First dose

[Ninja73]

Hello everyone

Since I last posted I have been to my Rheumatologist twice and had an assortment of scan and X-rays.

Today I start Mtx at 5mg this morning and 5mg tonight.

Am totally nervous and am wondering how my body will cope with these medications. Work have been great and I have now adjusted hours to try and suit but it will be a long process I think.

At the moment I have tendonitis in my hands and dactilitis in one of my fingers along with pain in my toes.

It appears that each morning that I wake something else is sore, painful or aching.

Wish me luck

Nina

[Amy_Lee]

Dear Nina,

I was very scared too when I was asked to take mtx but I was/am okay though I did/do suffer some side effects. You need not be scared about mtx, it will do you more good than harm. You rheumy will keep tract of your blood work and it will be good if you can also keep an excel record of your blood work to monitor your performance.

[stbernhard]

Hello Ninja, don't worry about RA medication(s). It may take a while to find the right ones for you or you may be as lucky as I was and get the right cocktail from the start. We all react differently and I hope you'll get on well with MTX. All the very best.

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Nina. I know it's easy for me to say 9 years since diagnosis but try not to concentrate on your meds, they've been prescribed to help a chronic disease. There are no guarantees I'm afraid so it's a case of try & see with each of them but MTX has been my longest serving DMARD, 8 years now, it was my second DMARD after my first stopped working. You've been started on a relatively low dose &, in my opinion because it's what I was told to do, taking it in separate doses helps, it's not such a hit on your body.

I hope it helps. Just be aware & report any unwanted symptoms to your Rheumy nurse. You should also have been prescribed folic acid, they are intended to ease any of the more common ones. I take it every day except MTX day & am just a little more tired & have less appetite the following day. If you have any concerns just ask, as MTX is often a first choice treatment there are many of us here who are on it, or have been. 😊

[ITYFIALMCTT in reply to nomoreheels]

I always find it so comforting when you report that MTX has been working for you for so long.

[nomoreheels in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Thank you. I think it's hard for anyone who maybe haven't needed specialist meds before & MTX in particular can alarm if googled. In my view it's often undeserved & usually what's focused on are the relatively few serious side effects in comparison to the many who it works well for so having been on it so long I hope it can allay some of those fears.

[popsmith1874]

Hi Nina it is a bit daunting at the start when going on new meds but after a month or two the mtx should start giving you a bit more comfort, drink plenty water as that helps lessen the side effects if you get any as we are all different, take care xxx