. That is the first thing I learned here and it does come in handy!! I'd like to ask another question to those who have switched medicines,... what kind of adjustment period do you go through? Do you go through more flares until your body adjusts from taking plaqineil  to mtx? Seem I am having some flare pains tonight. Just wondering if i will go through an adjustment period? Also with taking mtx once a week..do you notice a difference in how you feel the first day after you take it and say the 5th day?
  • Rowbirdie
    Rowbirdie Guest

    Posted

    All the best!  The arthritis research site says it may take 3 to 12 weeks to notice any difference from methx

    I have folic acid on day after methx, same as f70804. I ve discovered on forums several different folic acid regimes-   So I think rheumy depts must have different systems, all of which work - or can be adjusted.

    i worked in a school too ( and also look after grandchildren) 

    i was very thorough about hand washing and aware of making sure I wasn't t sneezed on( occupational hazard! ) but only got 1 cold which also turned into a chest infection in the 18 months I was on methx and in a school. It cleared up with a week on anti biotics.

    • f70804
      f70804 Rowbirdie

      Posted

      Thanks for that rowbirdie. It's really good to know someone else who has first hand experience of that.
    • Guest
      Guest Rowbirdie

      Posted

      yes Thank you Rowbirdie and all the rest of the gang here. You are really a God send with your experiences. It makes it easier for the rest of us. Maybe someday i can be more helpful to someone here biggrin
  • Debkimly
    Debkimly Guest

    Posted

    My experience with Mthatrexate has been fine.  I take 20 mg once a week and two folic acid every day.  My hair was thin to begin with so the only side affect I don't like is the thinning hair. I started it in January.

    My daughter is a pharmacist and she agrees that methotrexate is the gold standard for RA.  My pain is still there but tolerable.  I just added another medicine because I don't want the RA to destroy joints.

    Good Luck .

    • mborr
      mborr Debkimly

      Posted

      I am glad to hear that some of you are taking this med Methatrexate with fine results... I am newly diagnosed and I am pretty sure my Rheum will mention it... I am stil digesting all the info to learn more about this condition. I don't have much pain...yet.. Only on my distal finger but got the RA factor positive
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.