Stopping Methotexate ???

[mickyb]

I'm injecting 20m of mtx a week...I want to go long term traveling and would like to substitute mtx injections for something else....dont want mxt pills because of side effects...any ideas ??

[earthwitch]

Think you'd have to ask your rheumatologist that. Make sure you explain your reasons for wanting to change, and that will help them come up with an alternative.

[magglen]

I don't know why you would have side effects from taking oral medication when you have not had a problem with the injections. However, your rheumatologist is the one to talk to.

[helixhelix in reply to magglen]

A lot of us do....I was on MTX tablets and had bad side effects & rheumy switched me over to injections and it's fine. This way the drug bypasses the throat and stomach, so less impact.

[NeonkittyUK in reply to magglen]

Totally agree with helixhelix. The rheumys usually switch people from MTX tablets to injections because they upset the stomach for many. I was told by a rheumy that more of the med is absorbed so works better when injected.

[magglen]

Another thing I have learnt! Thankyou.

I inject Enbrel once a week and when I go away I take the number of syringes I need in a cool bag with ice block. Then, when I arrive, I put the syringes in a fridge as usual. When I have stayed in hotels they have been very helpful in allowing me find a place in their fridge.

[Hidden in reply to magglen]

Methotrexate has to be kept at room temperature, so storage wouldn't necessarily be a problem. I think micky is concerned about how the injections would be sent to him while going on long term travels.

[helixhelix in reply to Hidden]

In hot countries it can get over 25 degrees, so it does need to be kept cool. And the injections have a 2 year shelf life so you can take a bundle away with you.

[nomoreheels in reply to helixhelix]

Never had a problem in Spain & it regularly reached 25˚. Slight difference in that you need a weekly prescription, you're not allowed to keep more than one syringe at a time at home. I always got mine a couple of days before I needed it & just kept it in the med drawer, never had a problem.

[helixhelix in reply to nomoreheels]

I was firmly told that I should make sure the MTX stayed below 25 degrees, so to be careful when travelling in hot countries with a bag full of syringes. Which is probably a bit different from having a single syringe inside a properly ventilated house (and there used to be a pinned post about it from last year's heat wave....)

[nomoreheels in reply to helixhelix]

I understand that & I didn't bother. The UK tends to go into a bit of a panic if we have extremes of temp. Just saying I collected mine from an air conditioned pharmacy & it was stored in a house without a.c. with no problems. My Consultant was aware that it was kept in a drawer in a kitchen with no direct sun & he didn't consider it necessary to keep it refrigerated.

[helixhelix in reply to nomoreheels]

I'm sure you're right re the UK, but the post was about long term travelling so I was just relaying the information I got directly from the Metoject manufacturers when I contacted them about travelling through East Asia.

[Sunflower62]

How exciting to go travelling... The sunshine will in its self help your pain. with regards to the meds def think you will need to ask your RD nurse

[helixhelix]

I agree that you'll need to discuss with rheumy - the most common alternative is Leflumide but that might not be appropriate for you. But I do wonder whether this is a good plan....if you've been fine on MTX then might be better to explore how to keep going on this as the last thing you need when travelling is to have problems with your RA. And when it works then MTX is one of the best drugs.

It all depends on where you're going and for how long. You've probably thought of all this, but I've had to accept that my travel options are now limited because of the RA - so can't go to countries that need live vaccines and also think safer to avoid countries where I'd have problems getting replacement drugs should mine be stolen (we know they'd be useless/ dangerous but a large bag of drugs is very attractive in some places). But apart from that with some planning you can do quite a bit. 3 to 6 months worth of drugs is usually ok to carry across a border with the right paperwork (check the countries tho' - some customs can get funny as think that quantity could mean you're planning to trade them) Above that then may be best to arrange in advance where you can get a repeat prescription - RA and rheumatologists exist all over the world and MTX is commonly used.

And take a photo of an x-Ray of an RA deformed hand or something with you as that can be the easiest way to explain why you need the drugs if the language is a barrier. And any doctor will understand what you have from that as well. Oh, and a cool bag for the syringes if you're going to a hot country.

Have fun

[mickyb]

Thank you all for your comments ....My concern is purely the inconvenience of carrying 6 months or more of metroject pens around Asia...would be so much easier to take some form of pill ...Thank you all...