methotrexate pen

[hearm]

has anyone else had nausea, fatigue problems with new methotrexate pen delivery system?

[RosieA]

I haven't used the new system but used to use the older style pens. I was lucky never any nausea but I was left with chronic fatigue for 2 /3 days after injecting. It became so profound that I had my first accident in the car. Eventually after holding on for eight months the consultant agreed to stop the drug. I should imagine that the pen type might be irrelevant. x

[hearm in reply to RosieA]

ok thanks for reply. I was ok with old pen system. It may just have been a coincidence that I was queasy after use of new one.

[RosieA in reply to hearm]

It may well be just coincidence but like all things keep notes in your diary. How long have you been on MTX? I was O K for a little while and then things just went down hill.

[Bakbre]

Hi RosieA

I was put on the pen after taking oral Methotrexate which left me in the bathroom throwing up constantly and chronic fatigue, lasting for about a week. However I found that the pen made no difference whatsoever and I reacted exactly the same with the pen as with the oral. I was lucky and my consultant took me off it after 6 weeks and I was put on something else. Hopefully I will never have to go on it again!

[Kath1]

I have been injecting 15mg methotrexate for over a yr with the switch between injection styles and I haven't felt a difference. I just find that sometimes the methotrexate makes me feel worse one week than it does the other weeks. Stick with it if you can and give it a few weeks. If you still feel terrible talk to your team and they will help.

[hearm in reply to Kath1]

Thanks

[Mimi1900]

are you given a prescription for folic acid to take daily?

After I spent the night vomiting the first week I was given a prescription to take for that called ondansetron odt 4mgtabs by mouth every 8 hours as needed for nausea. I started at weekly 7.5 legs of methotrexate subs and escalated to 25 mg over a year. Nausea would return during first couple days of each escalation. Now that I’m at a stable dose only very occasionally do I get nausea and I don’t take the ondanseteon bkz it is mild.

When I reached the higher dose s above 20mg my doctor added Leucovorin once weekly at 25mg bkz hair be gain falling out again. Before that the folic acid that I took and still took helped with hair.

[hearm in reply to Mimi1900]

Thanks for reply. Yes I’m prescribed weekly folic acid a couple of days after methotrexate