methotrexate and enbrel

[RobbieM]

I had a meeting with my consultant yesterday and he had to drain my knee, then inject steroids into it then he have me another steroid injection in the bottom as my whole body was experiencing a serious and long term flare which had to happen during my two week holiday!

He was quite keen for me to start taking methotrexate with my Enbrel injection but I am reluctant as I have heard of and have a neighbour that had a serious almost life threatening reaction to methotrexate.

Just wondered what the community thoughts are on this

[popsmith1874]

Hi there everyone's different but I do know that the 2 drugs together work better, I've been on mtx for 2 years and wasn't any better but now I'm on Benepali which is the same as Embrel but different name and I'm a totally different person who can lead a nearly normal life, but as I say everyone's different so I would do what's best for you

[RobbieM in reply to popsmith1874]

Many thanks

[Paula-C]

I started taking Mtx in 2010, I have had no side effects whatsoever, apart from my hair thinning a little, which could be age related anyway. I started off on 7.5mg and eventually over a period of several weeks had it increased to 20mg. I had read so many horror stories about Mtx so every time the dose got increased I expected some sort of reaction, but no, nothing at all. I had Enbrel added in 2012 and continued taking Mtx, the dose I now take is 17.5mg which I inject.

From what I've read about enbrel, they like you to take Mtx as well because the Mtx helps to stop antibodies being made against the Enbrel, so the long term outcome is better when both are taken together.

Mtx is a long established RA drug, I read somewhere that over 90% of patients have at sometime in their treatment taken it, so you are bound to read more bad reports about it than other drugs we take.

Your neighbour was probably, unfortunately for him/ her in the minority that have bad reactions to it. We are very closely monitored when we take this drug.

I'm in clinical remission with my drugs, have been for over three years. Hope my input helps. xx

[RobbieM in reply to Paula-C]

Thank you for replying Paula - Lots to consider

[oldtimer]

Large numbers of people on here are on methotrexate. Typically those have problems post so you hear all the worst stories. All those hundreds of people who trundle along nicely keeping their RD under control with methotrexate don't post about that!

It is what the rheumatologists call a gold standard drug in that the risk benefit equation shows that for a large proportion of people methotrexate will control their disease with only minor side effects. Some people will need to add in other drugs, others will have to go on something completely different, either because of side effects or because it doesn't work for them. Unfortunately we are still at the stage of trial and error, although that is beginning to change.

[RobbieM in reply to oldtimer]

Thank you for the message and comments lots to think about

[ruth_p]

I've been taking mtx again for about 9 years. I've had it in combination with leflunomide, leflunomide and enbrel, leflunomide and Humira and now with tocilizumab. Some people can't tolerate it but others can. Taking the folic acid is really important as it replenishes the foliate the mtx reduces which in turn helps with the side effects. You have nothing to lose by trying it and the biologics do work better I combination with other dmards.

[mickeysmom34472]

I have been on methetrexate since July of this year. I am now at 15mg weekly. I had a flare up 2 weeks ago and was on prednsilone pack for a week, now I am flaring again and now I am wondering if the mtx isn't working anymore. I was fortunate not to have anu bad side effects from this med and would hate to start all over with something wlse Thoughts anyone?