Methotrexate advice please!!!!!!

[Hels1989]

I’ve always taken the same brand of methotrexate since last August and never had any symptoms! Yesterday my pharmacist gave me another brand, I took my doseage last night and I had stomach pains all through the night and today I feel like I have the flu!!!!!! Does anybody know if I can request the old brand again? I cannot cope feeling this way every week especially when I don’t know how long these symptoms will last! Any advice welcome. Feeling very sorry for myself!

[Jewels94]

I would speak to your GP and explain to them. I believe they can specify a brand on the prescription if necessary. I could be wrong though

[Jewels94 in reply to Jewels94]

gponline.com/gp-dilemma-i-p...

[Hels1989 in reply to Jewels94]

I hope so. I’ve been on it since August last year and had no problems what so ever since this different brand!

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Helen. If you've not had notification of your Practice opting to specify a specific brand (or generic version) of MTX then request of the Pharmacist you have the one you normally have. Sometimes if a brand isn't given on your script list the Pharmacy will give whatever brand they have, maybe you've just been fortunate it's been the one that suits you til now. It's a little more problematic though if the Practice is cost cutting on prescribing, common practice I'm afraid nowadays. They will change meds to their cheapest alternative (generic) though this will usually appear in your repeat list as methotrexate tabs (there will be no brand specified). If this is the case you'd be best to have a word with your GP, explain why you'd prefer your original brand & if it could be specified on your repeat script.

[Hels1989 in reply to nomoreheels]

Thanks Hun, I’m going to try my pharmacist first on Friday and if I have no joy I will book a appointment to see my GP. I’m just panicking that they won’t swap it for me when I can’t cope like this and go away in 3 weeks xxx

[Hels1989]

Well today I feel completely better!!! Do you think it’s worth seeing how next week goes??? Xx

[nomoreheels in reply to Hels1989]

I would, could just have been a blip?

[AgedCrone]

I know poor old Mtx can have a lot of downsides....but have you thought you might just have a tummy bug?

I think we sometimes blame a drug we are on for symptoms we get......I blamed RTX for my horrid skin rash,& it turned out to be a Post Viral Rash following Flu!

Hang on & see how you feel in a week.

[Hels1989 in reply to AgedCrone]

Nope I’m completely fine today and was the day before. I had loads of symptoms all matching to Mtx symptoms. Trouble is I can’t just wait as I go away in a couple weeks and can’t risk feeling like that for a day 🙁

[Hidden in reply to AgedCrone]

Hi, I wondered the same thing. Chemists have people unwell in them, so do drs waiting rooms. I had the fluvax and had waited for the vaccine in a small waiting room with people coughing., a few days later I had the sniffles, ear etc. My husband commented that I get crook when I have it, no I think it’s due to the waiting room. I hope for you it was a coincidence as well. Next dose will tell.

[AgedCrone]

Well don't stress or you will get a flare.

Start your list of holiday packing & you won't have time to think about Mtx. ..you will be too busy out shopping!

[Hels1989 in reply to AgedCrone]

Haha I stress most of my life and have luckily not had a flare yet or not too bad of one. Thanks for the support x

[Kings1]

I was always told to take the same brand always.

[Hels1989 in reply to Kings1]

Thankyou that’s good to know

[Joy_1]

Hi

I got my GP to put my preferred brand on my repeat prescription. So far no problems.

One brand I recover from within a day and the other I feel v nauseous and v tired on for 3 days - they are both made by the same manufacturer!

Joy

[Hels1989 in reply to Joy_1]

Thanks joy. I’m going to speak to them tomorrow. Hopefully they can do the same for me x

[Hidden]

Hi hels, was really interested in your post: someone else said similar recently: i didn't even know they did different brands of MTX until then.

Similar thing happened to me i think but in good way (there's a change 😄). I spent 9 months on mtx feeling sick as a dog for over half the week, varying doses and injections no better but suddenly at end of April this stopped (i can cope with one faintly queasy day). I had noticed at same time that brand box looked different for last 2 prescriptions but hadn't connected until i read your's so who knows (could have just got used to it but v sudden after months on end)? Thanks for posting x

[Hels1989 in reply to Hidden]

Glad something good has come from my post 😁 make sure you get that same brand then Hun 😊 xxx

[Hidden]

Will do, hope they sort yours out too, no fun feeling like that. There were lots on hydroxychloroquine brands on here too but my GPs & rheumatology only now do cheaper one so came off that: oh well can't win em all 😃 Have a lovely holiday x

[NathanT]

Hi Hels1989,

Much has already been said ... when a medication has been written in its generic form i.e. Methotrexate, the pharmacist has full access to the entire market place and will normally purchase the cheapest form of that generic. Due to CAT M in the drug tariff they often lose money if they are not able to do this.

If you have been having the same generic manufacturer it sounds like the pharmacist had an account whereby they would have pushed all of their buying power through one channel … which could now have changed.

All generics have the same bioequivalence (work the same) and you should not see or feel the difference. However, GP's only prescribe branded medication for epileptic patients as they cannot afford for this bioequivalence to not be the same.

If you are having issues, then I’m sure your GP / Pharmacist will be able to prescribe the generic manufacture that has previously worked.

Take care

Nathan