Feeling bad after first dose of Metho
I am new here and I was diagnosed to have RA just 3 weeks ago though without RF in blood test. Started Metho a week ago with 10 mg and felt heat in all my joints and sweating a lot at night. Anyone has such experience? Hesitate to take the second dose on coming Monday!
Speak to your rheumy just to be on the safe side.xxxx
It's certainly a good idea to talk to your rheumatologist (or rheumatology nurse) if you manage. But I can tell you I've had the "sweating a lot at night" before I started with the methotrexate. It continued in the first several weeks, getting better and better as the mtx built up and started to have an effect on the disease. But at first the sweating was really intense!
What I mean to say is that it could just be your disease continuing to get a bit worse (1 dose is not enough for the methotrexate to have an effect on the RA). But you should still definitely ask someone who knows about this kind of stuff. Maybe a pharmacist if you don't manage to get hold of your rheumy or rheumy nurse?
Emilie, thanks for your reply and that helps comfort me. My concern is that I am going to a long trip at the beginning of Aug (planned already in June) and worry that mtx may make me very sick during the trip. The sleeping quality now is very bad. I woke up every two hours with problems in all my joints (even worse than before) and sore throat, even though a bit improved in stiffness. I am also worried about the reduced immune system during the trip. Just can’t imagine what will happen after the 2nd dose. Could I suspend the dose until I come back in Mid Aug? Anyone has temporarily quit mtx before? Will the joint get worse?
My Rheumatologist seems quite uninterested to hear those side effects. For him, it all sounds “necessary” to go through.
Hope to have your feedback.
Hello RA2018,
I will likely not be popular for this comment but I would skip the dose until you return. I would of course recommend getting your Rheumatologist to acknowledge this decision. It does shut your immune system down so that they can trigger a remission. To do this the DMARD’s shut down your system so no protection. It maybe safer to wait until you come back.
Hi RA2018. I understand your worries. You would need to check, but I think mtx does not diminish your immune system as much as some of the other drugs (eg biologics). Five months after starting mtx I find myself still less often ill than before the disease developed, but other's experience may differ. As for travel, I have been on the train almost weekly (between North East and East Midlands) with extra trips to Scotland and South Wales (see below), and I have also flown to France and Canada. In all these trips the disease has been more of a difficulty than the mtx!
I went to Swansea (from the North East) on the train three weeks into taking mtx. I was very worried about feeling unwell (I was scheduled to take the mtx in Swansea on the Friday night, and then spend the day on the train on Saturday), as that had been my experience the previous two weeks. But it went surprisingly well. I take mtx before dinner on Fridays and that day there was a social dinner at a restaurant and the food took forever to come. I was feeling very nauseous and not well while waiting and so drank loads of water to pass the time and try to settle my nausea. I quickly got better when the food came and to my surprise, I had no nausea whatsoever the next morning. What I learned then (and since), for me the mtx exacerbates the feeling of hunger during the first 24 hours or so after taking it, so taking regular snacks makes a huge difference, and drinking a lot of water on mtx day keeps the nausea away the next day.
This approach might not work for you, of course, but hopefully you'll find a mtx ritual that does and can benefit from its positive effects. Almost everybody mentions "keep well hydrated", so that's definitely something to try.
One dose is not enough for sure. But the side effects are terrible and I called my doctor and told him no way.
Hi, I'm new to the site to, nice to know I am not alone.
I think you should contact your Rheumatologist but I think you should stick with it; i know some people who have done really well on MXT despite having a horrible time in the beginning.
Unfortunately, it didn't work for me no matter what they they tried; I am no longer on it and feel a lot better. I am on leflunomide now.
Take care and good luck 
Thanks for your comfort and sharing! How long have you tried on Mxt? What do you feel after taking it?
I was on MXT for 11yrs, and I lost my hair, skin crawling, coughs, chest infections, nauseated 24hrs a day, periods of vomiting every time I ate, fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell. Liver damage and kidney problems, all of which has settled since coming off MXT.
Hello, and welcome.
Sorry to hear about your fears, and concerns upon your upcoming holiday.
I too had massive concerns, as I had my wedding booked for las vegas in June, and had only 3 weeks to improve (I could walk) a massive dose of steroids and straight onto 15mg metho. I was petrified the metho would make me ill in America. My 1st dose I sat and waited... Wrong thing to do, with the advice on here, I changed the time I took it, (evening meal) and keep busy, and drink plenty, the sweats I had before the metho have now gone, and only have minimal side effects. Silly things like a bit of wind, spots, and cramp. Hope this helps for you to keep positive, and enjoy your holiday. X
I could not take it either. One day on the sofa so exhausted I could barely breathe and the nausea was terrible! I syopped it, AND the next 3 he prescribed as well.
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