folic acid

[jujubee43]

good morning,

i have seen in a few posts that some RA patients are taking folic acid along with their meds. i am taking enbrel and am wondering if i should ask my rheumatologist if i should take folic acid.

[Matilda7]

You only need it if you are taking methotrexate!

Are you on Enbrel alone?

[jujubee43 in reply to Matilda7]

yes, enbrel (once a week) and 5mg prednisone (daily)

[beeckey]

Only people on Methotrexate need take it are you on this medication.

[jujubee43 in reply to beeckey]

no, just enbrel

[Eiram50]

Hi jujubee

I agree with the other posts, people who are prescribed methotrexate are also prescribed folic acid - simply due to the way methotrexate impacts the body.

However, if you were anemic it's possible you'd also be prescribed FA.

It's not prescribed as a run of the mill thing and also not suitable to take with many meds.

Marie

[nomoreheels]

It's only prescribed in conjunction with MTX I'm afraid, unless a blood test shows you've folate deficiency anaemia then it's prescribed as a first line treatment. You'll have read here that it's most often mentioned when discussing MTX? This is because of the way MTX works it can't determine 'good' cells from 'bad', one 'good' one being folate, the DNA cell needed for healthy cells to regrow. You may have heard that MTX was originally a chemo med for specific cancers until it was discovered it worked in a similar wayang much lower doses for RD & other autoimmune diseases. This is why side effects are related to things like hair, mouth ulcers & the digestive system & why it's not to be used if planning a family or in pregnancy. Enbrel works in an entirely different way so folic acid wouldn't be appropriate.

[Martinilady]

Im on Humira & explained to my GP that the Fatigue was getting me down. She arranged blood test & result was my folic was low so she prescribed 30day period of Folic acid pills. I was surprised coz I thought Folic was only taken when on methotrexate but apparently not.