Side affects of methotrexate.

[Titchyj]

Hi, I started methotrexate on Monday at 7.5mg, taking the Folic Acid since Tuesday, but still feel awful, diarrhoea, nausea, sweats, pain all over and very tired.

I am supposed to take my next dose on Monday, 7.5mg, but not sure I want to feel like this next week too.

Is this normal? And will it get better over time?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Jan

[allanah]

I think phone your Rheumy advice line on Monday, they might juggle your dose or folic acid dose for you. I did get symptoms like you but if they get worse I would call go emergency line for advice.

I hope they get you sorted soon, I think I started on 5 mg but couldn't swear to that,

Hope it settles xx

[Titchyj]

Thank you Allanah for your reply, I will contact rheumy nurse Monday. I am taking 5mg of Folic Acid daily also omeprazol 20mg twice a day, so thought my stomach was protected. Will keep taking tablets and hopefully the side effects will get less and I will feel better.

Hope you are well or as sell as can be.

Thanks again

Jan

[heidij]

I have been on methatrxate for quite a few years. it is very strong drug and because of this it can take up to 3 months to get into your system so be patient if no different contact your doctor.

[Hidden]

Hello

On Monday you could contact your RA Nurse and explain how you are feeling.

Contraindications with this medication can be severe, so advice needs to be taken, sometimes these problems will reduce in time, although personally there is nothing wrong finding out what is happening

Good Luck

BOB

[cathie]

I dont know what you do on Mondays, but I was advised to take mtx on a Friday night so I had time to take it easy the next day. I've been taken off it (after about 10 years) because I have a bit of liver damage, but I really feel the difference. I'd take it again if I was allowed. it was reassuring to be carefully monitored. It wasn't easy for my body to get used to the drug, but I did feel better for it. So plusses and minuses!

[Sharon56]

Yes I am methotrexate which I take on a Friday. Then take folic acid every day except Friday. I do find my toilet habits are a bit messy for a couple of days (sorry for the description).

[Titchyj]

Thanks everyone for your replies, will seek advice from rheumy nurse on monday or nhs direct if it gets worse over the week end.

Jan

[Hidden]

Unfortunately I think you will find many have had these symptoms at least initially but lots clear up and experience marked benefits whilst others cant tolerate the drug short term, many also take it for years like Cathie then get taken off it, at certain levels you have to be checked regularly for liver function ( I think its monthly if your on 20mg). Certainly report this to your rheumy nurse and keep a diary of how you are each day after your weekly dose to compare and see if the symptoms lessen. Good luck and I hope you get some benefit. Leon.

[jelly4toes]

Ring the chemist in the meantime they can be very helpful and I've found that on occasion speaking with the chemist ( not the 10 year old assistant or mumsy assistant) has provided me with information to arm me with in order to sound clued up when speaking to the Rhumatologist.

[Titchyj in reply to jelly4toes]

Thanks Jelly4toes, will ring ra nurse tomorrow and see what they have to say. Have to take second dose tomorrow night!!! Not looking forward to that, but will persevere for the time being and hope the side effects go away soon.

Jan

[Sazzie3]

Hi,

I've been on Methotrexate for a year or so (20mg on a friday night and 5mg folic the next night), the side affects are worse to start with but they do lessen! I have mobility now that I didn't have before which outweighs the side effects for me - but it does affect each person differently. Just a thought, my consultant took me off Omneprazole (or however it is spelt!) and put me on Lanzoprazole which doesn't react with the metho like the other one can, it might be worth mentioning?

Hope your journey gets better and easier to bear x

[maywing]

I had a very similar reaction to taking methotrexate. I started it on a Saturday and by the Tuesday I was reacting like you. It didn't get better and after taking another dose they told me to stop because I couldn't eat and felt so ill. I hope things get better for you and definitely speak to your rheumatologist.

[Kerigrace]

I take 7 x 2.5mg of methotrexate. Once I was down to 4 x 2.5mg. I've been taking it since 2004. You need to think about RA as a chronic disease. You will not feel better right away, but you are trying to achieve a "medical remission" so that you feel better most of the time. It took me about 6 months to work out all of the details of my meds and dose levels. Once I got it right I've been really good for the last 10 years!! It's a long term project.

[Sweetpolly2016]

You will get better over time. Methotrexate takes time for your body to adjust. But eventually you’ll come to depend on it. My rheumatologist told me that was the standard Med to take for RA. One time I stopped taking it for awhile and got deathly ill. Got back on it and started to improve.

[Titchyj in reply to Sweetpolly2016]

Hi Sweetpolly2016, thanks for replying to my post, but this was posted some 6 years ago. Since then I have been on the injection metoject methotrexate 25mg which is better for me than the tablets.

Unfortunately I got the flu virus recently so had to come off it and there is now a problem with my liver so not sure when I’ll get back on it if at all. Awaiting scan of liver at the moment.

Thanks anyway for your observations.

Jan