Humira + Methotrexate

[Stacey444]

I have been taking oral Methotrexate every Monday and how I am adding Humira injections every other week. Can I do the injection the same day as my MTX? Or should I choose a different day? And why?

[AgedCrone]

Why don't you call your rheumy nurse....we don't know your history & everyone is different .

As you progress through different stages of RA meds do keep in touch with your nurses, they are often much more knowledgeable of dosage and times than the rheumatologist.

[Stacey444 in reply to AgedCrone]

I have been waiting for the nurse to get back to me. I thought I would just ask the folks on this board in the meantime. Sorry

[Downtime in reply to Stacey444]

I always took my Mxt on a Tuesday which just happened to be the same day as the nurse did my first Humira injection. I was ok but when I did the second injection two weeks later I didn’t feel great. Awful nausea, bit of dizziness and stomach pain. I just felt it was too much so I decided to change my Mxt day to Thursday . Since then it’s been much better.

[AgedCrone in reply to Stacey444]

Oh you don't need to be sorry Stacey...it takes quite a while to get your head around how to deal with RA meds.

I was diagnosed 20 years ago & I still wonder what, how, if this or that.

i know the nurses are very busy...but it's usually worth the wait.

Hope she gets back to you very soon.

[Hidden]

Hi my guess would be different days, I’m erezli not humira but was told to space them - but as suggested rhemy nurse is the best person to ask

[Sarahg62]

I do mine two days apart. I was told this by rheumy nurse. I believe it works best when done this way as they contradict each other. Are you also taking Folic acid, if so you shouldn’t take these on methotrexate day. Hope it works for you.

[Stacey444 in reply to Sarahg62]

Thank you . I am on Folic Acid but they have me taking it daily.

[Sarahg62 in reply to Stacey444]

I also take it daily, but don’t take it on the day I take methotrexate. All very confusing 😬🙄

[Preacherman]

Check with your doctor, but, I separate them as much as I can. Injections on Sunday and Methotrexate on Wednesday and no folic acid on Wednesday’s too.

Blessings,

[Stacey444 in reply to Preacherman]

Why no folic acid on the MTX day for you Preacherman? they have me taking my folic acid every day.

[Preacherman in reply to Stacey444]

Well, follow doctors orders, but maybe consider checking with them on this. I’ve been on Methotrexate for about 26 years now, both pill and injection form. Every Rheumatoligist I’ve had has told me to skip folic acid on the day I took my Methotrexate because it interferes with the action of the Methotrexate making it not as effective. Just like the difference between injection and pill form of the Methotrexate, when taking pills sometimes the stomic can rob some of the medicine and with injection you know you are getting the whole dose. At one time Methotrexate stopped working for me so we switched to injections and had success right away. I still take it today along with Enbrel, I was on Humira about 2 years back and for whatever the reason it just stopped working for me, go figure, because Enbrel works great and they are pretty much almost the same medicine I am told, but always make sure you check with your doctor and if you for some reason don’t work good together, get one that does. I live in America and I’ve replaced a few who had bad bedside manners if you will..

Hope this helps,

Blessings,

Brian

[Stacey444 in reply to Preacherman]

Thanks so much Brian. You have my interest peaked and now I am anxiously for my nurse to return my call.

[Preacherman in reply to Stacey444]

Good, your very welcome and please do let me know what your nurse says about the folic acid, now I’m curious to what she has to say too, :).

[Stacey444 in reply to Preacherman]

Good morning Brian. I guess I am really stumped now, I talked to the nurse and she said that I am to take the Folic acid as prescribed which is 1 tablet each day or i have an option to take just 1 tablet on the day I take my methotrexate. Hmmm, now I am wondering if I am even with the right doctor. My Rheumatologist is with the Cleveland Clinic so I would like to thing they know what they are doing but now I just am not sure.

[Preacherman in reply to Stacey444]

Well, I’m stumped now, I never heard such a thing. I have never had a Rheumatoligist tell me something near that, maybe some other folks on this site would like to weigh in on this???

But follow doctors orders, your situation might be different because of your levels or something like that.

[Stacey444 in reply to Stacey444]

Okay, I think I got an answer that makes sense. My Brother is an ER doc so I called him and had him ask one of his fellow Rheumatologists at the hospital. He said that in most situations the doctors here in the US prescribe the folic acid daily where doctors outside of the US are still researching the folic acid , methotrexate mix on the same day. He said that I should trust my doctor with these meds unless they make me ill. If they make me ill and my doc does nothing about it - then I have a problem.

[Preacherman in reply to Stacey444]

Very good response!!!